PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Armand Malone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bjorn Eriksson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Malone
vs
Eriksson

166 cm
24
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

176 cm
24
138 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Armand Malone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bjorn Eriksson!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malone throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Eriksson.
Malone will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Malone.
Malone lands with a good body shot.
Malone sizes up Eriksson with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Eriksson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Malone, pushing him back against the cage.
Malone has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Malone working hard to break the clinch.

Malone breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A decent looking cross lands there for Malone.
Malone connects with a nice looking jab.
Armand Malone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Malone fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Malone scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Malone darts in looking for a takedown but Eriksson gets double underhooks and turns Malone into the cage.
Eriksson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Malone's efforts to push away.
Malone prevents the takedown attempt.
Malone tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Armand Malone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Malone has had enough of the clinch but Eriksson keeps him there for the moment.

Eriksson drags the fight down to the ground.
Eriksson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Eriksson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Malone is one step ahead there.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Malone's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Malone stands up and waves to Eriksson to follow him.
Malone lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Eriksson circles away quickly and effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malone shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Eriksson as he avoids it easily.
Malone is breathing heavily.
Malone shoots and misses
and Eriksson counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Malone closes the distance but Eriksson moves to the side
and Eriksson counters with a left to the body.
Eriksson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Malone tries to avoid it but Eriksson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Malone to the ground. Malone escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nice uppercut there from Eriksson.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A shot to the liver by Eriksson. Beautiful body shot.
Malone misses with a series of wild punches.

Eriksson closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone tries to break the clinch but Eriksson is controlling the position.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Eriksson.
Malone jumps guard but Eriksson stands there with Malone around his waist. Malone gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Eriksson wants a takedown.
A nice right hand lands inside from Eriksson.
Eriksson cracks Malone with a nice body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Eriksson.
Malone tries to pull guard but Eriksson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Malone is looking to break free of the clinch but Eriksson has double underhooks.

Eriksson tightens his grip and picks Malone up, before dumping him to the ground. Malone manages to land in guard.
Eriksson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malone wants to stand and escape but Eriksson is having none of it.
Eriksson content to stall in guard here.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Bjorn Eriksson wasn't active enough on the ground.

Eriksson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Malone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Eriksson just stands there and leans against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A right hook to the body lands for Eriksson.

Eriksson pulls guard effortlessly.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bjorn Eriksson will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Malone fails with an attempt to clinch.
Malone throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Eriksson counters with a nice body shot.
Malone swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Eriksson tries to clinch but Malone moves out of range.
Malone throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Eriksson slips a jab and a cross from Malone.
Eriksson is looking to clinch but Malone is avoiding it.
Eriksson drops his hands momentarily and Malone takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Malone has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Malone there as he acknowledges the shot.
Malone misses with a two punch combination.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Malone.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Malone misses with a series of wild punches.
Malone fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eriksson fails with the takedown.
Eriksson connects with a single shot there.
Malone misses with a wild combination.
Malone misses with a lunging right hand
and Eriksson counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Eriksson is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Malone rather than just go for the knockout.
Malone tries to close the distance and clinch but Eriksson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Malone throws a sloppy head kick and Eriksson moves out of range easily.
Malone fails to land with a series of punches.

Eriksson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Eriksson pulls guard effortlessly.
Eriksson pulls Malone in close to prevent any damage.
Malone stopping the sweep attempt from Eriksson.
Eriksson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Malone trying to control but Eriksson is working from the bottom.
Eriksson is controlling Malone's posture.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Eriksson moves away from the strike by Malone.
Horrible takedown by Malone or perhaps it was just good defense by Eriksson which made him look bad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Eriksson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Malone fails in his attempt to clinch.
Malone is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Eriksson lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Malone at a distance.
Malone misses with a combination
and Eriksson counters with a nice uppercut.

Eriksson has closed the distance and engaged Malone in a clinch.
Malone wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eriksson is struggling to control the position.
Malone swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Malone swings wildly with an uppercut but Eriksson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Malone is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Eriksson to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Armand Malone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Eriksson lands a nice shot to the body.

Eriksson breaks from the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Eriksson ducks under a wild hook from Malone.
Malone stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Malone wants it to stay on the feet.
Eriksson dodges the punch combination from Malone.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bjorn Eriksson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Malone throws a head kick that misses.
Malone throws a left and a right that both miss
and Eriksson counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Malone shoots in but Eriksson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Malone looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Malone misses with a double jab.
Malone shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Eriksson defends it nicely.
Malone leaves Eriksson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Malone looks to land a combination but Eriksson avoids it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eriksson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Eriksson clinches.
Malone wants to break the clinch but can't.
Malone prevents a takedown attempt there.
Armand Malone has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bjorn Eriksson.
Malone tries to break the clinch but Eriksson is controlling the position.
Malone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Eriksson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Eriksson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Eriksson blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Eriksson.
Malone tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Eriksson avoids it.
A left hand lands to the body for Eriksson.
A short body shot lands from Eriksson as the two fighters clinch.
Eriksson has Malone pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Malone manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Eriksson pushes Malone back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Eriksson works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Eriksson manages to pull guard.
Eriksson managing to control the position.

Eriksson is looking for a triangle but Malone pushes his legs off easily.
Eriksson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Malone is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Malone stopping the sweep attempt from Eriksson.
Eriksson looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Malone puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Eriksson tries to get to full guard but Malone has control of the leg.

Malone stands up out of the half guard.
Malone fails with the takedown.
Eriksson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Eriksson finds it's way through Malone's defenses.
Eriksson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Malone paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Eriksson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Armand Malone is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Eriksson closes the distance and clinches.
Eriksson works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Malone stops a takedown attempt from Eriksson.

Malone breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Malone tries to keep at a distance but Eriksson has taken the fight into the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bjorn Eriksson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Eriksson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight for Bjorn Eriksson!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Bjorn Eriksson!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Bjorn Eriksson!

Bjorn Eriksson wins by unanimous decision!