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). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Van De Velde
vs
Townsley

225 cm
28
205 lbs
4 - 12 - 0

183 cm
28
205 lbs
4 - 11 - 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 4 - 12 - 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 4 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ben Townsley!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van De Velde lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Ben Townsley has been cut.
Townsley wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Townsley fails in his attempt to clinch.

Van De Velde closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Van De Velde looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Van De Velde is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Van De Velde tries to break the clinch but Townsley is controlling the position.
Van De Velde is trying to break the clinch but Townsley has him pressed against the ropes.
Van De Velde working hard to break the clinch.
Van De Velde wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Townsley has him pressed against the ropes.
Van De Velde definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

Townsley turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Townsley manages to end up in side control.
My spies in Average Joe's inform me that Townsley has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Van De Velde pushes Townsley away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Townsley gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Van De Velde is trying to escape the position but Townsley is controlling the position.
Townsley looks winded!
Van De Velde is pushing Townsley's head away, looking to escape. Townsley manages to hold on to the position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Townsley controls the position.
Townsley wants to stand but Van De Velde is controlling his arm.

Townsley has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Townsley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Van De Velde misses with a straight right.
Van De Velde looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Townsley manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Van De Velde on his heels. He'll look to pass Van De Velde's guard now, I'm sure.
Townsley tries to stand but Van De Velde is controlling from the bottom.
Van De Velde wants to stand and escape but Townsley is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Townsley would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Van De Velde wants to stand up but Townsley is controlling him.
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 must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
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 three minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Townsley has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Van De Velde is proving hard to escape from.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Van De Velde feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Townsley's calf.

Townsley closes the distance and clinches.

Townsley is working on a single leg takedown against the ropes. Van De Velde can't fight it off and eventually Townsley manages to take the fight to the floor. Van De Velde looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Van De Velde is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Townsley is controlling him.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Townsley circles away from the clinch attempt.

Townsley moves into the clinch successfully.

Van De Velde pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Van De Velde moves in looking to clinch but Townsley pushes him off.

Van De Velde moves into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van De Velde wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Van De Velde breaks from the clinch.
Van De Velde wants to clinch but Townsley slips to the side

and Townsley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Townsley.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Van De Velde is trying to break the clinch but Townsley is controlling him.

Van De Velde breaks the clinch.
Van De Velde tries to clinch but Townsley is having none of it.
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 Robert Van De Velde will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ben Townsley's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Van De Velde moves away from the strike by Townsley.
Van De Velde scores with a nice body kick.
Van De Velde throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Townsley sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Townsley fails in his attempt to clinch.

Townsley shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Van De Velde wants to stand and escape but Townsley is having none of it.

Van De Velde has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Townsley off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Townsley takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Townsley dives in and grabs Van De Velde's left leg, looking for a takedown. Van De Velde pushes down on Townsley's head and hops out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Townsley circles away from the clinch attempt.
Townsley walks forward, straight into a front kick from Van De Velde.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van De Velde is looking to clinch.
Van De Velde tries to clinch but Townsley is having none of it.
Van De Velde misses with a wild body shot.
Robert Van De Velde is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Van De Velde lands a head kick. Townsley smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
An inside leg kick lands from Van De Velde.
Van De Velde ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Townsley moves away.

Van De Velde pushes Townsley up against the ropes in a clinch.
Van De Velde wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Townsley has him pressed against the ropes.

Van De Velde breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Van De Velde lands with a kick to the temple. Townsley shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Van De Velde throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Townsley looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're 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!
Van De Velde is trying to stand.
Van De Velde won't allow Townsley to pass to mount.

Townsley gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Van De Velde tries to close the distance and clinch but Townsley swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Robert Van De Velde is winning the standup battle so far.
Van De Velde throws a sloppy head kick and Townsley moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Townsley moves into the clinch successfully.

Van De Velde's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Van De Velde throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Townsley.

Van De Velde gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Van De Velde pushes Townsley off and gets back to his feet.
Robert Van De Velde is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Van De Velde changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Van De Velde avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Townsley has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Van De Velde.
Van De Velde tries to clinch up.
A jab from Van De Velde finds it's way through Townsley's defenses.

Townsley shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Townsley trying to control from half guard but Van De Velde is working away.
Van De Velde pushes Townsley off looking to stand but Townsley dives back in and keeps control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Van De Velde kicks Townsley off and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Van De Velde dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ben Townsley's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Van De Velde lands a head kick. Townsley smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Townsley shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Van De Velde tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Townsley manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Van De Velde tries to clinch up but Townsley circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Van De Velde looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Townsley shoots in for a double leg but Van De Velde sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Van De Velde throws a nice outside leg kick.
Van De Velde tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Van De Velde tries to clinch there but Townsley circles away.
Van De Velde tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Townsley paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van De Velde is looking to clinch but Townsley is avoiding it.
Van De Velde throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Townsley closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Van De Velde did well to prevent Townsley getting side control.
Van De Velde is trying to stand up here but Townsley is controlling him well.
Townsley seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Van De Velde pushes Townsley off looking to stand but Townsley dives back in and keeps control.
Townsley not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Townsley decides to return to a standing position.
Townsley circles away from the clinch attempt
and Townsley counters with a left to the body.
Some wild striking there from Van De Velde.
Van De Velde throws a head kick that misses.

Townsley gets the takedown into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Townsley has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Townsley.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Townsley is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Van De Velde has escaped the position, nice work there.
Van De Velde is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Townsley is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Townsley tries to advance to mount but can't.

Townsley decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Townsley looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Townsley thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Van De Velde's head.
Ben Townsley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Robert Van De Velde is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Van De Velde looks like he's trying to stand up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Townsley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Van De Velde has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Van De Velde!