PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bert Bertjens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reesalo Cherubim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Bertjens
vs
Cherubim

179 cm
23
160 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

178 cm
24
162 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Bert Bertjens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Reesalo Cherubim!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Daniel Blasius and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cherubim wants to clinch.
Bertjens misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cherubim walks into a jab.

Cherubim closes the distance and clinches.
Cherubim goes for a takedown attempt but Bertjens pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Cherubim's coach down at #1 Amsterdam was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Cherubim's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Cherubim misses with the combination.
Bertjens lands the left hand.
Bertjens scores with a punch to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cherubim shoots in but Bertjens avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bertjens is looking for a counter combo.
Bertjens is looking to clinch but Cherubim is avoiding it.
Cherubim avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Bertjens throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And Cherubim tries to counter it with a takedown but Bertjens pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Bertjens feints a jab promting Cherubim to slip. Bertjens then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Cherubim slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cherubim gets a clinch.
Bertjens is pressed up against the cage. Cherubim has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bertjens down to the mat. Bertjens avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bert Bertjens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Reesalo Cherubim.
Cherubim throws out a loose jab but Bertjens uses good head movement to avoid it.

Cherubim clinches up against the cage.
Bertjens is looking to break free of the clinch but Cherubim has double underhooks.
Bertjens tries to circle away but Cherubim has him pinned against the cage.
Bertjens tries to circle away but Cherubim has him pinned against the cage.

Cherubim breaks the clinch.
A right-left combo lands from Bertjens.
Cherubim walks into a left hand.
No joy there for Bertjens, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Bertjens throws a series of strikes that have Cherubim backpedaling.
Some wild striking there from Bertjens.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cherubim throws a leg kick which misses Bertjens's front leg but catches the back leg as Bertjens tries to avoid it.
Bertjens swinging wildly here.
Cherubim steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Nice sprawl there from Bertjens as Cherubim shoots in.
A nice inside leg kick there by Cherubim. That's going to slow Bertjens down.
Bertjens swats away the attempt to clinch by Cherubim.
Cherubim takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Bertjens throws a combination. Cherubim tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Cherubim staying out of range there.
Bertjens throws a jab but it's blocked by Cherubim.
Nice takedown defense from Bertjens. No joy for Cherubim on that attempt.
Cherubim lands with a nice body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cherubim tries to clinch up but Bertjens circles away and keeps his distance.
Bertjens lands a nice shot to the body.
Cherubim fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cherubim dodges the punch combination from Bertjens.
Some wild striking there from Bertjens.
Cherubim with a lazy takedown attempt
and Bertjens counters with a two punch combo.
Bertjens misses with a wild body shot.
Cherubim tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bertjens manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cherubim misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cherubim fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cherubim throws an off balance right hand
and Bertjens counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bertjens throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cherubim lands a good knee to the midsection. Bertjens won't want to take too many of those.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cherubim tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bertjens just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bertjens looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bertjens wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cherubim tries to land knees in the clinch but Bertjens avoids the damage to the body.
Cherubim lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Bertjens backwards.
Bertjens wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cherubim trying to land knees to the body.
Bertjens is trying to break the clinch but Cherubim is controlling him.
Bertjens avoiding damage as Cherubim throws knees to the body.
Bertjens is trying to break the clinch but Cherubim has him pressed against the cage.
Bertjens wants to break free but Cherubim has control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bert Bertjens dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Bertjens throws a right and a left that Cherubim avoids nicely.
Bertjens throws a series of punches but Cherubim moves out of range.
Bertjens swats away the attempt to clinch by Cherubim.

Cherubim darts in and clinches Bertjens up against the cage.
Bertjens blocks a body shot from Cherubim.
Cherubim jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bertjens walks away with a smile on his face. Cherubim gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cherubim.
Bert Bertjens is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cherubim swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Bertjens misses with a two punch combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cherubim showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bertjens.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Cherubim.
Cherubim slows the pace down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cherubim wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bertjens keeps working.

Cherubim is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bertjens has escaped the position, nice work there.

Cherubim is trying to get an arm triangle but Bertjens is defending well.
Cherubim throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Bertjens knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cherubim on the ground.
Bertjens wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bertjens gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Cherubim has control of Bertjens's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Bertjens regains control of the situation pretty easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cherubim trying to control but Bertjens is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cherubim throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Bertjens because Cherubim loaded up on that one.
Cherubim lands a couple of good shots and Bertjens has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Will Cherubim go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Cherubim controls the action.
Bertjens trying to get back to his feet but Cherubim is in full control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cherubim looking to break Bertjens's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Bertjens remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Cherubim will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Bertjens is trying to get back to his feet but Cherubim has full control of the position and if anything, Bertjens has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Cherubim is punishing Bertjens with strikes - can he finish him?!
Cherubim lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Cherubim is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Bertjens up.
Cherubim trying to control momentarily.
Bertjens wants to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Cherubim sinks in the hooks and is looking for the choke. He's got it! Bertjens taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Reesalo Cherubim!