PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lars Ruud (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simen Nielsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Simen Nielsen will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Ruud
vs
Nielsen

180 cm
25
188 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

188 cm
25
189 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lars Ruud!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Simen Nielsen!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Saam Ante and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ruud has managed to clinch.
Ruud misses with a knee strike.
Ruud tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Ruud throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Nielsen is trying to maintain a safe position but Ruud gets an underhook and turns Nielsen into the cage.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nielsen is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Ruud throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nielsen blocks it with crossed arms.
Ruud with a knee to the head.

It looks like Simen Nielsen has been cut.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but Nielsen blocks it.
Nielsen avoids the elbow strike from Ruud, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen stalling against the cage.
Ruud with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ruud tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ruud throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nielsen blocks it with crossed arms.
Ruud connects with a nasty looking knee right to Nielsen's face.
Nielsen slows down the pace here.
Ruud with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ruud looking to throw knees to the head but Nielsen is blocking nicely.
Nielsen avoids a wild elbow strike from Ruud.
Ruud throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruud tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nielsen stalling in the clinch.
Ruud throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nielsen stalling.
Ruud throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ruud misses with a knee to the head.
Ruud looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ruud as Nielsen tries to tie him up.
Ruud tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ruud tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ruud pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but Nielsen blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen slows down the pace here.
Ruud throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nielsen avoids the elbow strike from Ruud, against the cage.
Ruud landing knees to the head.
Ruud misses with a knee strike.
Ruud pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Nielsen trying to stall but Ruud improves his position.
Ruud throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruud throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nielsen blocks it with crossed arms.
Ruud with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ruud tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nielsen is stalling here.
Nielsen stalling in the clinch but Ruud improves position.
Ruud using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nielsen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
With the fighters up against the cage, Ruud throws an elbow but misses.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but Nielsen blocks it.
Ruud comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Ruud misses with a knee to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ruud looking to throw knees to the head but Nielsen is blocking nicely.
Ruud letting Nielsen take a breather here.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lars Ruud dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Simen Nielsen'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.

Nielsen rushes Ruud and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ruud using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nielsen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Ruud being controlled against the cage.
Ruud with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ruud connects with a nasty looking knee right to Nielsen's face.
Ruud tries to land a knee to the head but Nielsen blocks with his arms.
Nielsen stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Nielsen avoids a wild elbow strike from Ruud.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen trying to stall but Ruud improves his position.
Nielsen is persisting with his attempts to control the action in the clinch, rather than do any real damage.
Nielsen controlling the action here for a moment.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Simen Nielsen.
Nielsen closes the distance but Ruud moves to the side

and Ruud counters by moving into the clinch.
Ruud throws an elbow but it misses.
Ruud tries to land a knee to the head but Nielsen blocks with his arms.
Nielsen tries to stall but Ruud uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Ruud throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ruud misses with a knee to the head.
Nielsen stalling in the clinch but Ruud improves position.
Ruud pushes off an throws an elbow but Nielsen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruud throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nielsen blocks it with crossed arms.
Ruud misses with a knee to the head.
Ruud tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nice elbow from Ruud.
Ruud with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nielsen pressing his opponent against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ruud just misses with a elbow thrown towards Nielsen's brow.
Ruud throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ruud misses with a knee to the head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Nielsen.
Ruud misses with a knee strike.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but Nielsen blocks it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruud with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ruud misses with a knee to the head.
Nielsen displaying some good clinch control by pressing Ruud up against the cage.
Ruud with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ruud using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nielsen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ruud with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nielsen will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ruud up against the cage.
Ruud misses with a knee strike.
Ruud misses with a knee strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruud misses with a knee to the head.
Nielsen blocks an elbow strike.
Ruud with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nielsen blocks an elbow strike from Ruud.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nielsen effectively controlling the action here.
Ruud throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
The referee is keeping an eye on Nielsen - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ruud misses with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lars Ruud dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Simen Nielsen's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Nielsen tries to clinch up.
Nielsen tries to clinch up.
Simen Nielsen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nielsen wants to clinch but Ruud slips to the side

and Ruud counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ruud.
Ruud with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nielsen blocks the elbow strike.
Ruud looking to throw knees to the head but Nielsen is blocking nicely.
Come on Nielsen - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Nielsen trying to stall but Ruud improves his position.
Ruud throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nielsen blocks it with crossed arms.
Come on Nielsen - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Ruud tries to land a knee to the head but Nielsen blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen trying to stall but Ruud improves his position.
Ruud throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nielsen blocks it with crossed arms.
Nielsen blocks an elbow strike.
Nielsen blocks the elbow strike.
Come on Nielsen - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Simen Nielsen.

Ruud moves into the clinch successfully.
Nielsen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Ruud with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ruud tries a knee to the head but Nielsen blocks it.
Ruud throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nielsen blocks it with crossed arms.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Nielsen trying to stall but Ruud improves his position.
Ruud looking to throw knees to the head but Nielsen is blocking nicely.
Ruud with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ruud throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nielsen blocks it with crossed arms.
Ruud being controlled against the cage.
Lars Ruud has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Ruud misses with a knee to the head.
Nielsen blocks an elbow strike from Ruud.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruud misses with a knee strike.
Ruud pushes off an throws an elbow but Nielsen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Nielsen is pushing Ruud up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Nielsen blocks the elbow strike.
Ruud using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nielsen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ruud misses with a knee strike.
Ruud pushes off an throws an elbow but Nielsen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Nielsen.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ruud as Nielsen tries to tie him up.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Simen Nielsen.
Nielsen fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruud swats away the attempt to clinch by Nielsen.
Nielsen tries to clinch up but Ruud circles away and keeps his distance.

Ruud gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nielsen tries to stall but Ruud uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Nielsen content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Ruud misses with an elbow over the top.
Nielsen content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Ruud throws a knee to the head but misses.
Simen Nielsen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lars Ruud is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ruud managing to block the knees to the body from Nielsen.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Lars Ruud.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ruud, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lars Ruud!
After the fight, Lars Ruud was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.