PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Henrik Larsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Larsson comes to the cage accompanied by Now I Lay Thee Down. Jones is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: what's new pussycat. Tom Jones told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Larsson
vs
Jones

180 cm
42
174 lbs
46 - 23 - 0

185 cm
36
183 lbs
23 - 15 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Powerful

Spartan Nutrition
SP Ultimate Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 46 - 23 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Henrik Larsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tom Jones!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Jones tries to close the distance and clinch but Larsson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Larsson was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Larsson clinches up against the cage.
Jones lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Jones fails to pull guard.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Larsson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Jones is keeping busy.
Jones is trying to drag Larsson to the mat but Larsson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Jones goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larsson works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Larsson working aggressively here.
Larsson lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Larsson holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Larsson is pressed up against the cage. Jones has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Larsson down to the mat. Larsson avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Henrik Larsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Jones.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is looking to clinch but Larsson is avoiding it.
As Jones backs away, Larsson returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Larsson throws a sloppy head kick and Jones moves out of range easily.

Jones clinches with his opponent.
Jones trying to stall but Larsson improves his position.
Jones looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Jones is trying to pull guard but Larsson has him pressed against the cage.
Larsson wants to stall.
Jones blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Jones has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Larsson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Larsson is trying to maintain a safe position but Jones gets an underhook and turns Larsson into the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Larsson.
Larsson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Jones jumps guard.
Larsson sitting in guard here, content to control.
Larsson has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Jones has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Larsson has passed into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones trying his best to control but Larsson has mounted him.
Jones regains half guard.
Jones is trying to maintain the position but Larsson is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones tries to get to full guard but Larsson has control of the leg.
Larsson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Jones does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Jones wants to get back to full guard.
Jones is still trying to improve position.
Larsson wants to control but Jones is keeping him busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

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

Jones clinches up with Larsson and pushes him back against the cage.
Jones swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Larsson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Come on Jones - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Jones makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Larsson presses Jones against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Larsson.
Jones looks winded!
Larsson lands with a short shot to the head.
Jones is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Jones prevents a body shot from Larsson.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Larsson blocks an uppercut.
Larsson dodges an elbow strike from Jones.
Jones lands a body shot in the clinch.
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 Henrik Larsson will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Jones tries to clinch there but Larsson circles away.
Larsson misses with a looping right.

Jones gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Larsson is trying to maintain a safe position but Jones gets an underhook and turns Larsson into the cage.

Jones has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Larsson is trying to keep an underhook but Jones manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Larsson works his way to full guard. Good work.
Larsson looking for a sweep. Not yet Larsson, not yet.
Jones working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Jones throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Larsson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jones throws a big right hand that misses.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones wants to control from the top but Larsson keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Henrik Larsson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jones is defended easily by Larsson.
Larsson seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Larsson misses with a two punch combination.

Larsson pushes Jones up against the cage in a clinch.
Larsson misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Larsson.
Larsson lands with a right to the head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Jones is trying to maintain a safe position but Larsson gets an underhook and turns Jones into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Larsson fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Larsson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Jones throws out the jab.
Jones wants to clinch
and Larsson counters with a body kick.
Larsson scores with a kick to the midsection.
Jones staying out of range there.
Larsson jabs Jones to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Jones tries to clinch there but Larsson circles away.
Larsson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Jones.
Larsson sets himself, and Jones steps forward looking for the clinch! Larsson avoids it this time.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Larsson struggles to land a body shot inside as Jones controls his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larsson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Larsson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Jones can do to turn this around?
Larsson is pressed up against the cage. Jones has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Larsson down to the mat. Larsson avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Henrik Larsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Jones.

Jones moves into the clinch.
Henrik Larsson has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Larsson throws a punch but it's blocked by Jones.
Larsson lands a body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Jones.
Larsson misses with a punch on the inside.
Larsson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Jones jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Larsson walks away with a smile on his face. Jones gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Larsson darts in and clinches Jones up against the cage.
Larsson misses with some punches.
Larsson lands a hook to the side of the head.
Larsson stalling against the cage.
Larsson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Larsson lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Jones blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Jones tries a body shot but Larsson blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Larsson.
Larsson softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jones blocking some punches.
Larsson lands with a short shot to the head.
Jones is trying to stall.
Jones controlling the action here for a moment.
Larsson dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Larsson pressing his opponent against the cage.
Larsson is trying to maintain a safe position but Jones gets an underhook and turns Larsson into the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henrik Larsson dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Jones misses with a double jab
and Larsson counters with a nice kick to the body.
Jones shoots in for a double leg but Larsson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Larsson throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Larsson lands a head kick!
Larsson misses with a hook.
Larsson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Jones tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Jones throws a right hand that Larsson ducks under and follows up with a left that Larsson also avoids with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Larsson manages to avoid it.
Larsson lands a body shot.

Jones takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Larsson.
Larsson has Jones pressed against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Jones as Larsson tries to tie him up.
A short right from Larsson.
Larsson effectively controlling the action here.
A short uppercut from Larsson.

Jones is rocked!
Larsson has Jones pushed against the cage.
Jones is still on wobbly legs! Can Larsson finish him?
Jones trying to stall but Larsson improves his position.
Jones being controlled against the cage.
Larsson lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Larsson dips a shoulder and cracks Jones with a mighty uppercut! Jones falls back against the cage and Larsson unloads with a barrage of strikes! Jones is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Larsson screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Henrik Larsson!
After the big win, Henrik Larsson made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Museum of Monsters & Madmen and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.