PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Ekenbladh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Claude Van Damme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Daniel Ekenbladh has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Ekenbladh
vs
Claude Van Damme

184 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

175 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Attliction

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 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Daniel Ekenbladh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jean Claude Van Damme!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Andrew Berry and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ekenbladh looks to land a right hand but Van Damme moved out of range.

Ekenbladh drives through and clinches with Van Damme against the cage.
Van Damme wants a takedown but no success here.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ekenbladh just stands there and leans against the cage.
Van Damme looking to throw knees to the head but Ekenbladh is blocking nicely.
Van Damme is trying to maintain a safe position but Ekenbladh gets an underhook and turns Van Damme into the cage.

Van Damme breaks from the clinch.

Ekenbladh gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ekenbladh prevents the takedown attempt.
Daniel Ekenbladh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jean Claude Van Damme.
Van Damme is working for takedown but Ekenbladh is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ekenbladh stops a takedown attempt from Van Damme.
Ekenbladh lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ekenbladh just stands there and leans against the cage.

Ekenbladh manages to break the clinch.
Ekenbladh throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Ekenbladh moves into the clinch.
Van Damme is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ekenbladh is keeping busy.
Ekenbladh gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Van Damme looking to stall.
Van Damme tries to break the clinch but Ekenbladh is controlling the position.
Van Damme is trying to stall.
Ekenbladh stalls.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekenbladh is pressed up against the cage. Van Damme has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ekenbladh down to the mat. Ekenbladh avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Ekenbladh swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Van Damme tries to clinch

and Ekenbladh holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Van Damme is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ekenbladh gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ekenbladh throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Van Damme misses with a punch on the inside.

Ekenbladh breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ekenbladh lands with a kick to the temple. Van Damme shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Daniel Ekenbladh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ekenbladh misses with a body kick.
Ekenbladh is breathing heavily.

Ekenbladh has managed to clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Ekenbladh.

Ekenbladh manages to break the clinch.
Ekenbladh tries to bum rush Van Damme with a series of wild strikes but Van Damme uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ekenbladh avoids a punch combination nicely.
Van Damme swinging wilding here.
Ekenbladh misses with a double jab
and Van Damme counters with a head kick. That will keep Ekenbladh thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekenbladh throws a nice head kick!
Van Damme swats away the attempt to clinch by Ekenbladh.

Ekenbladh gets a clinch.
Van Damme wants to break free but Ekenbladh has control.
Van Damme tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ekenbladh smiles and moves away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Van Damme.
Van Damme will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ekenbladh looks to throw a body kick
and Van Damme counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Van Damme with a lazy takedown attempt

and Ekenbladh counters by clinching up.
Van Damme has had enough of the clinch but Ekenbladh keeps him there for the moment.
Ekenbladh stops a takedown attempt from Van Damme.
Van Damme wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ekenbladh has him pressed against the cage.

Ekenbladh breaks the clinch.

Ekenbladh clinches up with Van Damme and pushes him back against the cage.
Ekenbladh wants to break the clinch but can't.
Van Damme is trying to break the clinch but Ekenbladh has him pressed against the cage.

Ekenbladh breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekenbladh misses with a right hand
letting Van Damme counter with a right hand.

Ekenbladh clinches up against the cage.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ekenbladh just stands there and leans against the cage.

Ekenbladh jumps guard and drags Van Damme to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Van Damme stopping the sweep attempt from Ekenbladh.
Ekenbladh throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Ekenbladh pushes Van Damme off and scrambles back to his feet.
Ekenbladh misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Ekenbladh clinches up against the cage.
Ekenbladh lands with a short shot to the head.
Ekenbladh pushes off an throws an elbow but Van Damme leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Ekenbladh breaks from the clinch.
Van Damme shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Van Damme clinches but Ekenbladh breaks the clinch

and Ekenbladh counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ekenbladh.
Ekenbladh scores with a nice hook to the head.

Ekenbladh drags the fight down to the ground.
Ekenbladh keeping moving, preventing Van Damme from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekenbladh throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Van Damme tries to free his leg and advance position but Ekenbladh is retaining full guard.
Ekenbladh is trying to control the position but Van Damme postures up.
Van Damme missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ekenbladh trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Van Damme wants to get up but he can't break Ekenbladh's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Van Damme looks to clinch

and Ekenbladh holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ekenbladh is pressed up against the cage. Van Damme has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ekenbladh down to the mat. Ekenbladh avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Ekenbladh throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Van Damme misses with a takedown attempt

and Ekenbladh counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Van Damme is looking to control Ekenbladh's arms but Ekenbladh gets an underhook and turns him. Now Van Damme has his back to the cage.
Van Damme can't break the clinch.

Ekenbladh breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ekenbladh swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Ekenbladh clinches up with Van Damme and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ekenbladh throws a punch but it's blocked by Van Damme.
Ekenbladh lands with a right to the head.
Ekenbladh content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Ekenbladh lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van Damme is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Ekenbladh dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Van Damme darts in trying to clinch

and Ekenbladh counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ekenbladh.
Van Damme prevents the takedown attempt.

Ekenbladh manages to break the clinch.
Daniel Ekenbladh is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ekenbladh keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ekenbladh tries to clinch up but Van Damme circles away and keeps his distance.
Van Damme throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ekenbladh's waist but Ekenbladh gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Van Damme off to one side.
Van Damme fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Daniel Ekenbladh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jean Claude Van Damme.
Ekenbladh on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Van Damme tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ekenbladh paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ekenbladh tries to clinch but Van Damme moves out of range.
Van Damme shoots in but no luck this time.
Ekenbladh keeps the fight on the outside.
Van Damme with a lazy takedown attempt

and Ekenbladh counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ekenbladh is pressed up against the cage. Van Damme has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ekenbladh down to the mat. Ekenbladh avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Van Damme doesn't manage to clinch there - Ekenbladh circles away.
Van Damme is breathing heavily.
Van Damme misses with the combination.

Van Damme tries to keep at a distance but Ekenbladh has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekenbladh lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Ekenbladh stalling.
Ekenbladh lands an elbow inside that Van Damme shrugs off.
Ekenbladh is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Van Damme gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ekenbladh gets underhooks to prevent Van Damme's takedown attempt.
Ekenbladh stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Van Damme takes an elbow to the temple.
Ekenbladh tries for a takedown but Van Damme manages to get underhooks.
Ekenbladh is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but Ekenbladh holds him up against the cage and eventually Van Damme drops back down to his feet.
Van Damme tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ekenbladh drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ekenbladh blocks a body shot from Van Damme.
Ekenbladh lands a left hand.

Ekenbladh breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Van Damme shoots in but Ekenbladh avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ekenbladh misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekenbladh throws a head kick that misses.
Van Damme shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ekenbladh as he jumps to the side.

Ekenbladh darts in and clinches Van Damme up against the cage.
Van Damme fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Van Damme is looking to control Ekenbladh's arms but Ekenbladh gets an underhook and turns him. Now Van Damme has his back to the cage.
Van Damme is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Ekenbladh breaks from the clinch.
Ekenbladh on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Van Damme has a takedown stuffed.
Van Damme shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ekenbladh as he avoids it easily.
Van Damme shoots in for a takedown but Ekenbladh shows good takedown defense.
Van Damme stuffs the takedown.
Ekenbladh fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nice sprawl there from Ekenbladh as Van Damme shoots in.
Ekenbladh takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Van Damme wants to clinch

and Ekenbladh moves into the clinch.
Van Damme managing to block the knees to the body from Ekenbladh.
Van Damme tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ekenbladh smiles and moves away.
Van Damme fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Van Damme looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Van Damme misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ekenbladh fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Van Damme tries to clinch up but Ekenbladh circles away and keeps his distance.
Ekenbladh looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Ekenbladh throws a head kick that misses
and Van Damme counters with an inside leg kick.
Van Damme shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ekenbladh pinned against the cage. Ekenbladh gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Ekenbladh has taken the fight to the clinch.
Van Damme trying to land knees to the body.
Ekenbladh lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Van Damme drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ekenbladh gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Ekenbladh breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme closes the distance but Ekenbladh moves to the side

and Ekenbladh counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ekenbladh avoiding damage as Van Damme throws knees to the body.
Ekenbladh keeps control of Van Damme as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ekenbladh tries for a takedown but Van Damme manages to get underhooks.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but Ekenbladh holds him up against the cage and eventually Van Damme drops back down to his feet.
Ekenbladh gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Van Damme looking to slow down the pace here.
Van Damme fails to pull guard.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but Ekenbladh won't allow it.
Ekenbladh wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Van Damme goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ekenbladh is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Van Damme wants a takedown but no success here.
Ekenbladh prevents the takedown attempt.
Van Damme tries to score a body lock takedown but Ekenbladh shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ekenbladh missing with knees to the body.
Ekenbladh wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Van Damme has him pressed against the cage.
Ekenbladh wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Van Damme has him pressed against the cage.
Van Damme has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Ekenbladh avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Ekenbladh misses with a body punch.
Van Damme is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ekenbladh is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Ekenbladh dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Van Damme shoots and misses

and Ekenbladh holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Van Damme avoids the elbow strike from Ekenbladh, against the cage.

Ekenbladh breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Damme fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Van Damme looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ekenbladh is fending him off so far but Van Damme persists. Nope, Ekenbladh circles away and we're back to standing.
Daniel Ekenbladh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jean Claude Van Damme.

Ekenbladh clinches.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Van Damme wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Van Damme throws a punch but it's blocked by Ekenbladh.
Van Damme is looking to break free of the clinch but Ekenbladh has double underhooks.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ekenbladh just stands there and leans against the cage.
Van Damme tries to work over Ekenbladh's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ekenbladh just stands there and leans against the cage.
Van Damme wants to get back to striking at distance but Ekenbladh won't allow it.
Ekenbladh tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Damme avoids the damage to the body.
Van Damme trying to land knees to the body.
Van Damme fails to pull guard.
Van Damme tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Van Damme fails to pull guard.
Ekenbladh stops a takedown attempt from Van Damme.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ekenbladh.
Van Damme is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ekenbladh keeps control of Van Damme as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Van Damme goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ekenbladh prevents it.

Van Damme drags the fight down to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Damme wants to stand and escape but Ekenbladh is having none of it.

Van Damme working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ekenbladh doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ekenbladh manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Van Damme preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Van Damme trying to strike off his back.
Van Damme looking to control.
Ekenbladh throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Van Damme works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ekenbladh working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Ekenbladh takes the fight into the clinch.

Ekenbladh escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van Damme closes the distance looking to clinch

and Ekenbladh moves into the clinch.
Ekenbladh looking for a takedown.
Van Damme can't break the clinch.
Van Damme tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Van Damme fails to pull guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme tries to throw a body punch but Ekenbladh avoids it by throwing Van Damme back against the cage.

Ekenbladh breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Van Damme tries to clinch up but Ekenbladh circles away and keeps his distance.

Ekenbladh has closed the distance and engaged Van Damme in a clinch.
Van Damme jumps guard but Ekenbladh stands there with Van Damme around his waist. Van Damme gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ekenbladh comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Ekenbladh has picked Van Damme up - he's going for a ride! Ekenbladh dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Van Damme is trying to control but can't.
Ekenbladh seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Van Damme is pressing down on Ekenbladh's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Ekenbladh stands and steps away. Van Damme gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Ekenbladh darts in and clinches Van Damme up against the cage.
Van Damme tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A short right from Ekenbladh on the inside.
Ekenbladh stalling the fight.

Ekenbladh breaks the clinch.

Ekenbladh clinches up against the cage.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but Ekenbladh won't allow it.
Ekenbladh throws an elbow that misses.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but Ekenbladh won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Ekenbladh manages to break the clinch.

Ekenbladh clinches with his opponent.
Van Damme avoids the elbow strike from Ekenbladh, against the cage.
Ekenbladh has Van Damme pushed against the cage.
Van Damme wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Van Damme has had enough of the clinch but Ekenbladh keeps him there for the moment.
Ekenbladh keeps control of Van Damme as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ekenbladh tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Damme avoids the damage to the body.
Van Damme blocks the elbow strike.
Ekenbladh throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Van Damme wants to break free but Ekenbladh has control.
Van Damme trying to stall but Ekenbladh improves his position.
Van Damme jumps guard but Ekenbladh stands there with Van Damme around his waist. Van Damme gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Van Damme blocks the elbow strike.
Ekenbladh looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Van Damme wants to get back to striking at distance but Ekenbladh won't allow it.
Ekenbladh lands a left hand that snaps the head of Van Damme backwards.

Ekenbladh breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ekenbladh rushes Van Damme and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Ekenbladh has picked Van Damme up - he's going for a ride! Ekenbladh dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Van Damme works his way to full guard. Good work.

Ekenbladh gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ekenbladh has taken the fight to the clinch.
Van Damme misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ekenbladh just leaning against Van Damme, taking a breather.
Ekenbladh missing with knees to the body.

Ekenbladh breaks from the clinch.
Van Damme plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Van Damme shoots for a takedown but Ekenbladh saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ekenbladh throws a lazy head kick
and Van Damme counters with a big head kick but Ekenbladh shrugs it off.
Ekenbladh will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Van Damme will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ekenbladh throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Van Damme shoots in for a takedown but Ekenbladh shows good takedown defense.

Ekenbladh rushes Van Damme and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ekenbladh keeps control of Van Damme as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Van Damme is looking to break free of the clinch but Ekenbladh has double underhooks.

Ekenbladh escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ekenbladh misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ekenbladh misses with a double jab.
Van Damme scores with a kick to the midsection.
Jean Claude Van Damme has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ekenbladh missing with a left hand there. Van Damme was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Van Damme tries to bum rush Ekenbladh with a series of wild strikes but Ekenbladh uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Ekenbladh showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ekenbladh has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Ekenbladh!