PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael Mickele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ganja Lover (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michael Mickele has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mickele
vs
Lover

183 cm
19
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Michael Mickele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ganja Lover!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Patrick Alders and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mickele tries to clinch but Lover is having none of it.
Mickele connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Mickele wants to clinch up but Lover keeps it at a distance.
Lover throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mickele.
Mickele wants to clinch.

Mickele lands a big head kick that sends Lover tumbling to the mat! Mickele takes a step backwards and waves Lover back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Lover is rocked!

It looks like Ganja Lover has been cut.
Mickele is looking to clinch.
Mickele misses with a wild body shot.
Mickele misses with a head kick.
Mickele tries to clinch up.
Michael Mickele seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Lover shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Mickele's guard.
Lover wants to control from the top but Mickele keeps moving.
Lover stops Mickele from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lover missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lover is stalling in the full guard.
Lover's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Mickele keeping full guard, as Lover tries to pass.

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.

Mickele scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Michael Mickele is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lover swats away the attempt to clinch by Mickele.
Mickele moves in looking to clinch but Lover pushes him off.
Mickele doesn't manage to clinch there - Lover circles away.
Mickele keeps Lover at a distance using the push kick.
Lover throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Mickele wants to clinch up but Lover keeps it at a distance.
Mickele throws a sloppy head kick and Lover moves out of range easily.
Mickele fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lover throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mickele's waist but Mickele gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lover off to one side.

Mickele has Lover up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mickele breaks the clinch.
Lover keeps the fight on the outside.
Lover avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mickele tries to clinch up but Lover circles away and keeps his distance.
Mickele doesn't manage to clinch there - Lover circles away.
Lover shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Mickele sprawls well. Mickele wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Lover gets slowly back to his feet.
A head kick misses from Mickele.
Mickele wants to clinch.
Mickele stuffs the takedown.
Michael Mickele has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ganja Lover.
Lover swats away the attempt to clinch by Mickele.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mickele doesn't manage to clinch there - Lover circles away.
Mickele moves in looking to clinch but Lover pushes him off.
Lover takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Lover is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Mickele's half guard.
Lover with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Mickele is trying to stand back up but Lover is controlling him
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Mickele dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ganja Lover's cut.
That's time! Mickele's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

The fight stays on the outside here - Mickele looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Lover looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Mickele keeping moving, preventing Lover from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lover showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Lover in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Lover forces his way into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mickele looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lover slows the pace down in half guard.
Mickele pushes Lover off looking to stand but Lover dives back in and keeps control.
Mickele is not content to let Lover control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lover is taking a breather. Mickele says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Lover is trying to control. Mickele wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Mickele looks like he's trying to stand up.
Lover performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Despite being in the dominant position, Ganja Lover just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lover tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mickele sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Lover somewhat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mickele plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Mickele fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mickele throws a head kick that Lover semi-blocks.
Lover is still on wobbly legs! Can Mickele finish him?
Mickele tries to clinch up.
Mickele tries to clinch up.
Lover seems to have recovered his senses.
Lover circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mickele wants to clinch up but Lover keeps it at a distance.
Lover blocks a head kick by Mickele.

Lover changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Mickele looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Mickele is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mickele dodges the ground and pound from Lover.
Lover is looking to take a break and control but Mickele is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mickele defending against the ground and pound.
Lover has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Lover controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Michael Mickele will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ganja Lover's cut.
That's time! Mickele's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Lover scores a takedown into full mount!
Lover won't let Mickele get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Lover looking to control and managing it successfully.
Mickele is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Lover controlling the pace for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lover can't control as he wanted to and Mickele manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Mickele wants to get back to his feet.

Lover escapes and gets back to his feet.

Lover drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lover seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Lover forces his way into half guard.
Lover with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Mickele kicks off Lover and gets to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lover rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mickele moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mickele doesn't manage to clinch there - Lover circles away.
Mickele lands with a kick to the temple. Lover shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Lover darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Lover content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ganja Lover has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mickele is trying to stand up here but Lover is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lover wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mickele keeps working.
Lover controlling the action here.
Lover passes the guard and advances to mount!
Michael Mickele is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lover throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ganja Lover comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mickele has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Michael Mickele!