PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Henric Andersen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Almer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Andersen's entrance music is Sultans Of Swing. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Andersen
vs
Almer

192 cm
21
180 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

175 cm
19
177 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Henric Andersen!
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, Thiago Almer!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Daniel Cesar and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Almer moves out of range of the body kick from Andersen.
Andersen misses the shot to the body.
Almer fails with an attempt to clinch.
Almer misses with a low kick.
Andersen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Almer lands with a shot to the body.
A decent looking cross lands there for Almer.
Almer will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Andersen swings for the body but Almer moves out of range.
Andersen misses with a series of wild punches.
Almer will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Andersen closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Almer misses with a wild body shot.
Andersen slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almer throws a low kick, looking for Andersen's leg but Andersen calmly moves out of range.
Andersen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Almer pinned against the cage. Almer gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Almer turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Andersen steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Almer. That one must have hurt.
Almer works over Andersen's head and body with a nice combination.
Almer misses with a looping left.
Almer misses with a wild body shot.
Andersen takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Almer throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Thiago Almer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Almer looks to land a combination. Andersen sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Almer throws a nice inside leg kick.
Andersen on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Almer. Almer obviously looking to wear him down.
Almer is looking to score with low kicks.
Andersen takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Andersen is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almer chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Andersen takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
A punch combination from Almer misses.
Almer connects with a good right hand that stumbles Andersen. Andersen circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Almer feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Andersen's calf.
Almer lands with a cross.
Almer connects with a single shot there.
Almer just misses with a punch to the body.
Andersen walks into a stiff left hand from Almer.
Almer misses with a wild body shot.
Andersen takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Andersen has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Almer.
The fight stays on the outside here - Almer looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Almer throws a leg kick which misses Andersen's front leg but catches the back leg as Andersen tries to avoid it.
Almer is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Andersen had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almer with a nice cross.
Andersen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Almer sprawls well. Almer wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Andersen gets slowly back to his feet.
Andersen takes one to the side of the head.
Almer scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Almer lands a body shot.
Almer listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A good leg kick by Almer.
Almer wants to clinch.
Almer fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Andersen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Andersen moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Almer explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Thiago Almer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Andersen on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Almer throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Almer scores with a nice strike.
Almer looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Almer misses with a two punch combination.
Almer lands a really nice looking cross but Andersen seems unphased.
Andersen takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Andersen is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Andersen circles away from the clinch attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Good standup being displayed there by Almer as he connects with a hook.
Almer misses with a body shot.
Almer misses with a double jab.
Almer lands with a good body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Almer dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Almer scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Andersen just misses with a punch to the body.
Almer moves in looking to clinch but Andersen pushes him off.
Andersen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Andersen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Almer throws a quick inside leg kick.
Andersen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Almer circles away.
Almer tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Andersen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Almer.
Almer scores with a leg kick.
No joy there for Almer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Some wild striking there from Almer.
Andersen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Almer sprawls well. Almer wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Andersen gets slowly back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Almer falls off balance throwing a combination

so Andersen counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Andersen wants to control from the top but Almer keeps moving.
Andersen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Almer works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Andersen throwing strikes from guard but Almer blocks nicely.
Almer wants to stand up but Andersen is controlling him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Andersen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Almer controlling Andersen's posture.
Andersen tries to free his leg and advance position but Almer is retaining full guard.
Almer has Andersen pulled in close to control his posture.
Almer has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Almer leaves Andersen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henric Andersen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Almer throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Andersen shoots in for a takedown but Almer shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Andersen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Almer showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Andersen.
Almer throws a front kick that sends Andersen stumbling back into the cage.
Almer tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Andersen counters with a shoot takedown. Almer fights it but they end up in guard.
Andersen trying to control the position from guard on top but Almer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Andersen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Andersen drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Almer manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Andersen has Almer in his guard.
Almer tries to stand but Andersen is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almer trying to control but Andersen is working from the bottom.
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 Henric Andersen will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Almer swinging wildly here.
Andersen tries for a takedown but Almer sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Almer clobbers Andersen with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Horrible takedown by Andersen or perhaps it was just good defense by Almer which made him look bad.
Almer throws a half hearted mid kick.
Almer cracks Andersen with an open hand slap.
Almer attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Thiago Almer seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Almer throws a wild body kick that Andersen sees coming a mile off.
Andersen throws a head kick that misses.
Almer looks to clinch

and Andersen counters with a takedown into side control.
Andersen taking a breather here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Almer's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Almer is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Andersen is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Almer's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Andersen swings around for an armbar but Almer sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Andersen's guard.
Almer sitting in guard here, content to control.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Andersen is on top in guard.
Almer keeping moving, preventing Andersen from controlling successfully.
Thiago Almer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Andersen wants to stand but Almer has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Almer preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Andersen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Almer trying to keep a closed guard but Andersen is proving a slippery customer.

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.
Andersen wants to control from the top but Almer keeps moving.
Andersen will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Andersen trying to stand up but can't free himself from Almer's guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Andersen clinches but Almer breaks the clinch
and Almer makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Almer throws a right and a left that both miss.
Henric Andersen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Henric Andersen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Almer tries to clinch but Andersen moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Henric Andersen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Andersen 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight for Thiago Almer!
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight for Thiago Almer!
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight for Thiago Almer!

Thiago Almer wins by unanimous decision!