PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Thor Walden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oliver Charles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Walden
vs
Charles

160 cm
25
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
18
135 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thor Walden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Oliver Charles!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Vladimir Khabensky and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walden lands with a kick to the temple. Charles shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

It looks like Oliver Charles has been cut.
A slapping body kick lands there for Walden.
Walden throws a head kick but Charles moves out of range.
Walden looks for the body kick but Charles saw that one coming.
A head kick misses from Walden.

Charles shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Charles trying to control the pace.
Walden could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Oliver Charles wasn't active enough on the ground.
Charles tries a head kick but it misses.
Walden scores with a head kick.

Charles shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Charles wants to control from the top but Walden keeps moving.
Charles is looking to stand up but Walden won't let him.

Walden working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Charles doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Charles manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Charles postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charles wants to stand but Walden is controlling his posture from full guard.
Charles not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
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!

The ref stands the fighters back up. Oliver Charles was stalling too much, according to the referee.
A big left from Charles misses.
Charles blocks a head kick by Walden.
Walden throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Charles moves into the clinch successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walden is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Charles leaning against his opponent.
Charles has Walden pressed against the cage, preventing Walden from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Charles escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Walden. Charles shrugs it off though.
Walden misses with an attempted mid kick.
Walden tries to land a front kick but Charles steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Walden looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Walden misses with a hook. Charles ducked under it nicely.

Charles closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Walden to the mat! Walden manages to get full guard.

Walden looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Charles passes into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Charles works to advance to full mount. Walden defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Charles with good strikes from the mount here!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Charles tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Let's hope that Charles has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Charles is in the full mount, landing strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Walden is looking to get to half guard.
Walden wants to control but Charles is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oliver Charles dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Oliver Charles's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Charles avoids the head kick by Walden.
Walden goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A head kick misses from Walden.

Charles bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Charles controlling from side mount.
Walden is looking for a sweep.
Charles trying to control the position but Walden is working away.
Charles wants to stand but Walden has his arm trapped.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charles working the ground and pound.
Charles controlling the position from side mount.
Charles wants to control but Walden is keeping him busy.
Charles wants to stand but Walden is controlling his arm.
Charles controlling the position.
You can see the frustration on Walden's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Oliver Charles wasn't active enough on the ground.
Walden throws a head kick that half lands.
Walden tries to land a front kick but Charles steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Charles looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Walden is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Oliver Charles has got the better of the ground game so far.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Charles in particular looking to stall.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walden won't allow Charles to pass to mount.

Walden is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Charles pulls his head out easily.
Charles is taking a breather. Walden 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.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Oliver Charles hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Walden tries to land a front kick but Charles steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Charles instigates a clinch.
Walden can't break the clinch.
Walden wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Charles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Charles turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Charles manages to end up in side control.

Charles tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Charles has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Charles wants to take a breather but Walden manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Charles.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Charles would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Walden isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Charles stacks Walden on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Charles!
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.
Charles creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oliver Charles showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Oliver Charles's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Walden misses with a body kick.

Charles clinches with his opponent.
Walden wants to break free but Charles has control.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Charles gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Charles stalling.
Charles wants to take a breather but Walden is having none of it.
Walden works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charles wants to pass the guard but Walden is keeping the position.
Charles lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Charles wants to stand but Walden has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Walden had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Charles defends it easily.
Charles controls from within his opponent's guard.
Charles is looking to stand up but Walden won't let him.

Walden working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Charles doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Walden is tightening it up a little... Charles has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Charles reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Charles taps out! Nice BJJ there by Walden!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Thor Walden!
Thor Walden bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.