PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Michael Locke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ludwig Van Normayen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Locke comes to the cage accompanied by The State Of Massachusetts - Dropkick Murphys. The crowd seem to be enjoying Van Normayen's choice of entrance music: Vader - Sword of The Witcher. Ludwig Van Normayen told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Locke
vs
Van Normayen

181 cm
30
176 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

186 cm
27
178 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Locke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ludwig Van Normayen!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Steve Montenegro and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Normayen throws a front kick aimed at Locke's knee but Locke avoids it well.
Nice shot lands for Van Normayen.
A clash of legs there as Locke blocks the low kick.
Van Normayen lands a leg kick that knocks Locke off balance momentarily.
Locke blocks a jab.
Locke avoids a kick to the body.
Van Normayen throws a front kick aimed at Locke's knee but Locke avoids it well.
Locke dives in and grabs Van Normayen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Van Normayen pushes down on Locke's head and hops out.
Van Normayen tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Locke is able to avoid easily.
Van Normayen connects with an inside leg kick.
Locke tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Locke throws the left hand but Van Normayen avoids the punch easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Locke takes a kick to the side of the head.
Van Normayen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Van Normayen swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Locke uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Van Normayen.
Van Normayen throws a hook but Locke blocks it.
Van Normayen throws a lazy right hand but Locke sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Van Normayen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Locke checks it well.
Locke throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Van Normayen scoring well with a low kick there.
Van Normayen lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Normayen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Locke looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Van Normayen is trying to get back to full guard.
Locke winds up and cracks Van Normayen with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Van Normayen has one foot on Locke's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Locke shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Van Normayen napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Van Normayen managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Locke.
Van Normayen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Locke. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Van Normayen tries to buck Locke off but Locke is having none of it.
An elbow from Locke crashes against the mat.

Locke tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Locke tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Locke has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Locke throws an elbow but Van Normayen slips to the side and avoids it well.
Van Normayen is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Van Normayen is looking to control Locke's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Van Normayen avoid being mounted?
Locke 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.
Locke has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Locke is working for a submission of some sort.
Van Normayen wants to control but Locke is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Normayen wants to get back to full guard.
Locke is nestled in close to Van Normayen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Van Normayen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Locke thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Locke missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Van Normayen trying to control here.
Locke slips a nice elbow through Van Normayen's hands, connecting with Van Normayen's forehead.
Locke lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Locke missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Van Normayen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Michael Locke will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A leg kick checked by Locke.
Van Normayen throws a hook but Locke blocks it.
A leg kick checked by Van Normayen.
Van Normayen is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Van Normayen cracks the inside of Locke's front leg.
Van Normayen lands with an overhand left.
Van Normayen tried to score with a low kick but Locke checks it.
Locke checks a leg kick.
Van Normayen throws a leg kick but Locke checks it.
Van Normayen pushes Locke away with a front kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Normayen misses with an uppercut.
Van Normayen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Van Normayen fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Locke is out of range.
Van Normayen is looking to score with low kicks.
Ludwig Van Normayen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Locke on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Ludwig Van Normayen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A looping hook to the body misses from Locke. Van Normayen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Van Normayen throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
A leg kick checked by Locke.
Locke checks a leg kick nicely.
Van Normayen scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Normayen throws a nice looking combination but Locke bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Van Normayen throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Locke checks a leg kick.
Van Normayen misses with a low kick as Locke jumps back.
Van Normayen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Locke.
Van Normayen throws a head kick that misses.
Van Normayen looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Van Normayen throws a hook but Locke avoids it easily.
Locke throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Normayen goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Locke looks to throw the jab but Van Normayen is out of range.
Van Normayen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Van Normayen throws a chopping leg kick but Locke manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Van Normayen misses with a low kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Van Normayen lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Locke has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Locke and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Van Normayen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Van Normayen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Locke has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Locke is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A head kick misses from Van Normayen.
Locke takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Normayen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Van Normayen looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Locke throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Van Normayen will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Van Normayen tries to land a leg kick but Locke saw it coming and moves away.
Van Normayen throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Van Normayen throws a nice inside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Locke fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Van Normayen shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ludwig Van Normayen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Van Normayen stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Van Normayen plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Van Normayen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Van Normayen misses with a leg kick.
Van Normayen fails to land with a series of punches.
Van Normayen throws a leg kick but Locke sees it coming and moves out of range.
A slapping body kick lands there for Van Normayen.
Van Normayen checks the leg kick nicely there.
Van Normayen misses with a head kick.
Van Normayen wants to slow Locke down by chopping away at his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Locke keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Van Normayen misses with a head kick.
Van Normayen dips to his left and cracks Locke with an uppercut!
Van Normayen throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Van Normayen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Locke takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Van Normayen slips under a jab.
Locke swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Van Normayen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Normayen feints and then cracks Locke's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Locke down.
Van Normayen swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Van Normayen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Locke's sensitive parts.
Van Normayen connects with a leg kick. Locke looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Van Normayen pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Nice defenses there by Locke.
Locke stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Van Normayen.
Locke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Van Normayen manages to avoid it.
Van Normayen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Locke throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Normayen throws a leg kick but Locke moved away.
Locke moves out of range of the body kick.
Locke misses with a jab, cross combination.
Van Normayen misses with a low kick.
Van Normayen feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Locke's calf.
Locke misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A slow jab from Van Normayen misses its intended target.
Van Normayen scores with a decent looking hook.
Locke throws a low kick but Van Normayen moves out of range easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Locke takes a swing at Van Normayen's ribcage but misses.
Van Normayen throws a low kick but it's checked well by Locke.
Van Normayen throws a leg kick which misses Locke's front leg but catches the back leg as Locke tries to avoid it.
Van Normayen throws a leg kick which misses Locke's front leg but catches the back leg as Locke tries to avoid it.
Locke pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Van Normayen throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Van Normayen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Locke has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Van Normayen finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Locke misses with a straight left.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ludwig Van Normayen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Van Normayen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 28:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ludwig Van Normayen!
Ludwig Van Normayen managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Steel Penn's Laundry 93%, into his post fight interview.