PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Tommie Karlsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Skjelbred (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.

Karlsson
vs
Skjelbred

180 cm
22
160 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

175 cm
20
163 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite 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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tommie Karlsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Skjelbred!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Felipe Paraventi and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Karlsson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Karlsson lands in his opponent's guard.
Karlsson wants to control from the top but Skjelbred keeps moving.

Skjelbred throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Skjelbred will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Skjelbred looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Karlsson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Skjelbred keeping moving, preventing Karlsson from controlling successfully.
Skjelbred looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

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

Karlsson decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Karlsson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Skjelbred tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karlsson lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Skjelbred tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Karlsson lands a nice shot to the head.
Karlsson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Skjelbred tries to reverse the position but Karlsson maintains control.
Skjelbred looks gassed!
Karlsson scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Karlsson goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Skjelbred turns into him and now he's in Karlsson's guard.
Karlsson is trying to control the position but Skjelbred postures up.
Karlsson wants to sweep here but Skjelbred controlling him for the moment.

Skjelbred drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Skjelbred jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Karlsson working a defensive guard here.
Skjelbred working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skjelbred stopping the sweep attempt from Karlsson.
Karlsson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Karlsson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Karlsson throws a nice looking combination but Skjelbred bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Karlsson lands an overhand right.
Karlsson looks for a takedown but Skjelbred sprawls well.
Skjelbred throws a sloppy head kick and Karlsson moves out of range easily.

Karlsson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Karlsson tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Skjelbred holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
Karlsson works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karlsson lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Skjelbred down.
Karlsson is looking to take a break and control but Skjelbred is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Karlsson landing strikes.
Karlsson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Skjelbred keeps working.
Karlsson scoring with punches and elbows.

Karlsson tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Skjelbred stops Karlsson from passing to mount.
A lull in the action here as Karlsson stalls from top position.
Karlsson trying to control the action but Skjelbred is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skjelbred stops Karlsson from passing to mount.
Skjelbred is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Karlsson's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Karlsson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Skjelbred does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Skjelbred tries to roll over but Karlsson keeps him under control.
Karlsson 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.

Karlsson stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Skjelbred to get to his feet.
Karlsson shoots in looking for a takedown. Skjelbred tries to sprawl out of it but Karlsson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Skjelbred manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Karlsson tries to clinch up but Skjelbred circles away and keeps his distance.
Karlsson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommie Karlsson dominated that 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.

Karlsson scores a takedown into full mount!
Tommie Karlsson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Karlsson working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Skjelbred manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Karlsson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Skjelbred knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Karlsson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Skjelbred is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Karlsson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Karlsson's back!
Skjelbred is hanging on to Karlsson's back as he tries to escape.
Skjelbred gets his hands free as Karlsson looks to control.
Karlsson manages to reverse the position and now he's in Skjelbred's guard. Nice work there by Karlsson.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Skjelbred is looking for a triangle but Karlsson pushes his legs off easily.
Skjelbred keeping moving, preventing Karlsson from controlling successfully.

Karlsson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skjelbred keeping moving, preventing Karlsson from controlling successfully.
Skjelbred looking for a sweep. Not yet Skjelbred, not yet.
Karlsson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Karlsson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Skjelbred manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Skjelbred trying to control but Karlsson is having none of it.
Karlsson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Skjelbred with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Karlsson is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karlsson wants to control but Skjelbred is having none of it.
Karlsson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Skjelbred lands a big elbow.

Skjelbred is working for a guillotine from mount but Karlsson frees his head quite easily.
Karlsson has given up his back here.
Karlsson turns into Skjelbred and is now in his guard.
Skjelbred is trying to keep Karlsson in close.
Skjelbred keeping moving, preventing Karlsson from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karlsson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Skjelbred tries to strike from the bottom.

Karlsson is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Karlsson trying to control the position from guard on top but Skjelbred is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Skjelbred has his foot on Karlsson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Karlsson works his way back into a safe position though.
Karlsson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Karlsson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Karlsson is working hard here to advance position.

Skjelbred is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Karlsson trying to control the position from guard on top but Skjelbred is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karlsson passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Skjelbred sneaks back into half guard.
Skjelbred is looking to control Karlsson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Skjelbred avoid being mounted?
Karlsson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Skjelbred does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Skjelbred trying to hold on to Karlsson's head to control him but Karlsson postures up.
Karlsson wants to pass to mount but Skjelbred is defending the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karlsson wants to control but Skjelbred is keeping him busy.
Skjelbred wants to improve his position but Karlsson is controlling well.

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

Karlsson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Skjelbred to the mat! Skjelbred manages to get full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Skjelbred showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Karlsson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Karlsson content to control rather than advance.
Karlsson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Skjelbred manages to get to full guard.
Skjelbred bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Karlsson's guard.
Karlsson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Karlsson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Karlsson looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Skjelbred passes into half guard.

Skjelbred is looking for a kimura here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Karlsson actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skjelbred trying to mount his opponent but Karlsson defends it.
Skjelbred has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Skjelbred controlling the pace for now.
Karlsson can't escape the position.
Karlsson sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Karlsson gets back to full guard.
Karlsson trying to control the position.
Karlsson lands a good elbow from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karlsson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Karlsson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Skjelbred's guard.
Skjelbred keeping moving, preventing Karlsson from controlling successfully.
Karlsson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Skjelbred is proving hard to escape from.
Karlsson trying to control the position from guard on top but Skjelbred is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Skjelbred wants to sweep but no luck.

Karlsson stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Skjelbred gets the takedown into side control.

Skjelbred thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Skjelbred trying to control the position but Karlsson is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Skjelbred has hold of Karlsson's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Karlsson seems comfortable defending it but Skjelbred has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Karlsson is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Karlsson is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Skjelbred couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:10 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). John Skjelbred!