PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Niklas Brink (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Conan Erikson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Conan Erikson will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Brink
vs
Erikson

172 cm
24
140 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
140 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Big heart

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niklas Brink!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Conan Erikson!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Erikson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Erikson is trying to get an arm triangle but Brink is defending well.

Erikson tries for a kimura but Brink is defending well.

Erikson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Erikson tries to advance to mount but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Erikson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Brink is trying to improve his position.
Brink regains half guard.

Brink looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brink tries to roll over but Erikson keeps him under control.
Brink trying to control here.

Erikson is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Brink is just riding it out for now. Erikson eventually gives up the hold.

Brink is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Erikson pulls his head out easily.
Erikson is looking to advance position but Brink won't allow it.
Erikson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Brink keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brink has a hand on Erikson's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Erikson takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Brink sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Brink is staying active underneath Erikson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Erikson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Brink moves into full guard.

Brink has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Erikson is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Brink.
Brink stops Erikson from passing to mount.
Erikson is still trying to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brink manages to work his way to half guard, despite Erikson's best efforts.

Erikson seems to be working for a kimura but Brink defends the submission attempt.
Brink regains full guard. Nicely done.
Erikson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Brink is keeping the position for now.
Erikson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Erikson wants to pass the guard but Brink is keeping the position.

Brink looking for a guillotine here but Erikson defends easily.
Brink doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brink working a defensive guard here.
Brink working a defensive guard but Erikson manages to pass into side control anyway.
Brink trying to control but Erikson flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Erikson not allowing Brink to control his hands.
Brink is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Erikson working for the choke.

Erikson is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Brink is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Conan Erikson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Brink moves out of range of the strikes.
Conan Erikson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Brink slips a jab and a cross from Erikson.
Erikson throws the left hand but Brink avoids the punch easily.
Erikson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Brink was well out of range. Poor timing from Erikson.
Erikson throws a series of punches but Brink avoids them all with ease.
Brink stuffs the takedown.
Erikson looks to land a right hand but Brink moved out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Erikson. Brink does a little dance to reset his feet.
Brink ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Brink keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Erikson misses with a wild body shot.
Erikson looks to score with a jab to the body but Brink is just out of range.
Brink slips under a jab.
Erikson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Niklas Brink has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Conan Erikson.
Erikson shoots in but Brink avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A jab from Erikson misses.
No luck for Erikson with that takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Erikson has his takedown stuffed

so Brink counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Erikson is breathing heavily.
Brink stays in close to Erikson's body and controls the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Brink's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Erikson keeping moving, preventing Brink from controlling successfully.
Niklas Brink overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Brink working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Erikson controlling Brink's posture.
Brink trying to control the position from guard on top but Erikson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Erikson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Brink is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Erikson keeping moving, preventing Brink from controlling successfully.
Brink stands up over Erikson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Erikson keeping moving, preventing Brink from controlling successfully.
Brink postures up and lands a big shot to Erikson's brow.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Brink pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Erikson is keeping the position for now.
Brink postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Brink passes Erikson's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Brink seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Erikson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Brink is trying to work for a kimura but Erikson is defending well.
Brink slips a nice elbow through Erikson's hands, connecting with Erikson's forehead.
Brink missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Erikson is looking to control Brink's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Erikson avoid being mounted?
Brink is keen to just control but Erikson is a slippery customer.
Erikson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Brink scoring with punches to the head and body.

Erikson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Brink gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Brink works over Erikson with some ground and pound from guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Brink stands up over Erikson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Brink preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niklas Brink dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Brink displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Erikson throws out the jab.
Erikson shoots for a double leg takedown but Brink sprawls well. He's pushed Erikson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Erikson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Erikson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Brink manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Erikson wants to free his trapped foot but Brink is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Brink looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Erikson is thwarting Brink's attempts to control the position.
Brink moves into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Brink is looking for a triangle here but Erikson uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Brink is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Erikson wants to control but Brink is keeping him busy.
Brink sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Erikson is trying to control. Brink wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Erikson is trying to work for a kimura but Brink is defending well.
Erikson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Brink wants to control but Erikson is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brink is looking for a sweep. Erikson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Brink punching from the bottom.

Erikson looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Brink is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Erikson pulls his head out easily.
Erikson wants to control but Brink is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brink is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Erikson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Erikson's back!
Erikson is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Brink off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.

Brink tightening his grip on Erikson, looking for the choke.
Erikson trying to control the action but Brink just sinks the hooks in.

Brink has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Erikson has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Brink is hanging on to Erikson's back as he tries to escape.
Brink throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Erikson is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Erikson manages to reverse the position and now he's in Brink's guard. Nice work there by Erikson.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Brink not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Brink looking to hit a scissor sweep but Erikson is one step ahead there.
Brink throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Brink striking off his back but it's not causing Erikson any problems.
Brink keeping moving, preventing Erikson from controlling successfully.

Brink is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Erikson is aware though and is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Erikson looking to pass the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Niklas Brink showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Brink 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Niklas Brink!
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Niklas Brink!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Niklas Brink!

Niklas Brink wins by unanimous decision!