PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bob Max (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Byrger Tidesson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bob Max has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Max
vs
Tidesson

184 cm
22
181 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

179 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bob Max!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Byrger Tidesson!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tidesson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Max!
Tidesson trying to control but Max is having none of it.
Tidesson looking to finish with strikes here!
Tidesson looking to ground and pound but Max is blocking nicely.
Max can't escape the position.
Max gets back to half guard.
Tidesson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Max. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Max looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Tidesson pushes past his half guard into mount!
Max can't escape the position.
Tidesson sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
I looks like Tidesson might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Max is trying desperately to improve position.
Tidesson wants to control the pace but Max is squirming around nicely.
Max is wriggling around trying to escape.
Max is working hard here to advance position.
Max gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Max actively working from the bottom here.
Max tries to roll over but Tidesson keeps him under control.
Max is breathing heavily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tidesson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Max tries to get to full guard but Tidesson has control of the leg.
Tidesson drops an elbow to the side of Max's head.
Tidesson wants to free his trapped foot but Max is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Max is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Tidesson lands with a kick to the temple. Max shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

It looks like Bob Max has been cut.

Max decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Max is trying to work for a kimura but Tidesson is defending well.
Tidesson is trying to get back to full guard.
Tidesson is trying to maintain the position but Max is very close to passing his half guard.
Tidesson pushes Max off looking to stand but Max dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Max trying to pass the guard but Tidesson defending well.

Max is working for a submission of some sort.
Tidesson is trying to control but can't.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Max avoids the head kick by Tidesson.
Max has his takedown stuffed

and Tidesson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Byrger Tidesson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bob Max's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tidesson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Tidesson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Tidesson throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Max is desperately trying to improve his position but Tidesson has a good base and remains in mount.
Tidesson wants to control the pace but Max is squirming around nicely.
Tidesson misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Tidesson landing strikes from the mount and Max is in trouble!
Max regains half guard.

Max looking for submissions off his back.

Max looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Max is refusing to be controlled, as Tidesson sits in half guard.
Max is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tidesson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tidesson's back!
Tidesson rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Tidesson is looking for a sweep. Max is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Max is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Max is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Max 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.
Tidesson striking from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tidesson is pressing down on Max's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Max wants to control from the top but Tidesson keeps moving.
Max tries to free his leg and advance position but Tidesson is retaining full guard.

Tidesson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Tidesson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Byrger Tidesson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Max feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Max drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Max jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Max looking to pass the guard.
Tidesson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Max pushes down on Tidesson's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Max is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Tidesson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Tidesson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Max dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bob Max's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tidesson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Tidesson trying to control the position but Max is working away.
Max gets back to half guard.
Max wants to improve his position but Tidesson is controlling well.
Max slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Max had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Tidesson is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Max Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Tidesson's back instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Max working for the choke.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Tidesson is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Max gets his way!
Tidesson turns into Max and is now in his guard.

Max has his foot on Tidesson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tidesson works his way back into a safe position though.

Tidesson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Tidesson stopping the sweep attempt from Max.

Tidesson is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Bob Max overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Max doesn't have the hooks in and Tidesson manages to turn into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Max pushes a forearm under Tidesson's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Tidesson is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Bob Max!
Bob Max is the new welterweight champion!