PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lars Larsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Retherford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Larsen
vs
Retherford

195 cm
25
283 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Decent elbows
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lars Larsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dan Retherford!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Larsen moves into the clinch successfully.
Larsen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Larsen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Dan Retherford has been cut.
Larsen blocks an uppercut.
Larsen gets underhooks to prevent Retherford's takedown attempt.
Larsen taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Larsen connects with a knee to the head.
Larsen can't find room to land a body shot as Retherford controls the action.
Retherford tries to circle away but Larsen has him pinned against the cage.
Larsen content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Larsen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Larsen stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Larsen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Retherford wants to get back to striking at distance but Larsen won't allow it.
Larsen could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Larsen is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Retherford avoiding damage as Larsen throws knees to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Larsen.
Larsen is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Retherford managing to block the knees to the body from Larsen.
Retherford tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Larsen just stands there and leans against the cage.

Larsen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Larsen tries to clinch but Retherford is having none of it.
Larsen throws a leg kick but Retherford sees it coming and moves out of range.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Retherford, right into the meat.
Retherford showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Larsen.

Larsen moves into the clinch.
Retherford takes an elbow to the temple.

That has opened up Dan Retherford's cut even more.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Retherford tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Lars Larsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Retherford.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Retherford tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Larsen just stands there and leans against the cage.
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!
Retherford jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Larsen walks away with a smile on his face. Retherford gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Retherford looks gassed!
No luck for Larsen with that takedown attempt.
Retherford scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Larsen doesn't seem bothered though.

Larsen darts in and clinches Retherford up against the cage.
Larsen will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Retherford up against the cage.
Larsen fails to pull guard.
Larsen throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Retherford avoiding damage as Larsen throws knees to the body.
Larsen utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Retherford fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Larsen keeps control of Retherford as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Retherford managing to block the knees to the body from Larsen.
Retherford jumps guard but Larsen stands there with Retherford around his waist. Retherford gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Larsen using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Retherford has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Larsen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Larsen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Larsen tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Retherford avoids it.
Retherford takes an elbow to the temple.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Larsen.

The cut above Dan Retherford's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Larsen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Larsen tries to clinch but Retherford moves out of range.
Retherford misses with a takedown attempt - Larsen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Larsen closes the distance and clinches.
Larsen fails to pull guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Larsen lands a damaging elbow.
Larsen landing knees to the head.
Larsen unloads a knee to the mid-section.
A head punch on the inside from Larsen fails to land.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Larsen just leaning against Retherford, taking a breather.
Larsen lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Larsen lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Larsen has a couple of punches blocked by Retherford.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lars Larsen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dan Retherford's cut.
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.

Larsen has Retherford up against the cage in a clinch.
A knee to the head by Larsen.
Retherford is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Larsen gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Larsen holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Larsen gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Retherford is trying to break free.
Retherford wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Larsen has him pressed against the cage.
Larsen misses with a punch to the body.
Retherford goes for a takedown attempt but Larsen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Larsen is looking to clinch but Retherford is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larsen misses with a wild combination.
Larsen throws the kick towards the body but Retherford avoids it.

Larsen closes the distance and clinches.
Larsen jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Retherford walks away with a smile on his face. Larsen gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Larsen doesn't manage to clinch there - Retherford circles away.
Retherford avoids the head kick by Larsen.
Larsen misses with a series of wild punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Larsen has managed to clinch.
Larsen misses with an elbow strike.
Larsen misses with an elbow over the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Retherford is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Larsen is defending well for now.
Larsen goes for a takedown attempt but Retherford pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Retherford pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Retherford shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Larsen defends it nicely.
Lars Larsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Retherford.
Retherford circles away from the clinch attempt.

Larsen closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Retherford tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Larsen smiles and moves away.
Larsen tries to bum rush Retherford with a series of wild strikes but Retherford uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Larsen misses the target.

Larsen forces Retherford back against the cage and clinches.
Larsen gets underhooks to prevent Retherford's takedown attempt.
Larsen effectively controlling the action here.
Larsen unloads a knee to the mid-section. Retherford lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Retherford takes an elbow to the forehead.
Larsen scores with a knee to the head.

Larsen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Larsen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Larsen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Larsen tries to clinch but Retherford moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Larsen pushes Retherford up against the cage in a clinch.
Retherford wants to break the clinch but can't.
Retherford fails to pull guard.
Larsen controlling the action here for a moment.
Lars Larsen has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Larsen looking for a takedown.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Retherford tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Larsen smiles and moves away.
Retherford will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Retherford swats away the attempt to clinch by Larsen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lars Larsen dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dan Retherford's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Retherford misses the shot to the body.

Larsen has managed to clinch.
Larsen connects with a knee to the head.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Retherford takes a knee right on the jaw!
Retherford tries to break free but Larsen pushes him back against the cage.
Larsen lands a nice knee to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Retherford.
Larsen tries to land a knee to the head but Retherford blocks with his arms.
Larsen leaning his opponent against the cage.
Larsen lands a knee to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Larsen breaks from the clinch.
Retherford throws a right hand that Larsen ducks under and follows up with a left that Larsen also avoids with ease.

Larsen has closed the distance and engaged Retherford in a clinch.
Larsen unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Larsen landing knees to the head.

Dan Retherford's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Larsen utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Nice elbow from Larsen.
Larsen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Larsen obliges.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Larsen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Larsen darts in and clinches Retherford up against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Larsen.

Larsen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Larsen misses.

Larsen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Larsen missing with knees to the body.

Larsen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Larsen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Retherford gets tackled into the cage by Larsen. Larsen maintains the clinch.
Larsen effectively controlling the action here.
Larsen keeps control of Retherford as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Larsen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Retherford blocks it with crossed arms.
Retherford has a couple of punches blocked by Larsen.
Larsen missing with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larsen lands an elbow that stopped Retherford in his tracks for a moment.
A bit of stalling here from Larsen.
Retherford blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Retherford is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Larsen dodges an elbow strike from Retherford.
Larsen is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Larsen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Retherford's defenses.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Dan Retherford's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Lars Larsen!