PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Steve van der Slam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Morris Bear (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). van der Slam comes into the arena with Biggest & the best - Clawfinger blaring out of the sound system. Bear has chosen Elephant Man - Haters (feat Hunt & Jim Jones) as his entrance music. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

van der Slam
vs
Bear

165 cm
23
140 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

189 cm
22
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Steve van der Slam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Morris Bear!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Paul Aken and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
van der Slam looks to land a combination but Bear avoids it well.
van der Slam tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bear paws at him with a jab and circles away.
van der Slam bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Steve van der Slam seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
van der Slam misses with a straight right.
van der Slam connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Bear tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but van der Slam paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bear swinging wildly here.
van der Slam tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bear swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bear throws a series of punches but van der Slam moves out of range.
van der Slam throws a head kick but Bear moves out of range.
van der Slam swats away the attempt to clinch by Bear.
Bear tries to clinch but fails miserably

and van der Slam counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A frustrated look appears on Bear's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bear is trying to break free.
Bear tries to break free but van der Slam pushes him back against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Bear breaks from the clinch.
Bear blocks a head kick by van der Slam.

That's one minute gone in the round.

van der Slam rushes Bear and presses him up against the cage.
van der Slam connects with a knee to the head.

van der Slam pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bear needs to keep his hands up - van der Slam had a free shot at his head there.
van der Slam tries to land a front kick but Bear steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
van der Slam throws a combination that misses
and Bear counters with a left and a right that stings van der Slam.
van der Slam lands with a thumping leg kick.
van der Slam misses with a combination

and Bear moves into the clinch.

van der Slam's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

van der Slam shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

van der Slam stands up and beckons Bear to join him on the feet.
van der Slam tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
van der Slam feints and then cracks Bear's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Bear down.
This has been an exciting period of action!
van der Slam is looking to clinch but Bear is avoiding it.
A decent looking cross lands there for van der Slam.
Bear lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but van der Slam circles away quickly and effectively.
van der Slam showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bear.

van der Slam rushes Bear and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Bear misses with some punches.
Bear wants to get back to striking at distance but van der Slam won't allow it.

van der Slam breaks the clinch.
van der Slam fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
van der Slam lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bear circles away quickly and effectively.
van der Slam misses with a combination
and Bear counters with a one-two to the body.

van der Slam scores a takedown into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
van der Slam has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Bear's face.
Bear is in a horrible position here. van der Slam smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
van der Slam knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bear on the ground.
van der Slam cracks Bear with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Bear trying desperately to get to his feet.
Bear is wriggling around trying to escape.
Bear looks gassed!
van der Slam looking to finish with strikes here!
van der Slam postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Bear looks a forlorn figure.
Bear is squirming around, avoiding van der Slam's attempts to control the action.
van der Slam sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
van der Slam scores with a couple of good head shots there.

van der Slam working for a submission but Bear is keeping him at bay.
Bear is desperately trying to improve his position but van der Slam has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
van der Slam thowing shots but they're missing.
van der Slam in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Bear is wriggling around trying to escape.
van der Slam throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Bear regains half guard.
van der Slam wants to stand but Bear has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
van der Slam throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
van der Slam thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Bear looking for submissions off his back.
van der Slam wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Bear uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve van der Slam dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

van der Slam throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
van der Slam misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
van der Slam throws a nice head kick!
A lazy body kick from van der Slam
and Bear counters with a left to the body.
van der Slam scores with a one two! Bear had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Steve van der Slam is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
van der Slam thows a body kick. Bear tries to catch it but that hurt him.
van der Slam lands with a slapping head kick.

van der Slam clinches.
Bear tries to circle away but van der Slam has him pinned against the cage.

van der Slam gets control of Bear's arms and successfully pulls guard. van der Slam will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

van der Slam manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Bear is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Bear keeps the fight on the outside.
A nice leg kick lands there from van der Slam.
van der Slam looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.

van der Slam has taken the fight to the clinch.

van der Slam breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
van der Slam feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Bear's calf.
Bear tries to clinch there but van der Slam circles away.

van der Slam has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bear tries to break the clinch but van der Slam is controlling the position.
van der Slam misses with an elbow over the top.
Bear wants to get back to striking at distance but van der Slam won't allow it.
van der Slam looking to throw knees to the head but Bear is blocking nicely.
Bear tries a body shot but van der Slam blocks it.
Bear digs a right hand into van der Slam's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on van der Slam's gas tank.
van der Slam looking to stall.
van der Slam with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A short right from Bear on the inside.
van der Slam with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Bear is trying to break the clinch but van der Slam is controlling him.
van der Slam is trying to stall.
Bear wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but van der Slam has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

van der Slam's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A combination from Bear does no damage.
Bear swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bear is breathing heavily.
van der Slam bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
van der Slam wants to clinch up but Bear keeps it at a distance.

van der Slam fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bear, pushing him back against the cage.
van der Slam scores with a knee to the head.
Bear misses with a hook from the clinch.
van der Slam tries a knee to the head but Bear blocks it.
van der Slam softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
van der Slam is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Bear wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but van der Slam has him pressed against the cage.
van der Slam tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Bear lands a body punch in the clinch.
Bear tries to break the clinch but van der Slam is controlling the position.

van der Slam pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
van der Slam throws a left and a right that both miss
and Bear counters with a three punch combo that has van der Slam backing up. van der Slam nods at Bear to acknowledge the strikes.
Bear closes the distance but van der Slam moves to the side
and van der Slam counters with a solid body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bear swinging wildly here.
van der Slam tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bear sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten van der Slam somewhat.

van der Slam gets in close and instigates a clinch.
van der Slam using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Bear has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
van der Slam connects with a nasty looking knee right to Bear's face.
van der Slam throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bears head.
van der Slam misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Bear.

Bear's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bear closes the distance but van der Slam moves to the side

and van der Slam counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bear won't be happy with that.
The strikes coming from van der Slam are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
van der Slam prevents Bear from escaping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

van der Slam decides to take the fight back to the feet.
van der Slam pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bear on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Bear throws a combination that misses
and van der Slam counters with a good, hard body kick but Bear shrugs it off.
van der Slam lands with a slapping head kick.
van der Slam throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bear's head.
van der Slam shoots in for a takedown but Bear shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve van der Slam. That's going to take a lot out of him.
van der Slam falls off balance throwing a combination

and Bear holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bear can't break the clinch.
Bear has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
van der Slam scores with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve van der Slam dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Bear throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - van der Slam looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Bear takes the fight into the clinch.
van der Slam looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Bear's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
van der Slam tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
van der Slam wants to clinch up but Bear keeps it at a distance.
A head kick by van der Slam misses
and Bear counters with a nice low kick that buckles van der Slam's knee momentarily.
A head kick by van der Slam misses
and Bear counters with a head kick.
van der Slam throws a series of punches but Bear avoids them all with ease.
van der Slam pulls out of a head kick attempt.
van der Slam plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
van der Slam misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
van der Slam darts in trying to clinch
and Bear counters with a three punch combo that has van der Slam backing up. van der Slam nods at Bear to acknowledge the strikes.
Bear takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bear will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

van der Slam has Bear up against the cage in a clinch.
Bear can't break the clinch.

van der Slam breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

van der Slam moves into range and clinches up with Bear.
Bear is looking to break free of the clinch but van der Slam has double underhooks.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Bear as van der Slam tries to tie him up.

Bear pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
van der Slam falls off balance throwing a combination
and Bear counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
van der Slam throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
van der Slam scores with a head kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from van der Slam. Bear shrugs it off though.
van der Slam throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
van der Slam fails with an attempt to clinch.

van der Slam closes the distance and clinches.
van der Slam with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Bear wants to break free but van der Slam has control.
van der Slam with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Bear wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but van der Slam has him pressed against the cage.
van der Slam looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Bear misses with a hook to the ribs.
van der Slam lands a knee to the head.
van der Slam scores with a knee to the head.
van der Slam lands a good knee to the midsection. Bear won't want to take too many of those.

van der Slam manages to break the clinch.
van der Slam throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
van der Slam closes the distance and clinches up with Bear, looking for a takedown. van der Slam pushes Bear against the cage but Bear circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bear blocks a head kick by van der Slam.
van der Slam lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
van der Slam tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bear sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten van der Slam somewhat.
A lazy body kick from van der Slam

and Bear counters by clinching up.
van der Slam lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Bear missing with knees to the body.
van der Slam prevents Bear from breaking the clinch.

Bear's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bear swats away the attempt to clinch by van der Slam.
Bear swings and misses with a hook to the body.
van der Slam misses with a double jab.
Bear displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from van der Slam.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve van der Slam. That's going to take a lot out of him.
van der Slam goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
van der Slam lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Bear takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
A head kick from van der Slam lands but Bear takes it in his stride.

van der Slam rushes Bear and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

van der Slam gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Bear regains guard.

Bear escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. van der Slam gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Steve van der Slam overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Bear is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and van der Slam defends well.

van der Slam gets to his feet - Bear follows without any prompting.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

van der Slam darts in and clinches Bear up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Steve van der Slam.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for van der Slam, 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 Saam Ante scores the fight for Steve van der Slam!
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight for Steve van der Slam!
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight for Steve van der Slam!

Steve van der Slam wins by unanimous decision!