PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jan Claude Van Damme (ranked 2479 p4p, 3047 weight class) and Bacardi Briggs (ranked 300 p4p, 336 weight class). Van Damme kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Wai khru ram muay. Briggs has chosen The Stopper by Cutty Ranks as his entrance music. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Van Damme
vs
Briggs

185 cm
19
195
4 - 5 - 0

186 cm
26
195
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jan Claude Van Damme!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Bacardi Briggs!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Michael Johnstone and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Briggs throws a series of punches but Van Damme avoids them all with ease.
Bacardi Briggs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Briggs with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sloppy strikes from Briggs. Those never looked like landing.
Briggs just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromVan Damme.
Briggs misses with a straight left.
Van Damme dodges the punch combination from Briggs.
Briggs just misses with a punch to the body.
Van Damme ducks under a wild hook from Briggs.

Briggs rushes Van Damme and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Briggs has a couple of punches blocked by Van Damme.

Van Damme breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Van Damme.
Van Damme tries a head kick but it misses.
The fighters circling - Briggs throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Briggs has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Briggs throws a shot from downtown. Van Damme moves away and avoids it.
Briggs blocks a head kick by Van Damme.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Damme connects with a high kick.
Van Damme pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Briggs throws the left hand but Van Damme avoids the punch easily.
Van Damme looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
A slapping body kick lands there for Van Damme.
Some wild striking there from Briggs.

Briggs closes the distance and pushes Van Damme back into the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Van Damme's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Van Damme escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Briggs is looking to clinch.
Briggs tries to clinch there but Van Damme circles away.
Briggs tries to bum rush Van Damme with a series of wild strikes but Van Damme uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Van Damme definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Van Damme uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Briggs.
Briggs just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromVan Damme.
Briggs misses with a hook
and Van Damme counters with a big head kick but Briggs shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A solid body kick from Van Damme.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Briggs throws a left and a right that both miss
and Van Damme counters with a nice body kick.
Briggs tries to close the distance and clinch but Van Damme swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Van Damme avoids a punch combination nicely.
Van Damme plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like Bacardi Briggs has been cut.
Van Damme pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Briggs jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Briggs wants to clinch
and Van Damme counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Van Damme pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Van Damme connects with a leg kick.
Briggs misses with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Van Damme counters with an outside leg kick.
Briggs blocks a head kick by Van Damme.
Briggs throws an off balance right hand
and Van Damme counters with a slapping leg kick.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Briggs swings away with a body shot that misses
and Van Damme counters with a low kick, right behind Briggs 's knee.
Van Damme takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Briggs swinging wildly here.
The fight stays on the outside here - Briggs looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Van Damme throws a quick counter kick to the body but Briggs avoids it.
Briggs fails with an attempt to clinch.
Van Damme throws a sloppy head kick and Briggs moves out of range easily.
Briggs lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Van Damme backs up against the cage.
Briggs thuds his right hand into Van Damme's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Briggs looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Briggs misses with a hook
and Van Damme counters with a slapping leg kick.

Briggs closes the distance and clinches.
Briggs is trying to break the clinch but Van Damme has him pressed against the cage.

Van Damme breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Briggs misses with a double jab
and Van Damme counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Van Damme lands a high kick!
Briggs might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Van Damme scores with a head kick. Briggs tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Van Damme steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Briggs.
A punch combination from Briggs misses.
Briggs chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Van Damme can pounce on him.
Briggs misses with a lunging right hand
and Van Damme counters with a nice low kick that buckles Briggs's knee momentarily.
Briggs scores with a shot to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jan Claude Van Damme dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bacardi Briggs's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A telegraphed right hand from Briggs misses the target.
Van Damme ducks under a wild hook from Briggs.
Briggs takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses.
Van Damme has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Van Damme there as he acknowledges the shot.
Van Damme pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Briggs throws a poor cross that misses
and Van Damme counters with a good low kick that Briggs was not able to check.
Briggs swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A big left from Briggs misses.
Briggs rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Van Damme moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Van Damme is looking to counter with a body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs misses the body punch
and Van Damme counters with a leg kick.
Van Damme slips a jab from Briggs.
Briggs walks forward, straight into a front kick from Van Damme.
Van Damme throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briggs misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Van Damme.
Briggs moves in looking to clinch but Van Damme pushes him off.
Van Damme doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Van Damme keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Briggs just misses with a punch to the body.
Van Damme pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses.
Briggs dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Van Damme throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A slow jab from Briggs misses its intended target.
A big right from Briggs misses.
Briggs listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Briggs's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A head kick from Van Damme lands but Briggs takes it in his stride.
Briggs cracks Van Damme with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Briggs misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Van Damme.
Briggs throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Van Damme.
Briggs misses with a lunging right hand
and Van Damme counters with a thumping low kick.
A big right from Briggs misses.
The fighters circling - Briggs throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Briggs blocks a head kick by Van Damme.
Briggs throws a right hand that Van Damme ducks under and follows up with a left that Van Damme also avoids with ease.
Bacardi Briggs is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Van Damme lands a high kick!
Briggs throws a lazy right hand but Van Damme sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Van Damme thinks about countering with a head kick.
Briggs has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Van Damme.
Van Damme gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Briggs swings for the body but Van Damme moves out of range.
Briggs throws a series of punches but Van Damme moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Van Damme counters with a low kick, right behind Briggs 's knee.
A head kick from Van Damme lands but Briggs takes it in his stride.
Nice defenses there by Van Damme.
Briggs throws a nice looking combination but Van Damme bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A head kick misses from Van Damme.
Briggs misses with a body shot
and Van Damme counters with a leg kick.
Van Damme throws a head kick but Briggs moves out of range.
Briggs misses with a double jab
and Van Damme counters with a head kick. That will keep Briggs thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Briggs throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And Van Damme counters with a quick kick to the body but Briggs blocks it.
Briggs moves to clinch but Van Damme breaks away
and Van Damme counters with a solid body kick.
Van Damme throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Briggs's head.
Briggs throws a sloppy body shot
and Van Damme makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
That kick from Van Damme tenderised Briggs's leg. Briggs is trying to keep his angry face on.
Briggs throws a combination that misses
and Van Damme counters with a slapping leg kick.
Briggs swings away with a body shot that misses
and Van Damme counters with a leg kick.
Van Damme lands a head kick!
Briggs scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Van Damme misses with a head kick.
Briggs fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Van Damme thows a body kick. Briggs tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Briggs wants to clinch up but Van Damme keeps it at a distance.
Van Damme thinks about countering with a body kick.
Van Damme lands a nice leg kick that just misses Briggs's sensitive parts.
Briggs misses with a lunging right hand
and Van Damme counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Briggs swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Van Damme counters with a nice kick to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jan Claude Van Damme dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bacardi Briggs's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Briggs doesn't manage to clinch there - Van Damme circles away.
Briggs throws a looping overhand right but Van Damme ducks down to avoid it.
Van Damme lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Van Damme lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Briggs misses the jab.
Briggs misses with a lunging right hand
and Van Damme counters with a body kick that stops Briggs in his tracks momentarily.
Briggs lunges at Van Damme with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Van Damme's hand.
Briggs tries to clinch but Van Damme is having none of it.
Van Damme circles away from the clinch attempt
and Van Damme counters with a solid body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Damme throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Briggs's head.
Van Damme ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Briggs throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Van Damme counters with an outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briggs throws a right hand that Van Damme ducks under and follows up with a left that Van Damme also avoids with ease.
Briggs misses with a body shot.
Van Damme moves away from the strike by Briggs.
Briggs throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Van Damme counters with a nice body kick.
Nice body kick there by Van Damme.
Briggs takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Van Damme. Briggs shrugs it off though.
Briggs misses with a looping left.
Crunch! Van Damme slams his shin into Briggs's torso.
A nice inside leg kick there by Van Damme. That's going to slow Briggs down.
Briggs fails in his attempt to clinch.
Briggs takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Briggs darts in trying to clinch
and Van Damme counters with a low kick, right behind Briggs 's knee.
Bacardi Briggs has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Briggs misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Van Damme.
Van Damme uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Briggs.
Briggs throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Van Damme throws a quick counter kick to the body but Briggs avoids it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Briggs misses with a hook to the body
and Van Damme makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Briggs really felt that one!
Jan Claude Van Damme is winning the standup battle so far.
Van Damme tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A chopping leg kick lands by Van Damme.
Van Damme throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Briggs's head.

That has opened up Bacardi Briggs's cut even more.
Van Damme defending well as Briggs loads up on a big left hand.
Briggs misses with an uppercut
and Van Damme counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Van Damme is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Briggs can do to turn this around?
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Briggs crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Van Damme - the referee stops the clock and Briggs gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Van Damme. Briggs manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Van Damme feints and then cracks Briggs's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Briggs down.
Briggs is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Van Damme.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme lands a head kick!
Van Damme throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Van Damme scores with a head kick. Briggs tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Van Damme connects with a solid leg kick.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Briggs tries to clinch but Van Damme moves away
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Van Damme scores with a head kick. Briggs tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

Briggs clinches up against the cage.
Van Damme has had enough of the clinch but Briggs keeps him there for the moment.

Van Damme breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Briggs fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Van Damme misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice body punch from Briggs.
Briggs is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Briggs tries to clinch up
and Van Damme finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Briggs throws a poor cross that misses
and Van Damme counters with a head kick. That will keep Briggs thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

The cut above Bacardi Briggs's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Briggs throws a poor cross that misses
and Van Damme counters with a nice body kick.
Briggs throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Van Damme on the side of the head.
Van Damme dodges the punch combination from Briggs.
Some wild striking there from Briggs.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jan Claude Van Damme showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Van Damme, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jan Claude Van Damme!
Jan Claude Van Damme decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.