PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Axel Van Dam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Amir Verdune (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Dam's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Beatdown - Gunman Joe. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Van Dam
vs
Verdune

186 cm
22
212 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

187 cm
22
203 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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Biobonds Supplements

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Axel Van Dam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Amir Verdune!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Ian Loll and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Dam digs a good body shot into Verdune's ribs.
Verdune lands with a nice body punch.
Verdune stuffs the takedown.
Verdune fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Van Dam connects with a right hand. Verdune shakes it off.
Verdune throws a lazy right hand but Van Dam sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Van Dam looks to land a combination but Verdune avoids it well.
Verdune wants to clinch.

Verdune rushes Van Dam and presses him up against the cage.
Verdune lands with a short shot to the head.
Verdune taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Van Dam's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Verdune scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Van Dam misses with the head strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Van Dam.
Stalling in the clinch from Verdune.

Van Dam jumps guard and drags Verdune to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Van Dam looking for a sweep. Not yet Van Dam, not yet.
Verdune has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Van Dam is proving hard to escape from.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Dam looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Verdune postures up.
Van Dam wants to sweep here but Verdune controlling him for the moment.
Verdune tries to stand but Van Dam is controlling from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Van Dam shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Verdune as he avoids it easily.
Verdune tries to clinch up but Van Dam circles away and keeps his distance.
Verdune scores with a nice strike.
Verdune throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Verdune throws a right hand that Van Dam ducks under and follows up with a left that Van Dam also avoids with ease.
Amir Verdune is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Van Dam looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Axel Van Dam. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Dam waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Verdune.
Verdune wants to clinch.

Verdune rushes Van Dam and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verdune misses with the head strike.
Van Dam is struggling to control the position.
Verdune lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Van Dam is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Van Dam jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Verdune walks away with a smile on his face. Van Dam gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Van Dam shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Verdune is squirming around, avoiding Van Dam's attempts to control the action.
Van Dam has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Verdune's face.
Van Dam looking to finish with strikes here!

Van Dam looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Van Dam wants to control the pace but Verdune is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verdune wants to try and get back to his feet.
Van Dam wants to control the pace but Verdune is squirming around nicely.
Verdune tries to buck Van Dam off but he can't manage it.
Van Dam looking to control and managing it successfully.
Van Dam trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Verdune trying desperately to get to his feet.
Van Dam putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Van Dam can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Verdune is looking to escape.
Van Dam won't let Verdune get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Van Dam wants to control the pace but Verdune is squirming around nicely.
Verdune squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Verdune really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Van Dam. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Verdune wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Van Dam.
Verdune wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Van Dam.
Van Dam 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.
Van Dam wants to take Verdune's back but he can't do it this time.
Verdune trying desperately to get to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Amir Verdune will probably get the nod.
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.

Verdune fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Van Dam, pushing him back against the cage.
Van Dam blocks an uppercut.
Verdune working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
With the fighters up against the cage, Verdune throws an elbow but misses.
Van Dam can't get the takedown.

Van Dam's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Van Dam throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Van Dam shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Axel Van Dam seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Van Dam misses with a wild body shot.
Van Dam shoots in for a double leg but Verdune sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Axel Van Dam. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Dam avoids the body shot from Verdune.
Van Dam lands with a straight right. Verdune didn't see that one coming.
Van Dam shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Verdune but Verdune pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Van Dam shoots in looking for a takedown. Verdune tries to sprawl out of it but Van Dam keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Verdune manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A left lands for Van Dam.
Verdune lands with a hook. Van Dam tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Dam closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Verdune to the mat! Verdune manages to get full guard.
Van Dam looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Verdune is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Van Dam advances to half guard.

Van Dam is working for a submission of some sort.
Van Dam prevents Verdune from standing back up.
Verdune won't allow Van Dam to pass to mount.
Verdune wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Van Dam decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Verdune wants to get back to his feet.
Van Dam wants to pass to mount but Verdune is defending the position.
Verdune tries to kick Van Dam off but Van Dam keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Van Dam tries to pass to full mount but Verdune defends it.
Verdune is trying to stand.
Van Dam missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Van Dam trying to control from half guard but Verdune is working away.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Van Dam tests Verdune's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Dam scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

Verdune has closed the distance and engaged Van Dam in a clinch.
Verdune lands an elbow that stopped Van Dam in his tracks for a moment.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Verdune.
Verdune gets underhooks to prevent Van Dam's takedown attempt.
Verdune lands a right hand.
Van Dam can't get the takedown.
Verdune is pushing Van Dam up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Van Dam's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Van Dam shoots in for a double leg but Verdune sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Verdune takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Van Dam with a hook.
Van Dam shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Verdune as he avoids it easily.
Verdune throws a right and a left that Van Dam avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Dam with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Verdune tries to close the distance and clinch up but Van Dam swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Verdune tries to clinch there but Van Dam circles away.
Van Dam bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Verdune's head.
Axel Van Dam is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Verdune tries to close the distance and clinch up but Van Dam swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Verdune tries to clinch but Van Dam moves out of range.
Verdune on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Verdune fails with an attempt to clinch.
Verdune tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Van Dam paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Verdune throws a hook to the side of Van Dam's head but Van Dam sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Van Dam misses with a looping right.
Verdune keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Van Dam.
Verdune throws a jab but it's blocked by Van Dam.

Van Dam looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Van Dam missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Axel Van Dam dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

A big right from Verdune misses.
Van Dam misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Van Dam looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Verdune!

Van Dam jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Verdune is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Verdune and Van Dam has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Verdune pushes Van Dam away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Van Dam gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Verdune stops Van Dam from passing to mount.
Verdune is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Verdune takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Dam looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Van Dam throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Verdune works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Verdune is looking to escape.
Van Dam is pressing down on Verdune's thigh, looking to free his foot. Verdune is holding on for now.
Van Dam seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Verdune does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Van Dam is looking for a kimura here.
Van Dam wants to pass to mount but Verdune is defending the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Verdune can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Verdune tries to kick Van Dam off but Van Dam keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Van Dam is looking to advance position but Verdune won't allow it.

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

Verdune clinches.
Verdune will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Van Dam up against the cage.
Verdune misses with some punches.
Van Dam looking for a takedown.
Come on Verdune - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Verdune swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Dam uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Come on Van Dam - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Van Dam escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van Dam connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Van Dam lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Van Dam ducks under a wild hook from Verdune.
Van Dam tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Verdune swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Axel Van Dam. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Dam circles away from the clinch attempt.
Verdune dodges the punch combination from Van Dam.
Van Dam throws the left hand but Verdune avoids the punch easily.
Verdune tries to clinch but Van Dam is having none of it.
Verdune misses with a body shot.
Verdune doesn't manage to clinch there - Van Dam circles away.
Verdune cracks Van Dam with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Verdune tries to close the distance and clinch up but Van Dam swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Van Dam shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Verdune gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Verdune.
Verdune throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Verdune lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Van Dam goes for a takedown attempt but Verdune pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Verdune swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Verdune lands a nice shot to the body.

Van Dam clinches.
Verdune lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Come on Verdune - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Van Dam tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Verdune just stands there and leans against the cage.
Verdune is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Amir Verdune.
I think Verdune has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Amir Verdune!