PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Alistar Van Horst (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derek King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Derek King has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Van Horst
vs
King

172 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

167 cm
19
138 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alistar Van Horst!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Derek King!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Saam Ante and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Van Horst clinches.

Van Horst escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van Horst moves into range and connects with a jab.
Sloppy strikes from Van Horst. Those never looked like landing.

Van Horst fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with King, pushing him back against the cage.

King ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. King no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Van Horst looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Horst trying to control the position from guard on top but King is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

King looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Van Horst working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

King looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
King wants to stand but Van Horst is controlling the position.
Van Horst wants to stand and escape but instead King has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Horst wants to sweep but no luck.
King trying to control but Van Horst is working from the bottom.

Van Horst has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but King can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

King stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Derek King is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The fight stays on the outside here - Van Horst looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
King drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Van Horst defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Horst fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Van Horst tries for a takedown but King sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Van Horst is looking to clinch.
King slips a jab and a cross from Van Horst.
King feints the counter takedown.
Van Horst shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with King but King pushes him off and we're back to square one.
King is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Van Horst shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as King sprawls well. King wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Van Horst gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alistar Van Horst. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Horst connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Van Horst shoots in for a takedown but King shows good takedown defense.
King tries to counter by closing the distance.
King swats away the attempt to clinch by Van Horst.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Van Horst fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
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 Alistar Van Horst will probably get the nod.
That's time! Van Horst's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Van Horst shoots for a takedown but King saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
King wants to counter with a clinch but Van Horst pushes him away.
King moves out of range as Van Horst throws a body kick.
King feints the counter takedown.

Van Horst closes the distance and pushes King back into the cage.
King goes for a takedown attempt but Van Horst pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Van Horst moves into range and clinches up with King.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Horst looking to throw knees to the head but King is blocking nicely.
King tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Van Horst just stands there and leans against the cage.
Van Horst misses with a knee strike.
King looking for a takedown.
Alistar Van Horst has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Derek King.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Horst leaning his opponent against the cage.
King tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Van Horst escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van Horst throws a good cross that connects.
Van Horst shoots in looking for a takedown but King manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Van Horst's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
King with the counter takedown but Van Horst avoids it easily.
Van Horst shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. King eats them both and turns towards Van Horst to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Van Horst tries to close the distance and clinch but King swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Van Horst tries to close the distance and clinch up but King swats him away and circles back towards the center.
King avoids a punch combination nicely.
King drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Van Horst defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Horst throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
King steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Van Horst.
Van Horst fails with an attempt to clinch.
King drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Van Horst defends it well.
Van Horst shoots in but King avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Van Horst throws a leg kick but King sees it coming and checks it nicely.
King feints the counter takedown.
King takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Van Horst shoots in and drives through. King sprawls well.
King tries to counter with a clinch but Van Horst shakes him off and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Horst looks for a takedown but King sprawls well.
Van Horst shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. King defends it nicely.
King tries to counter by closing the distance.
Van Horst wants to clinch up but King keeps it at a distance.
King with the counter takedown but Van Horst avoids it easily.
Van Horst will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
King tries to counter with a clinch but Van Horst shakes him off and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Van Horst doesn't manage to clinch there - King circles away.
King changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Van Horst throws a body kick that misses

and King counters by moving into the clinch.
King wants a takedown.
King tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
King tries to pull guard but Van Horst won't allow it.
King fails to pull guard.
King tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Van Horst smiles and moves away.
Van Horst fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
King changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Van Horst throws a jab but it's blocked by King.
King with the counter takedown but Van Horst avoids it easily.
Van Horst will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alistar Van Horst dominated that second round.
That's time! Van Horst's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Van Horst throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Van Horst has King up against the cage in a clinch.
King is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Van Horst to keep the fight standing.
Van Horst throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
King is trying to pull guard but Van Horst has him pressed against the cage.

King jumps guard and drags Van Horst to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Van Horst trying to control but King is working from the bottom.

Van Horst got a little sloppy there for a moment and King has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Van Horst has managed to get both his arms back between King's legs - danger averted.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King keeping moving, preventing Van Horst from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Horst slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Van Horst is looking to work some ground and pound but King has wrist control.
Van Horst looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Van Horst is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that King can do to turn this around?

King is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Van Horst defends well.
Van Horst wants to get up but he can't break King's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Van Horst throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Van Horst misses with a kick to the body.

Van Horst moves into the clinch.
King tries to pull guard but Van Horst holds him up against the cage and eventually King drops back down to his feet.
Alistar Van Horst has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Derek King.
King tries to pull guard but Van Horst holds him up against the cage and eventually King drops back down to his feet.
King is working for takedown but Van Horst is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King jumps guard but Van Horst turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Van Horst leaning against his opponent.
King is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Van Horst to keep the fight standing.
King takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

King has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Van Horst uses from the top position.
Van Horst controls from within his opponent's guard.
Van Horst's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Van Horst wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
King working a defensive guard but Van Horst manages to pass into side control anyway.

Van Horst decides to take the fight back to the feet.
King chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Van Horst can pounce on him.
Van Horst throws a head kick that misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
King takes a kick to the side of the head.
Derek King has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alistar Van Horst is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Van Horst is looking to clinch.
King drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Van Horst defends it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alistar Van Horst showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Van Horst, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alistar Van Horst!