PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leo Villa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Hammer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leo Villa has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Villa
vs
Hammer

175 cm
24
184 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
18
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Leo Villa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tom Hammer!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Albert Achterberg and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Villa looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Hammer throws his legs up looking for a submission but Villa uses it to pass to side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hammer is looking to reverse the position.
The referee asks Villa politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Villa prefers to stall for the moment though.
Hammer regains half guard.
Villa wants to stand up but Hammer has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Hammer is trying to stand.

Hammer actively working from the bottom here.
Hammer tries to kick Villa off but Villa keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammer trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Villa looking to control and managing it successfully.
Villa throwing strikes here but Hammer is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Hammer wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Hammer is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hammer tries to hold on but Villa postures up.
Villa looking to finish with strikes here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammer is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Villa misses with a head shot.
Hammer tries to hold on but Villa pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Villa content just to control the position here.
Hammer is trying desperately to improve position.
Hammer is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Villa tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Villa prevents Hammer from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Villa looking to ground and pound but Hammer is blocking nicely.
Hammer wants to get back to his feet.
Villa throws some wild stikes that Hammer manages to avoid easily.
Hammer is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Villa punching from mount but Hammer doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Hammer should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Hammer tries to lock up and control but Villa gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Villa is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Hammer is surviving well by controlling Villa's body position as best he can.
Hammer tries to hold on but Villa pushes him away.
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 Leo Villa will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hammer swats away the attempt to clinch by Villa.
Villa goes for a double leg but Hammer avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Hammer continues to drive forward.
Villa keeps control of Hammer as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hammer is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Villa to keep the fight standing.
Hammer is working for takedown but Villa is calmly controlling the position for now.
With the fighters up against the cage, Villa throws an elbow but misses.
Hammer has Villa pressed against the cage, preventing Villa from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Villa goes for a takedown attempt but Hammer pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Hammer moves to clinch but Villa breaks away
and Villa counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Leo Villa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hammer closes the distance and clinches up with Villa, looking for a takedown. Hammer pushes Villa against the cage but Villa circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Leo Villa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Hammer.
Hammer goes for a double leg but Villa avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Villa continues to drive forward.

Villa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Villa uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Villa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hammer shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Villa but Villa pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Villa misses with a wild combination.
Hammer tries to clinch but Villa moves out of range.
Villa throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hammer.
Villa closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hammer circles away.
Villa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hammer keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hammer fails to land the takedown.
Villa scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammer closes the distance looking to clinch

and Villa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Villa.
Hammer is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Villa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hammer blocks the body kick.

Villa moves into the clinch.
Villa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hammer walks away with a smile on his face. Villa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Hammer looks to land a body kick but Villa moved away.
Villa lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Villa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hammer tries to score a power double leg takedown but Villa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hammer somewhat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammer shoots in looking for a takedown. Villa tries to sprawl out of it but Hammer keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Villa manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hammer shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Villa as he avoids it easily.
Leo Villa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hammer shoots for a double leg takedown but Villa sprawls well. He's pushed Hammer's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sloppy strikes from Villa. Those never looked like landing.
Hammer swats away the attempt to clinch by Villa.
Villa's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Villa duly obliges.

It looks like Tom Hammer has been cut.
Villa misses with the combination.
Villa misses with a wild combination.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hammer looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Villa swinging wildly here.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hammer.
Hammer wants to clinch up but Villa keeps it at a distance.
Hammer swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Villa counters with a three punch combo that has Hammer backing up. Hammer nods at Villa to acknowledge the strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hammer looks for a takedown but Villa sprawls well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Villa listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Villa fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hammer, pushing him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Villa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tom Hammer's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hammer throws a right and a left that Villa avoids nicely.
Villa connects with a nice looking jab.
Hammer shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Villa defends it nicely.
Hammer displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Villa.
Hammer is trying desperately to land a takedown but Villa is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Hammer.

Villa rushes Hammer and presses him up against the cage.
Hammer has Villa pressed against the cage, preventing Villa from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Villa is trying to break the clinch but Hammer has him pressed against the cage.
Hammer is trying to drag Villa to the mat but Villa just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Hammer can't get the takedown.
Leo Villa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Hammer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammer is working for takedown but Villa is calmly controlling the position for now.
Hammer wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hammer tries to break the clinch but Villa is controlling the position.
Hammer tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Villa just stands there and leans against the cage.

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

Villa gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hammer tries to score a body lock takedown but Villa shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Villa is trying to trip Hammer. He has hold of a leg but Hammer is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Villa persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Hammer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hammer might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Villa haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Villa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hammer is keeping the position for now.
Villa controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tom Hammer was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Hammer looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Villa moves into full guard.
Villa is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Villa working a defensive guard but Hammer passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammer wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Villa works his way to full guard. Good work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Villa wants to hit a switch here but Hammer passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Villa there!
Hammer pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Hammer with shots to the head and body - Villa looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hammer jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Villa is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Villa and Hammer has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Hammer wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Villa, who protects the arm well.
Hammer is looking to take a break and control but Villa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tom Hammer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Leo Villa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Hammer wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Villa, who protects the arm well.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Leo Villa.
Well Villa 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 30:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Leo Villa!