PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Samor Kanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hjalmar Soderberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Kanen might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to BURN ONE DOWN. Samor Kanen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kanen
vs
Soderberg

189 cm
31
213 lbs
19 - 8 - 0

189 cm
30
225 lbs
18 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Convicted Trap House
Conviction

Conquer

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Samor Kanen!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hjalmar Soderberg!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Donald Grub and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kanen throws a leg kick

and Soderberg counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Soderberg working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Kanen is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Soderberg scores with a couple of nice shots.
Soderberg passes to full mount!
Soderberg trying to control but Kanen is having none of it.
Soderberg thowing shots but they're missing.
Soderberg can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kanen is looking to escape.
Soderberg misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
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!
Kanen holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Soderberg tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Kanen blocking the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanen tries to lock up and control but Soderberg gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kanen is in all sorts of trouble here.
Soderberg lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Kanen working to try and regain half guard.
Soderberg thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Soderberg tries to control but Kanen wriggling away.
Kanen is bucking up trying to escape but Soderberg cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

It looks like Samor Kanen has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Soderberg avoids the attempt from Kanen to control.
Kanen is in a horrible position here. Soderberg smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Samor Kanen's cut is getting worse.
Soderberg misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Soderberg thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg throwing strikes but Kanen bucks up and reverses the position. He's now in guard on top.

Soderberg is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kanen defends well.
Soderberg trying to control the position.

Soderberg working for a triangle but Kanen defends it easily.
Soderberg has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kanen tries to free his leg and advance position but Soderberg is retaining full guard.

Soderberg is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kanen tries to free his leg and advance position but Soderberg is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg keeping moving, preventing Kanen from controlling successfully.

Soderberg has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kanen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kanen passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Soderberg sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Soderberg wants to control but Kanen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kanen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Kanen lands a nice short elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanen winds up and cracks Soderberg with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Soderberg actively working from the bottom here.
Soderberg is staying active underneath Kanen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Kanen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
We've been hearing that Kanen has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Soderberg trying to control here.
Kanen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Soderberg preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Soderberg is pressing down on Kanen's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kanen is looking to work some ground and pound but Soderberg has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hjalmar Soderberg dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Samor Kanen's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kanen thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Soderberg if he has to take too many more of those.
Soderberg shoots in and drives through. Kanen sprawls well.
Soderberg shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kanen defends it nicely.
Kanen throws the left hand but Soderberg avoids the punch easily.
Nice defenses there by Soderberg.
Kanen misses with a body kick.
Soderberg tries to score with a low kick but Kanen moves his leg out of the way.
Kanen thows a body shot but no joy.
Kanen scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Soderberg doesn't seem bothered though.
Kanen throws out a leg kick but Soderberg moves out of range and Kanen only half commits.
Soderberg takes one to the chin there.
Soderberg misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Samor Kanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hjalmar Soderberg.
Kanen misses with an uppercut

and Soderberg counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kanen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Soderberg jumps into guard, dragging Kanen to the mat.

Soderberg escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kanen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Soderberg wants to control but Kanen passes easily into half guard.
Kanen prevents Soderberg from improving his position.
Soderberg wants to control but Kanen is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Soderberg is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Kanen pulls his head out easily.
Kanen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg is looking to improve his position.
Kanen is looking to stall here but Soderberg recovers full guard.
Soderberg keeping full guard, as Kanen tries to pass.
Kanen trying to control but Soderberg is working from the bottom.
Kanen passes Soderberg's left leg - he's now in half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kanen throws a strike but Soderberg avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kanen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Soderberg had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kanen defends it easily.
Kanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Soderberg is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kanen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Soderberg is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hjalmar Soderberg has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kanen looking to pass the guard.
Kanen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Soderberg controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanen wants to control from the top but Soderberg keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Soderberg is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Kanen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Soderberg has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kanen has managed to get both his arms back between Soderberg's legs - danger averted.

Soderberg working for a triangle but Kanen defends it easily.
Kanen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Soderberg works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kanen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samor Kanen dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Samor Kanen's cut.
That's time! Kanen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Soderberg avoids a kick to the body.
A low kick from Kanen is predictable there

and Soderberg counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Kanen!
Kanen is not content to let Soderberg control the position.
Soderberg lands a few punches from side control.
Soderberg throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The strikes coming from Soderberg are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Soderberg postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Kanen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Kanen is looking to regain half guard here but Soderberg keeps moving and retains side control.
Soderberg in side control lands a decent elbow.

Samor Kanen's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soderberg misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
You can see the frustration on Kanen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kanen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Soderberg grinds an elbow into Kanen's temple.

Jeez, Samor Kanen's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Hjalmar Soderberg!
Hjalmar Soderberg is the new light heavyweight champion!
An intense looking Hjalmar Soderberg took to the microphone post fight and gave a little speech: 'That's a nice belt you've got there, Kanen...I think I'll keep it! Heja Sverige!!'.