PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bjorn Eriksson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Armand Malone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Armand Malone has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Bjorn Eriksson's chin.

Eriksson
vs
Malone

176 cm
24
138 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

166 cm
24
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

KAISER

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bjorn Eriksson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Armand Malone!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malone lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Eriksson circles away quickly and effectively.
Armand Malone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Malone pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Malone tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Eriksson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Eriksson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Malone's efforts to push away.
Malone's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Eriksson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Eriksson clinches up with Malone and pushes him back against the cage.
Malone tries to break the clinch but Eriksson is controlling the position.
Eriksson lands a shot to the body.
Eriksson lands a right hand.
Eriksson has Malone pressed against the cage.

Malone pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Malone wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Eriksson connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Malone's hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eriksson slips a straight right by Malone.
Eriksson looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Malone lands a jab to Eriksson's midsection.

Eriksson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Malone, pushing him back against the cage.
Malone has a couple of punches blocked by Eriksson.

Eriksson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Malone is looking to clinch but Eriksson is avoiding it.
Malone changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Eriksson tries to avoid it but Malone manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Eriksson to the ground. Eriksson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Eriksson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Eriksson moves into the clinch.

Malone escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Eriksson has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Malone.
Malone shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Eriksson defends it nicely.
Eriksson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bjorn Eriksson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Armand Malone.
Malone looks winded!

Eriksson rushes Malone and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Eriksson dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Eriksson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Eriksson pushes Malone back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Eriksson works on Malone's body with a couple of short punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A bit of stalling here from Eriksson.
Eriksson presses Malone against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Eriksson makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Malone is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Eriksson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Eriksson taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Eriksson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Eriksson is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Eriksson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone throws a front kick aimed at Eriksson's knee but Eriksson avoids it well.

Eriksson moves into the clinch.
Malone wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Eriksson has him pressed against the cage.
Eriksson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Malone working hard to break the clinch.
Eriksson lands a shoulder strike.
Eriksson lands a left hand that snaps the head of Malone backwards.
Eriksson avoiding damage.
A head punch on the inside from Malone fails to land.
Eriksson lands a hook that snaps the head of Malone backwards.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Eriksson.
Eriksson lands with a light punch inside.
Malone being controlled against the cage.
Malone is trying to break the clinch but Eriksson is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eriksson keeps control of Malone as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A short uppercut from Eriksson.
A short body shot lands from Eriksson as the two fighters clinch.
Malone has Eriksson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Eriksson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Eriksson lands a nice uppercut.
Eriksson lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Malone or not.
Eriksson works on Malone's body with a couple of short punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A shot in the inside from Eriksson.
Eriksson pressing his opponent against the cage.

Eriksson manages to break the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Eriksson has Malone up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice body punch from Eriksson - that landed with a thud.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bjorn Eriksson dominated that round.
That's time! Eriksson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Eriksson drives through with a takedown into guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Eriksson gets to his feet. Malone looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Malone stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Malone wants it to stay on the feet.
Malone throws a right hand that misses

and Eriksson counters by clinching up.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Eriksson.
Malone wants to break free but Eriksson has control.

Malone manages to break the clinch.
Malone scores with a decent looking hook.
Malone stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Eriksson misses with a double jab.

Eriksson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Malone is trying to pull guard but Eriksson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A hook to the body from Eriksson.
Eriksson cracks Malone with a nice body shot.
A short body shot lands from Eriksson as the two fighters clinch.
Malone is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone tries to circle away but Eriksson has him pinned against the cage.
Eriksson works on Malone's body with a couple of short punches.
Eriksson leaning against his opponent.
Malone is trying to break free.
Eriksson throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Malones head.
A body shot lands from Eriksson.
Eriksson pushes Malone back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Malone letting Eriksson take a breather here.
Eriksson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Eriksson effectively controlling the action here.
Good body shot from Eriksson.
Eriksson lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Malone backwards.
Malone tries to pull guard but Eriksson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malone tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Bjorn Eriksson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Armand Malone.
Eriksson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Eriksson controlling the action here for a moment.
Eriksson lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Eriksson lands a body punch.
Malone misses with a knee to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice body punch from Eriksson.
Eriksson just leaning against Malone, taking a breather.
Eriksson gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Eriksson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Malone can't break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eriksson stalls.

Eriksson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Malone has a takedown stuffed.

Eriksson rushes Malone and presses him up against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Eriksson.
Good body shot from Eriksson.
Malone being controlled against the cage.

Eriksson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Eriksson gets a takedown into half guard.
Eriksson is looking to advance position but Malone won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malone is looking for a sweep. Eriksson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Eriksson wants to pass the guard but Malone is defending well.
Eriksson stalling.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Malone is looking to improve his position.
Eriksson is taking a breather. Malone says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Bjorn Eriksson just wasn't active enough.

Eriksson gets a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bjorn Eriksson dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Eriksson clinches up with Malone and pushes him back against the cage.
Malone is trying to break the clinch but Eriksson is controlling him.
A body shot lands from Malone.
Malone is looking to break free of the clinch but Eriksson has double underhooks.
Malone wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Eriksson avoiding damage.

Malone's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Malone misses with a body shot.
Malone misses with a left hand

and Eriksson counters by clinching up.
Eriksson has Malone pressed against the cage, preventing Malone from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Eriksson lands a body punch in the clinch.
Malone wants to break free but Eriksson has control.
Eriksson lands a left hand that snaps the head of Malone backwards.
Eriksson lands a nice uppercut.
Malone takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Malone manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eriksson throws a right and a left that Malone avoids nicely.
A slow jab from Malone misses its intended target.
Bjorn Eriksson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Malone connects with a body shot that sends Eriksson's belly button to the back.
Malone tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Malone avoids a punch combination nicely.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Eriksson.
Eriksson is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Malone.

Eriksson clinches up against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Eriksson.
Bjorn Eriksson has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A frustrated look appears on Malone's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Eriksson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Eriksson forces Malone back against the cage and clinches.
Eriksson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Eriksson lands with a light punch inside.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Eriksson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Malone's efforts to push away.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Eriksson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Eriksson breaks the clinch.
Malone tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Eriksson defends well and Malone ends up having to push Eriksson into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Eriksson digs a right hand underneath Malone's ribcage. Malone let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Eriksson breaks the clinch.

Eriksson gets a clinch.
Eriksson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Eriksson - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Eriksson for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Bjorn Eriksson.
Eriksson swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Malone.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Eriksson drives through with a takedown into Malone's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Malone wants to stand up but Eriksson is controlling him.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Eriksson gets to his feet - Malone follows without any prompting.
Eriksson jabs at Malone's body.
Bjorn Eriksson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Eriksson closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Malone gets tackled into the cage by Eriksson. Eriksson maintains the clinch.
Eriksson lands a right hand.
Eriksson cracks Malone with a nice body shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Good body shot from Eriksson.
A short right from Eriksson on the inside.
Malone is working for takedown but Eriksson is calmly controlling the position for now.
Armand Malone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eriksson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bjorn Eriksson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Eriksson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bjorn Eriksson!