PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vitor Belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bjorn Linus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Linus's choice of entrance music: Throwdown - Forever. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Belfort
vs
Linus

185 cm
19
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

197 cm
22
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vitor Belfort!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bjorn Linus!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Daniel Cesar and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Linus looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Linus fails to land with a series of punches.

Belfort rushes Linus and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Belfort keeps control of Linus as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Belfort misses with a punch on the inside.

Belfort manages to break the clinch.

Belfort moves into the clinch.
Belfort throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Linuss head.

Belfort breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Linus leaves Belfort with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Belfort lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Belfort fails with a takedown attempt.
Linus swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Linus misses with a wild combination.
Linus throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Belfort.
Linus misses with a few strikes there.
Bjorn Linus seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Belfort has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitor Belfort. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Belfort bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Linus looks gassed!
Linus is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Belfort is controlling him well.
Belfort advances nicely into full mount.
Linus can't escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belfort controlling his opponent.
Belfort can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Linus is looking to escape.
Belfort pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Belfort trying to control but Linus is having none of it.
Linus is in all sorts of trouble here.
Linus is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Linus is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Linus in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort landing strikes from the mount and Linus is in trouble!
Belfort prevents Linus from getting the reversal.
Belfort is landing with some decent strikes but Linus is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Linus keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Belfort unloading with bombs!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Belfort looking to control but Linus is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Linus is trying to escape the mount.
Belfort wants to control the pace but Linus is squirming around nicely.
Linus is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Belfort wants to control the pace but Linus is squirming around nicely.
Belfort prevents Linus from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort is in the full mount, landing strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Linus in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Belfort lands a heavy elbow.
Linus is in all sorts of trouble here.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Belfort lands a nice shot to the head.
Belfort in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Belfort punishing his opponent with strikes.
Linus is trying desperately to improve position.
Linus is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Belfort with a couple of short strikes.
Linus keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Linus is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Linus is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Linus is trying to stand.
Linus is in a horrible position here. Belfort smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Linus is working to get back to half guard.
Belfort landing strikes, looking to finish!
Belfort lands a nice shot to the head.
Linus is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Linus has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
Belfort has the hooks in. Linus is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Belfort dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Belfort is trying hard to land a takedown here. Linus sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Belfort slips a jab and a cross from Linus.
Linus misses with a double jab.
Belfort looks for a takedown but Linus sprawls well.
A punch combination from Linus misses.

Belfort has closed the distance and engaged Linus in a clinch.

Belfort escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Linus throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Belfort.
Linus misses with the combination.

Belfort drives through with a takedown into guard.
Belfort pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Linus is keeping the position for now.
Belfort working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Belfort wants to control from the top but Linus keeps moving.

Linus throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Linus manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Linus swinging wilding here.
Linus misses with a double jab.
Belfort throws a head kick that misses.
Belfort slips a jab and a cross from Linus.
Belfort dodges the punch combination from Linus.
Linus looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Belfort shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Belfort was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Belfort is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Linus will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Belfort shoots in for a takedown but Linus shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitor Belfort. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Belfort avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Linus.
Linus misses with a series of wild punches.
Some wild striking there from Belfort.
Linus misses with a wild combination.

Belfort shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Linus napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Linus managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Belfort.
Linus manages to get back to half guard.
Belfort seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Linus does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Linus tries to kick Belfort off but Belfort keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Belfort trying to control from half guard but Linus is working away.

Linus looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Linus is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Belfort pulls his head out easily.

Linus actively working from the bottom here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Linus swinging wilding here.
Belfort is trying hard to land a takedown here. Linus sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Linus misses with the combination.
Linus misses with a combination

and Belfort moves into the clinch.
Linus can't break the clinch.
Belfort lands a nice knee to the body.
Linus is trying to force a seperation but Belfort has the dominant position.

Belfort's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Belfort shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Linus defends it nicely.
Linus throws a right and a left that Belfort avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Linus misses with a combination
and Belfort counters with a head kick. That will keep Linus thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Linus swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Belfort counters by moving into the clinch.
Linus wants to break the clinch but can't.
Linus is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Linus stops a takedown attempt from Belfort.
Belfort stalling in the clinch but Linus improves position.
Linus working hard to break the clinch.
Linus has had enough of the clinch but Belfort keeps him there for the moment.
Linus prevents the takedown attempt.
Linus is trying to force a seperation but Belfort has the dominant position.
Belfort keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Linus's efforts to push away.

Belfort pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Linus misses with a combination
and Belfort connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bjorn Linus is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Belfort has closed the distance and engaged Linus in a clinch.
Belfort throws a head punch that misses.
Linus gets underhooks to prevent Belfort's takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Belfort dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Linus misses with the combination.
Belfort throws a head kick that misses.
Linus misses with a two punch combination.
Belfort fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Linus swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Belfort decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Linus's guard.

Linus looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Linus is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Belfort defends well.
Belfort wants to pass the guard but Linus is keeping the position.
Belfort is working hard here to advance position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Belfort avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Belfort with a nice head shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Linus looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Linus is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Linus had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Belfort is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Linus Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Belfort's back instead.
Belfort might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Belfort tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

Linus is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Belfort is surviving well by controlling Linus's body position as best he can.

Linus working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Belfort can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Linus swings around for an armbar and he's got it! Wow, that came out of nowhere! What a finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Bjorn Linus!