PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Axl Rose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aznar Thrul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rose comes to the cage accompanied by You Could Be Mine. Aznar Thrul is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Rose
vs
Thrul

183 cm
23
187 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

189 cm
21
194 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Axl Rose!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Aznar Thrul!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thrul avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rose throws a hook to the side of Thrul's head but Thrul sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rose backing away here, and Thrul unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Rose moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Rose has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Beast Cartel in the buildup to the fight.
Thrul throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Thrul moves out of range of the body kick from Rose.
A head kick misses from Thrul.
Rose throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Thrul misses with an attempted mid kick.
A head kick misses from Thrul.
We've been informed that Thrul has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Rose throws a right and a left that both miss.

Thrul closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rose works on Thrul's body with a couple of short punches.
Thrul is looking to break free of the clinch but Rose has double underhooks.
Rose lands a body shot in the clinch.
Thrul tries to throw a body punch but Rose avoids it by throwing Thrul back against the cage.
Rose is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Thrul is defending well for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Rose fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Thrul tries a body shot but Rose blocks it.
Thrul lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Thrul breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd cheers as Rose lands an impressive looking overhand right. Thrul doesn't seem phased though.
Thrul stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Rose moves out of range as Thrul throws a body kick.
Thrul throws an overhand right that lands on Rose's shoulder, as Rose tries to avoid the shot.
A big right from Thrul misses.
Rose is looking to counter the offense by Thrul and move into the clinch.
Thrul misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thrul misses with an uppercut.
Rose with a hook.

It looks like Aznar Thrul has been cut.

Thrul manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Rose on his heels. He'll look to pass Rose's guard now, I'm sure.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thrul postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thrul postures up and lands a big shot to Rose's brow.
Thrul slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Thrul trying to control but Rose is working from the bottom.
Rose looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thrul postures up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Thrul trying to control but Rose is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Thrul has closed the distance and engaged Rose in a clinch.
Rose lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Thrul backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rose.
Thrul prevents a body shot from Rose.
A short right from Rose.
A short body shot lands from Rose as the two fighters clinch.
Nice body punch from Rose.
Rose blocks a body shot from Thrul.
Rose lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rose tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rose softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rose scores with a shot to the side of Thrul's head.
Thrul lands an uppercut.
Rose tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Thrul avoids it.
Thrul throws a head punch that misses.
Rose prevents a body shot from Thrul.
Rose lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Rose.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rose misses with some punches.
Rose lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Thrul has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Rose regains guard immediately.
Rose wants to sweep here but Thrul controlling him for the moment.
Thrul loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rose working a defensive guard here.
Rose pulls Thrul in to control the position.
Thrul throws an elbow that misses. Rose uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Thrul's guard. Nice move by Rose!

Rose wants to pass the guard but Thrul is keeping the position.
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 Axl Rose will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Aznar Thrul'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.

Thrul throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Thrul takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Thrul drives through with a takedown into guard.
Thrul throwing strikes from guard but Rose blocks nicely.
Thrul trying to control the position from guard on top but Rose is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thrul throws a big right hand that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thrul trying to control the position from guard on top but Rose is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rose looking to control.
Rose working a defensive guard but Thrul passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Thrul scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rose manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rose looking to control.
Thrul pushing down on Rose's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Thrul is pressing down on Rose's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rose is holding on for now.
Aznar Thrul has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rose is looking to improve his position.
Thrul content to control rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rose gets full guard.
Thrul postures up in Rose's guard and throws a big left but Rose blocks it.
Thrul scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Thrul controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Rose is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Thrul defends well.
Rose utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Thrul moves away from the strike by Rose.
Rose jabs Thrul right on the nose. Thrul blinks but takes it well.
Axl Rose is winning the standup battle so far.

Thrul scores with a takedown into Rose's guard.
Rose 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.
Rose is trying to control the position but Thrul postures up.
Thrul throwing strikes from guard but Rose blocks nicely.
Thrul must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Thrul trying to control the position from guard on top but Rose is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thrul postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thrul with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Rose working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Thrul doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Thrul manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Thrul trying to control but Rose is working from the bottom.
Thrul stands and throws Rose's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rose manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Rose is pressing down on Thrul's thigh, looking to free his foot. Thrul is holding on for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aznar Thrul showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Aznar Thrul's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Nice shot lands for Thrul.
Rose chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Thrul can pounce on him.
Rose pivots, looking for a leg kick but Thrul is out of range and Rose settles back down.
A lazy body kick from Thrul
and Rose counters with a left to the body.
Rose moves out of range of the body kick from Thrul.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rose misses with an elbow over the top.
Rose blocks an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thrul digs a right hand into Rose's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Rose's gas tank.
Thrul being controlled against the cage.
Rose tries a knee to the head but Thrul blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose tries to work over Thrul's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Thrul is trying to trip Rose. He has hold of a leg but Rose is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Thrul persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Thrul content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Thrul scoring with some ground and pound.
Rose has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Thrul content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Thrul wants to control from the top but Rose keeps moving.
Thrul throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rose works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rose not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thrul is looking to stand up but Rose won't let him.
Rose is trying to control the position but Thrul postures up.

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

Rose gets tackled into the cage by Thrul. Thrul maintains the clinch.
Thrul blocks a body shot from Rose.
Thrul tries to work over Rose's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Thrul tries to throw a body punch but Rose avoids it by throwing Thrul back against the cage.
Thrul tries to break free but Rose pushes him back against the cage.
Rose tries to work over Thrul's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rose tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thrul's elbow.
Thrul doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rose using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thrul has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rose is pushing Thrul up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Thrul blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thrul works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Rose wants to control but Thrul passes easily into half guard.
Thrul content to control rather than advance.
Thrul prevents Rose from improving his position.
Thrul tries to pass to full mount but Rose defends it.
Thrul is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thrul is looking to take a break and control but Rose is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thrul scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Thrul looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rose trying to hold on to Thrul's head to control him but Thrul postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aznar Thrul comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thrul has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aznar Thrul!
Aznar Thrul bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.