PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Larz Umlaut (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luke Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Umlaut
vs
Ward

178 cm
22
182 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

172 cm
19
180 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Larz Umlaut!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Luke Ward!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Albert Achterberg and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ward swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ward will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ward takes a swing at Umlaut's ribcage but misses.
Umlaut with a nice cross.
Ward throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Umlaut connects with the punch.
Ward throws a looping overhand right but Umlaut ducks down to avoid it.
Umlaut swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ward misses with a combination

and Umlaut counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ward's guard now.
Umlaut trying to control but Ward is working from the bottom.

Ward looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Umlaut passes into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Ward looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Umlaut working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Ward looking for submissions off his back.
Ward is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Umlaut scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Umlaut seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ward does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Umlaut sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Ward is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Umlaut pulls his head out easily.
Umlaut looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Umlaut uses his free foot to push down on Ward's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Ward.
Umlaut prevents Ward from getting the reversal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Umlaut working the ground and pound effectively.
Umlaut breaks from Ward's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Ward is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Umlaut working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward taking shots to the head.
Ward is wriggling around trying to escape.
A nice elbow there by Umlaut.
A nice elbow there by Umlaut.
Umlaut looking to finish Ward with some ground and pound. This is bad for Ward!
Ward looks gassed!
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!
Umlaut dominating with strikes here.

Ward is rocked!
Ward taking shots to the head.
Ward is still in real trouble! Can Umlaut finish him?
Umlaut connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Ward is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Ward seems to have recovered his senses.
Umlaut raining down shots from the mount!
Ward tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Umlaut lands a big shot there that rocks Ward but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Umlaut landing strikes from the mount and Ward is in trouble!
Ward takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Umlaut fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Ward is trying to escape the mount.
Umlaut lands a big shot there that rocks Ward but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Ward is trying to escape the mount.
The referee warns Ward that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Umlaut connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Ward is looking to improve his position but Umlaut isn't that keen on the idea.
Umlaut with a couple of short strikes.
Ward is in all sorts of trouble here.
Umlaut lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Ward working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Umlaut with the ground and pound from mount.
Umlaut postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Ward looks a forlorn figure.
Umlaut has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Umlaut cracks Ward with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Umlaut can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ward is looking to escape.
Umlaut lands a heavy elbow.
Ward is trying desperately to improve position.
Umlaut landing strikes from the mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ward can't escape the position.
Umlaut lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ward tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Umlaut with a couple of short strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Umlaut fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Umlaut misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ward throws a left and a right that both miss
and Umlaut counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ward fails to land with a series of punches.
Ward throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Umlaut counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Umlaut shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Umlaut was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Umlaut cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Umlaut is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Ward is bucking up trying to escape but Umlaut cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Ward working to try and regain half guard.
Ward sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Umlaut trying to control the action but Ward is working from the bottom.
Ward is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Umlaut scores with a couple of nice shots.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward is trying to get back to full guard.

Ward looking for subs from the bottom but Umlaut mounts him!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Ward is looking to improve his position but Umlaut isn't that keen on the idea.
Ward manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Umlaut looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ward with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Umlaut passes to side control.
Umlaut advances nicely into full mount.
Ward is in all sorts of trouble here.
Umlaut landing strikes, looking to finish!
Ward regains half guard.
Umlaut drops an elbow to the side of Ward's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Umlaut has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Ward keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Umlaut is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Ward can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Umlaut scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ward?
Umlaut scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ward?
BOOM! Umlaut connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Ward manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Umlaut trying to pass the guard but Ward defending well.

Ward looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward looking for submissions off his back.

Ward looking for submissions off his back.
Umlaut seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Umlaut takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Ward is looking to improve his position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Umlaut connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Umlaut throws a combination. Ward tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Umlaut with a nice cross.
Umlaut lands a two punch combo.
Umlaut doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Ward misses with a double jab.
Umlaut avoids a punch combination nicely.
A jab from Umlaut finds it's way through Ward's defenses.
Umlaut jabs Ward right on the nose. Ward blinks but takes it well.
Ward takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ward throws a predictable looking body shot
and Umlaut counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Umlaut shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Umlaut connects with a nice short shot to Ward's temple.
Umlaut is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ward can do to turn this around?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ward is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Umlaut pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Larz Umlaut dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ward missing with a left hand there. Umlaut was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ward misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Umlaut counters with a stiff right hand.

Ward gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Umlaut to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Ward is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Umlaut with a nice head shot there.
Umlaut works over Ward with some ground and pound from guard.
Umlaut wants to control from the top but Ward keeps moving.
Umlaut pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ward is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ward looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Umlaut's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Ward looking for a guillotine here but Umlaut defends easily.

Ward had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Umlaut is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Ward Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Umlaut's back instead.
Umlaut covering up well and avoiding damage.
Umlaut manages to reverse the position and now he's in Ward's guard. Nice work there by Umlaut.
Umlaut distracts Ward with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Ward is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Umlaut postures up and lands a big shot to Ward's brow.

Ward is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Umlaut is aware though and is defending well.
Ward has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Umlaut has passed into side control.
Umlaut lands a decent elbow from side control.
Umlaut scores with punches from side control.
Ward looks to move to half guard but instead Umlaut has passed into mount! Damn!
Ward is trying desperately to improve position.
Umlaut in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Ward slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Umlaut is keen to just control but Ward is a slippery customer.
Umlaut performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Umlaut passes the guard and advances to mount!
Ward is trying to escape the mount.
Umlaut landing strikes from the mount and Ward is in trouble!
Larz Umlaut overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Umlaut pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Ward regains half guard.
Umlaut is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Umlaut connects with a nice short shot to Ward's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ward actively working from the bottom here.

Ward actively working from the bottom here.
Umlaut working over Ward with some ground and pound. Ward looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Umlaut trying to pass the guard but Ward defending well.

Ward looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Umlaut takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ward throws a left and a right that both miss

and Umlaut counters with a single leg into guard. Ward didn't expect that.
Umlaut works over Ward with some ground and pound from guard.

Ward has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Umlaut can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Luke Ward has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Umlaut trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Larz Umlaut showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Umlaut has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:26
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:26
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Larz Umlaut!