PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Robert Van De Velde (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Townsley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Van De Velde
vs
Townsley

225 cm
26
205 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

183 cm
26
205 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Robert Van De Velde!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ben Townsley!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van De Velde tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Townsley counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Townsley is controlling the pace.
It looks like Townsley might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Townsley's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Van De Velde wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ben Townsley has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Van De Velde wants to clinch up but Townsley keeps it at a distance.

Townsley darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Van De Velde looks like he's trying to stand up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Townsley tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Townsley postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Van De Velde to stand up.

Townsley changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Van De Velde looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Townsley is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van De Velde is pushing Townsley's head away, looking to escape. Townsley manages to hold on to the position though.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Townsley decides to stand up, so the ref orders Van De Velde to his feet.
Van De Velde wants to clinch but Townsley slips to the side

and Townsley moves into the clinch.
Van De Velde has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Townsley pulls guard effortlessly.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Van De Velde would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Van De Velde really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Townsley wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Townsley is pulling down on Van De Velde's head. It's preventing any offense from Van De Velde, at least for the moment.
Van De Velde is looking to stand up but Townsley won't let him.
Townsley looking for a sweep. Not yet Townsley, not yet.

Townsley is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Van De Velde keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Townsley's efforts to push away.
Van De Velde wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Townsley tries to break free but Van De Velde pushes him back against the cage.
Van De Velde is trying to push Townsley away but Townsley has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Townsley takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Townsley jumps into guard, dragging Van De Velde to the mat.
Van De Velde is fighting to break Townsley's control of his arms but Townsley is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Townsley has a closed guard, preventing Van De Velde from standing up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Townsley had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Van De Velde defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Townsley dominated that round.
That's time! Van De Velde's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Van De Velde avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Van De Velde scores with a head kick.

Van De Velde gets caught napping as Townsley dives in and scores a takedown. Van De Velde manages to retain guard.
Van De Velde can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Townsley controls the pace.
Van De Velde is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Townsley decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Townsley shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Townsley drops back, looking for a kneebar! Van De Velde looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Van De Velde looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Van De Velde!
Townsley wants to get back to his feet.
Van De Velde wants to stand but Townsley has his arm trapped.

Townsley sneaks out the side door and pushes Van De Velde away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Robert Van De Velde is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Van De Velde throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Van De Velde tries to clinch there but Townsley circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van De Velde looks to clinch

and Townsley counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Van De Velde is trying to push Townsley away but Townsley has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Van De Velde breaks the clinch.
Townsley looks for the body kick but Van De Velde saw that one coming.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Townsley shoots in and gets a takedown into Van De Velde's guard.

Townsley gets to his feet. Van De Velde looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Van De Velde misses with the combination.

Townsley scores with a takedown into Van De Velde's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Townsley prevents Van De Velde from getting back to his feet.

Van De Velde is working an open guard so Townsley takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Townsley closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Townsley lands in his opponent's guard.
Van De Velde avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Townsley engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Townsley stops Van De Velde from standing up.
Townsley throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Van De Velde is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ben Townsley has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Townsley passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Van De Velde is pushing Townsley's head away, looking to escape. Townsley manages to hold on to the position though.

Townsley decides to stand up, so the ref orders Van De Velde to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Townsley shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Van De Velde is trying to defend but Townsley finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Townsley seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Townsley 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Van De Velde swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Townsley counters with a shoot takedown. Van De Velde fights it but they end up in guard.
Van De Velde wants to stand and escape but Townsley is having none of it.
Townsley must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Townsley is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Van De Velde wants to stand but Townsley is controlling the position.
Townsley not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ben Townsley.

Townsley drives through with a takedown into Van De Velde's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Van De Velde is working an open guard so Townsley takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Townsley clinches.

Townsley gets control of Van De Velde's arms and successfully pulls guard. Townsley will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Townsley has a closed guard, preventing Van De Velde from standing up.

Townsley looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Townsley looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Townsley looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Van De Velde puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Van De Velde seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Van De Velde trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Townsley is trying to maintain the position but Van De Velde is very close to passing his half guard.
Townsley is trying to stand.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Townsley makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Townsley pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Van De Velde will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Townsley swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Townsley throws a sloppy head kick
and Van De Velde counters with a head kick.
Van De Velde connects with a high kick.
Van De Velde throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Robert Van De Velde is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Townsley gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Van De Velde wants to get back to striking at distance but Townsley won't allow it.
Townsley has Van De Velde pressed against the cage, preventing Van De Velde from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Townsley prevents Van De Velde from breaking the clinch.

Townsley has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Van De Velde clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Van De Velde is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van De Velde holding both Townsley 's hands and preventing any damage.

Townsley working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
I would not like to be Van De Velde right now.
Robert Van De Velde has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ben Townsley is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Townsley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Townsley winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Townsley!