PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Monte Bernard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adam Michal (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.

Bernard
vs
Michal

195 cm
22
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
23
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Monte Bernard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Adam Michal!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Aafke Stam and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bernard avoids the head kick by Michal.

Michal gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Michal lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Michal prevents Bernard from standing back up.
Still in half guard, Michal seems content to control.
Bernard trying to hold on to Michal's head to control him but Michal postures up.
Bernard wants to get back to full guard.
It looks like Michal is going to stand back up.

Bernard looking for submissions off his back.
Michal slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michal is trying to control the action in half guard but Bernard is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Michal controlling the action here.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Adam Michal was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Bernard misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bernard.

Michal has managed to clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Michal is trying to trip Bernard. He has hold of a leg but Bernard is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Michal persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michal is looking to stand up but Bernard won't let him.
Michal really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bernard. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Bernard trying to keep a closed guard but Michal is proving a slippery customer.
Bernard is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Bernard striking off his back but it's not causing Michal any problems.
Michal sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Monte Bernard wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Bernard throws a half hearted mid kick.
Bernard gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Michal counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Bernard manages to pull guard.
Bernard is trying to keep Michal in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Michal wants to control from the top but Bernard keeps moving.
Bernard wants to stand but Michal is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michal tries to free his leg and advance position but Bernard is retaining full guard.
Michal wants to get up but he can't break Bernard's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Bernard wants to stand and escape but Michal is having none of it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Michal misses with a double jab.

Bernard shoots in and bounces Michal off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Bernard is breathing heavily.
Bernard won't allow Michal to sweep him here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bernard prevents Michal from getting back to his feet.
Bernard will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Bernard drops back, looking for a kneebar! Michal looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Michal looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Michal!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adam Michal dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Bernard throws a head kick that misses.

Michal has Bernard up against the cage in a clinch.
Bernard has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Michal breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bernard with a lazy takedown attempt

and Michal counters with a shoot takedown. Bernard fights it but they end up in guard.
Michal wants to pass the guard but Bernard is keeping the position.
Michal trying to control but Bernard is working from the bottom.
Bernard wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michal trying to control the position from guard on top but Bernard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Michal might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Bernard haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Adam Michal has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Michal tries to close the distance and clinch but Bernard swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bernard blocks a jab.
Bernard looks to score with a jab to the body but Michal is just out of range.
Bernard wants to clinch.

Michal shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Michal showed some decent athleticism there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michal sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Michal seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bernard does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bernard wants to get back to his feet.
Michal content to control rather than advance.
Adam Michal has got the better of the ground game so far.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Adam Michal hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Michal forces Bernard back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michal is trying to pull guard but Bernard turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Michal ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Michal no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Michal not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Michal is looking to stand up but Bernard isn't so interested in that idea.
Michal is breathing heavily.
Bernard passes into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Michal can do anything to dispel that myth.
Michal gets full guard.
Michal wants to sweep here but Bernard controlling him for the moment.
Bernard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bernard stands and throws Michal's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Bernard wants to stand but Michal has his arm trapped.
Michal is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Bernard off and has taken his back!
Michal scores with strikes from the back.
Bernard is trying to break free.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
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 round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adam Michal showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Bernard's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Michal or perhaps it was just good defense by Bernard which made him look bad.
Michal fails to land the takedown.
Monte Bernard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Bernard shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Bernard with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bernard advances to half guard.
Michal trying to hold on to Bernard's head to control him but Bernard postures up.
Bernard is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Michal is trying to get back to full guard.
Well, if Bernard is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Michal takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bernard is trying to control the action in half guard but Michal is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Michal actively working from the bottom here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Bernard frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Bernard prevents Michal from getting the reversal.
Bernard punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bernard wants to control the pace but Michal is squirming around nicely.
Michal tries to hold on but Bernard postures up.
Bernard looking to finish with strikes here!
Bernard trying to control but Michal is having none of it.
Bernard wants to get back to his feet but Michal is holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michal prevents Bernard from taking his back.
Michal manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Michal wants to control but Bernard is keeping busy and won't allow it.
It looks like Bernard is going to stand back up.
Michal tries to roll over but Bernard keeps him under control.
Bernard tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Michal.
Bernard really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bernard stops Michal from getting back to his feet.
Bernard wants to pass the guard but Michal is defending well.
Bernard thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Michal's head.
Bernard wants to control but Michal is keeping him busy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bernard tries to pass to full mount but Michal defends it.
Bernard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Monte Bernard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Michal has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Adam Michal!