PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Yahaya Axelsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Kiel Giese (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that John Kiel Giese was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Axelsson
vs
Kiel Giese

169 cm
24
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Intelligent

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Yahaya Axelsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Kiel Giese!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Paul Aken and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Giese as Axelsson shoots in.
Axelsson tries to close the distance and clinch but Giese swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Axelsson shoots for a double leg takedown but Giese sprawls well. He's pushed Axelsson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Giese now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Giese instigates a clinch.
Axelsson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yahaya Axelsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Axelsson successfully pulls guard.
Giese not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Giese trying to control but Axelsson is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Axelsson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Giese's guard.
Giese controlling Axelsson's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Axelsson postures up.
Giese keeping moving, preventing Axelsson from controlling successfully.
Giese really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Axelsson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Axelsson works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Giese is looking to control Axelsson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Giese avoid being mounted?

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

Giese drives through and clinches with Axelsson against the cage.
Giese trying to land knees to the body.

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

Axelsson pulls guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Axelsson holds on and takes a little breather.
Axelsson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Giese is looking to improve his position.
Axelsson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Axelsson trying to control from Giese's half guard. Giese has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Axelsson being controlled here momentarily.

Axelsson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Giese has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Axelsson has managed to get both his arms back between Giese's legs - danger averted.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Axelsson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice sprawl there from Giese as Axelsson shoots in.
Giese with a nice cross.

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.
Giese fails with the takedown.
Giese circles away from the clinch attempt

so Giese counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Axelsson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Giese defends well.
Axelsson controlling Giese's posture.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Giese working some strikes from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Kiel Giese dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Axelsson stuffs the takedown attempt from Giese. Giese gets slowly back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Axelsson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Giese misses with a shot to the body
and Axelsson counters with a three punch combo that has Giese backing up. Giese nods at Axelsson to acknowledge the strikes.
Axelsson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Giese as he avoids it easily.
Giese unleashes a big counter combination but Axelsson bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Axelsson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Axelsson tries to clinch up.
Giese shoots in looking for a takedown. Axelsson tries to sprawl out of it but Giese keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Axelsson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Axelsson.

Giese gets a clinch.
Axelsson managing to block the knees to the body from Giese.
Axelsson leaning his opponent against the cage.
Axelsson taking a breather.
Giese is looking to take this one to the mat.
Yahaya Axelsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Kiel Giese.
Axelsson working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Axelsson has had enough of the clinch but Giese keeps him there for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Axelsson avoiding damage as Giese throws knees to the body.
Giese stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Giese connects with a nasty looking knee right to Axelsson's face.
Axelsson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Giese goes for a takedown attempt but Axelsson pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Yahaya Axelsson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Axelsson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Giese has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Axelsson is on him like a limpet, forcing Giese back against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Axelsson has clasped his hands together around Giese's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Giese is looking to get back to his feet here but Axelsson is keeping cool and he's managed to take Giese's back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giese tries to break free.
Axelsson wants to control the position but Giese frees himself and scrambles - Axelsson manages to regain control in side control.
Giese tries to buck Axelsson off but Axelsson is having none of it.
Giese is trying to control Axelsson's posture but Axelsson avoids it.
Giese is trying to get back to half guard.

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.
Axelsson sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Giese is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Giese wants to control but Axelsson postures up.
Axelsson working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Axelsson controls the position from side control.
Axelsson tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Axelsson moves in looking to clinch but Giese pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Yahaya Axelsson will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Axelsson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Axelsson showed some decent athleticism there.
Axelsson wants to control but Giese is keeping him busy.
Axelsson wants to free his trapped foot but Giese is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Axelsson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Giese's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Axelsson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Giese does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Axelsson passes into side control, despite Giese's attempt to control the position.
Axelsson misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giese is not content to let Axelsson control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Axelsson wants to clinch but Giese slips to the side

and Giese counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Axelsson is trying to keep Giese in close.
Giese 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.

Axelsson is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Giese frees his head nicely. Oh but Axelsson has switched to an armbar! Giese is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Yahaya Axelsson!