PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ong Bak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karl Swanson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bak comes into the arena with One Night In Bangkok blaring out of the sound system. Swanson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. all nightmare long by metallica kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Ong Bak is staring across the ring at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Bak
vs
Swanson

192 cm
31
222 lbs
8 - 15 - 1

185 cm
31
222 lbs
15 - 11 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ong Bak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Karl Swanson!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Patrick Alders and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Swanson swats away the attempt to clinch by Bak.
Swanson lands a right hook to the body.
Ong Bak seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Swanson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Swanson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bak.
Bak tries to clinch
and Swanson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Swanson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bak but Bak pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Swanson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Bak gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Swanson to score an easy takedown into full guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Swanson seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Bak is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Swanson is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swanson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Swanson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Swanson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Bak looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Bak looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Bak!
Swanson managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Bak.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Swanson takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Swanson is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Bak's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Swanson wants to get back to his feet.
We've been hearing good reports from Bak's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Bak is looking for a kimura but Swanson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bak to get the leverage.
Swanson is looking to improve his position.
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!
Bak not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swanson is refusing to be controlled, as Bak sits in half guard.
Swanson tries to get to full guard but Bak has control of the leg.
Swanson tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Swanson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Bak's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Bak's back!
Swanson scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Bak is looking for a way out.
Swanson has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Bak.
Swanson has the hooks in. Bak is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Swanson lands with a hammerfist to the side of Bak's head.
Bak looking very determined here, making life difficult for Swanson.
Bak wants to control his opponent's hands but Swanson gets his hands free.
Swanson controlling well, preventing Bak from escaping the position.
Swanson lands punches and elbows.
Bak tries to escape but Swanson has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Can Bak hold on?! Swanson is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.

Bak is having to fend off submission attempts from Swanson, who is looking to sink in the choke. Swanson doesn't have the hooks in though and Bak manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.

Swanson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bak gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Bak got a little sloppy there for a moment and Swanson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bak has managed to get both his arms back between Swanson's legs - danger averted.

Swanson working for a triangle but Bak defends it easily.
Bak stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Swanson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Swanson throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bak trying to control but Swanson is working from the bottom.
Bak stopping the sweep attempt from Swanson.
Swanson trying to strike off his back.
Bak is working Swanson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Swanson throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Bak stopping the sweep attempt from Swanson.

Swanson throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Bak escapes and throws Swanson's legs to the side, diving into side control!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bak wants to stand but Swanson is controlling his arm.
Bak works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Swanson is trying to control Bak's posture but Bak avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Swanson dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bak tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Swanson defends well and Bak ends up having to push Swanson into the ropes where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Swanson.
Bak tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Bak is trying to drag Swanson to the mat but Swanson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
A head punch on the inside from Bak fails to land.
Bak prevents a takedown attempt there.
Bak is looking to take this one to the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ong Bak. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bak can't get the takedown.
Bak fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Swanson tightens his grip and picks Bak up, before dumping him to the ground. Bak manages to land in guard.
Swanson trying to control the position from guard on top but Bak is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Swanson won't allow Bak to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Swanson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Swanson landing some decent shots from guard.
Bak controlling Swanson's posture.
Bak keeping moving, preventing Swanson from controlling successfully.
Swanson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Bak is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Swanson distracts Bak with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bak trying to strike off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swanson lands a couple of elbows.
Karl Swanson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Swanson won't allow Bak to sweep him here.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Bak is trying to keep Swanson in close.
Swanson cracks Bak with a solid left hand.

It looks like Ong Bak has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Swanson wants to control from the top but Bak keeps moving.
Swanson working some strikes from top position.
Swanson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Swanson distracts Bak with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Swanson trying to control but Bak is working from the bottom.
Swanson cracks Bak with a solid left hand.
Swanson works over Bak with some ground and pound from guard.
Bak keeping moving, preventing Swanson from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Swanson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Bak's head.

Bak is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bak wants to stand up but Swanson is controlling him.
Swanson is working Bak over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Swanson lands a couple of digs.
Swanson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Swanson scoring with some ground and pound.

Bak is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Swanson looking to pass the guard.
Swanson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Swanson trying to control but Bak is working from the bottom.
Bak looking for a sweep. Not yet Bak, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Swanson is in close to Bak's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Swanson lands a couple of digs.
Oh Bak is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Swanson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Swanson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Swanson gets to his feet and stands over Bak, holding his ankles. He dives in with a big left hand that connects! Bak felt that one! Swanson unloads more punches and elbows and this one is over! The ref has dived in to save Bak from any more punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Karl Swanson!
Karl Swanson decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.