PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frederik Muller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ethan Strides (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Muller comes to the cage accompanied by Johnny Cash - Hurt. Frederik Muller looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Muller
vs
Strides

188 cm
19
215 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

187 cm
24
203 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Final Strike Clothing
press submit Fighter Threads

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Frederik Muller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ethan Strides!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Reed Andrews and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strides swinging wilding here.
Strides closes the distance and lands a one-two.

It looks like Frederik Muller has been cut.

Muller drives through and clinches with Strides against the cage.
A body shot lands from Strides.
Strides landing knees to the body.
Strides missing with knees to the body.
Strides lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Muller is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Strides keeps control of Muller as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Strides lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Muller looking to throw knees to the head but Strides is blocking nicely.
Knees to the body from Strides.
Knees to the body from Strides.
Knees to the body from Strides.
Strides pushes Muller back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Strides landing knees to the body.
Strides lands an elbow inside that Muller shrugs off.
Strides landing knees to the body.
Strides lands an elbow inside that Muller shrugs off.

Frederik Muller's cut is getting worse.
Strides landing knees to the head.
A knee to the head by Strides.
Strides throws a knee to the head but misses.
Strides scores with a knee to the head.
Strides tries a knee to the head but Muller blocks it.
Strides tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Strides landing knees to the body.
Strides lands with a left to the head.
Strides connects with a knee to the head.

Frederik Muller's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Strides lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Strides.
Strides lands a nice elbow.
Strides tries to land knees in the clinch but Muller avoids the damage to the body.
Strides lands a knee to the body.
Muller takes a knee right on the jaw!
Strides connects with a nasty looking knee right to Muller's face.
Strides lands a hook to the side of the head.
Strides tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Muller with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A hook to the body from Strides.
Strides avoiding damage as Muller throws knees to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Strides.
Strides tries to land a knee to the head but Muller blocks with his arms.
Strides avoids a wild elbow strike from Muller.
Muller can't break the clinch.
Strides misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Muller.
Muller avoiding damage as Strides throws knees to the body.
Muller tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Strides just stands there and leans against the cage.
Muller digs a right hand underneath Strides's ribcage. Strides let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Strides throws a knee to the head but misses.

Muller escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Muller closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Strides keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muller missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Muller wants to stand up but Strides is controlling the position.
Muller trying to advance position but Strides counters by regaining guard.
Strides wants to sweep but no luck.

Muller gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Ethan Strides is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Muller rushes Strides and presses him up against the cage.
Muller on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Strides comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Strides.
Muller throws a knee to the head but misses.
Strides lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Muller avoiding damage as Strides throws knees to the body.
Strides lands a nice knee to the body.
Strides looking to throw knees to the head but Muller is blocking nicely.
Muller with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Strides lands an elbow inside that Muller shrugs off.
Muller throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Strides blocks it with crossed arms.
Strides creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Muller's defenses.
Muller takes an elbow to the forehead.
Muller wants to get back to striking at distance but Strides won't allow it.
Muller managing to block the knees to the body from Strides.
Strides lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Strides landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Muller jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Strides walks away with a smile on his face. Muller gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Strides tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Muller paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Strides tries to clinch but Muller moves away
and Muller counters with a slapping leg kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Strides.
Strides lands a body shot in the clinch.
Muller stalling in the clinch but Strides improves position.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Strides.
Strides tries to land a knee to the head but Muller blocks with his arms.
Strides lands a body punch in the clinch.
Strides landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Muller jumps guard but Strides stands there with Muller around his waist. Muller gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frederik Muller. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Muller tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Strides lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Strides landing knees to the head.

Muller pulls Strides into guard.
Strides not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Strides won't allow Muller to get back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Strides is stalling in the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ethan Strides dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Frederik Muller's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Muller closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Muller lands in his opponent's guard.
Strides wants to stand but Muller is controlling the position.
Muller looking to sit in guard and control but Strides gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Muller has a closed guard, preventing Strides from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muller wants to sweep here but Strides controlling him for the moment.
Strides trying to control but Muller is working from the bottom.
Muller trying to keep a closed guard but Strides is proving a slippery customer.
Muller can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Strides controls the pace.
Strides trying to control the position from guard on top but Muller is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Muller has taken the fight to the clinch.
Strides tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Strides landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Muller trying to control the position but instead, Strides has worked for underhooks and has pushed Muller into the cage.
Strides lands a damaging elbow.
Strides tries to land a knee to the head but Muller blocks with his arms.
Muller slowing the pace effectively.
Strides connects with a nasty looking knee right to Muller's face.
Strides unloads a knee to the mid-section. Muller lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Nice body punch from Strides.
Strides using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Muller has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Strides landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Strides using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Muller has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Strides crunches a lovely knee into Muller's ribcage.
Muller fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nice body punch from Strides - that landed with a thud.
Muller blocks an elbow strike.
Muller tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Muller takes an elbow to the forehead.
Ethan Strides seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Stalling in the clinch from Muller.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strides lands a knee to the head.
Strides gets underhooks to prevent Muller's takedown attempt.
Strides tries to land knees in the clinch but Muller avoids the damage to the body.
Strides landing knees to the head.
Muller tries to pull guard but Strides holds him up against the cage and eventually Muller drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frederik Muller. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Strides scores a nice knee to the body.
Muller misses with a knee strike.
Strides unloads a knee to the mid-section. Muller lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Knees in the clinch landing for Muller.
Muller trying to control the position but instead, Strides has worked for underhooks and has pushed Muller into the cage.
Muller takes a knee right on the jaw!
Strides tries to land a knee to the head but Muller blocks with his arms.
Muller looking to throw knees to the head but Strides is blocking nicely.
Muller is looking to break free of the clinch but Strides has double underhooks.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Strides.
Strides gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Muller looking to throw knees to the head but Strides is blocking nicely.
Strides lands a knee to the body.
Muller lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Muller throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Strides blocks it with crossed arms.
Strides lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Muller tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Strides smiles and moves away.
Strides closes the distance but Muller moves to the side

and Muller counters by moving into the clinch.
Muller avoiding damage as Strides throws knees to the body.
Muller lands an uppercut.
Muller's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Muller on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Strides misses with a knee strike.
Muller avoiding damage as Strides throws knees to the body.
Muller blocks an elbow strike from Strides.
Muller looking to slow down the pace here.
Muller jumps guard but Strides stands there with Muller around his waist. Muller gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Strides creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Muller's defenses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Strides looking to throw knees to the head but Muller is blocking nicely.
Muller tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Strides misses with a knee strike.

Muller escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Muller tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ethan Strides will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Frederik Muller's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Strides fails with an attempt to clinch.

Strides closes the distance and clinches.
Muller with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Muller jumps guard but Strides stands there with Muller around his waist. Muller gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Strides.
Strides connects with a knee to the head.
Strides lands a knee to the body.
Strides lands an elbow that stopped Muller in his tracks for a moment.
Strides misses with a knee strike.
Muller tries to break the clinch but Strides is controlling the position.
A right hook to the body lands for Strides.
Strides lands a knee to the head.
Strides landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Muller throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Strides throws a knee to the head but misses.
Muller using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Strides has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A nice left hand lands by Strides.

Muller breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Strides wants to clinch.
Strides closes the distance but Muller moves to the side
and Muller counters with a head kick. That will keep Strides thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muller tries to clinch up

and Strides counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Muller misses with an elbow over the top.
Muller tries to pull guard but Strides holds him up against the cage and eventually Muller drops back down to his feet.
Muller is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Strides lands a right hand.
Strides tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Strides unloads a knee to the mid-section. Muller lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Strides lands a nice knee to the body.
Muller fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frederik Muller. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Strides lands a nice uppercut.
Muller with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Knees in the clinch landing for Strides.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Strides.
Muller with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Strides takes an elbow to the forehead.
Strides using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Nice body punch from Muller.
A knee to the head by Strides.

Muller breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Muller drives through and clinches with Strides against the cage.
Strides with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Strides tries a knee to the head but Muller blocks it.
Muller fails to pull guard.
Strides lands an uppercut.
Muller connects with a knee to the head.
Muller tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Strides works on Muller's body with a couple of short punches.
Strides lands an elbow inside.
Strides tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Strides throws a knee to the head but misses.
Muller with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Muller looking to throw knees to the head but Strides is blocking nicely.
Strides stops a takedown attempt from Muller.
Muller tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Strides smiles and moves away.
Strides closes the distance but Muller moves to the side

and Muller decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Strides's guard.
Strides is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Muller is controlling him.
Strides keeping moving, preventing Muller from controlling successfully.
Frederik Muller has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strides not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ethan Strides is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Muller trying to control but Strides is working from the bottom.
Muller postures up in Strides's guard and throws a big left but Strides blocks it.
Strides is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Muller is controlling him.
Strides wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Muller manages to pass to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Muller is thwarting Strides's attempts to control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Muller goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Muller misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Strides.
Strides tries to clinch there but Muller circles away.
Muller throws a front kick aimed at Strides's knee but Strides avoids it well.
Muller throws a lazy head kick

and Strides counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Strides.
Muller with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Strides lands a nice elbow.
Muller tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Strides just stands there and leans against the cage.
Strides lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Muller looking to throw knees to the head but Strides is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ethan Strides.
I've got Strides 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ethan Strides!