PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lars Paulsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bryer Michael (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paulsson comes to the cage accompanied by Soldaat van Oranje Theme. Michael is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: OTHERWISE - Coming For The Throne . Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Paulsson
vs
Michael

188 cm
23
200 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

190 cm
22
196 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lars Paulsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bryer Michael!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paulsson tries for a takedown but Michael sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Good leg kick by Michael there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Paulsson has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Michael.
Paulsson tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Michael defends well and Paulsson ends up having to push Michael into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Paulsson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Michael sprawls well initially but Paulsson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Michael gets back to full guard.
Michael looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Paulsson puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Michael is looking to control Paulsson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Michael avoid being mounted?
Michael wants to improve his position but Paulsson is controlling well.
Paulsson working over Michael with some ground and pound. Michael looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulsson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Paulsson is looking to take a break and control but Michael is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Michael preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Paulsson with the ground and pound but Michael uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Paulsson looking to sit in guard and control but Michael gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Paulsson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Paulsson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Michael defends it easily.
Michael throwing strikes from guard but Paulsson blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michael is looking to stand up but Paulsson won't let him.

Paulsson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Michael gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Paulsson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Michael stopping the sweep attempt from Paulsson.
Paulsson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Michael got a little sloppy there for a moment and Paulsson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Michael has managed to get both his arms back between Paulsson's legs - danger averted.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michael showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Michael advances position into side control!
Michael trying to control the position but Paulsson is working away.
Paulsson wants to control but Michael postures up.
Paulsson tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Michael is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Paulsson will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Paulsson is looking for a sweep.
Paulsson regains half guard.
Paulsson works his way to full guard. Good work.
Paulsson lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Paulsson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Michael is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Paulsson being controlled here momentarily.
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 Lars Paulsson will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Paulsson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Michael.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Paulsson.
Paulsson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Michael keeps working.
Michael tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Paulsson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Michael wants to control but Paulsson postures up.

Paulsson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Paulsson throws an elbow but Michael slips to the side and avoids it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paulsson connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Michael some visible discomfort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Check out the look on Paulsson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Michael is trying to control Paulsson's posture but Paulsson avoids it.
Michael is looking to regain half guard here but Paulsson keeps moving and retains side control.
Paulsson scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Michael to see if he's OK.
Michael is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Paulsson off and has taken his back!
Michael trying to control.
Paulsson tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Michael prevents Paulsson from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michael throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Michael trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Paulsson is working to get back to half guard.
Paulsson wants to control but Michael is having none of it.
Paulsson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Paulsson sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michael seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Paulsson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Paulsson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Michael is working away from the top position though.
Paulsson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Paulsson is trying to control the position but Michael postures up.

Paulsson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Paulsson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Michael wants to control from the top but Paulsson keeps moving.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Michael must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Paulsson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Michael gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Paulsson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Paulsson looking for subs off his back but Michael has passed one foot through into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Michael is looking to take a break and control but Paulsson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lars Paulsson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Paulsson takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Paulsson dives in and grabs Michael's left leg, looking for a takedown. Michael pushes down on Paulsson's head and hops out.
Paulsson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Michael counters with a leg kick.
Michael dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Paulsson. That did some damage!
Paulsson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Michael paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paulsson avoids the body shot from Michael.
Michael fails to land with a series of punches.
Michael pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Michael lands a nice leg kick that just misses Paulsson's sensitive parts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Paulsson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Michael.

Paulsson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Michael not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Michael keeping moving, preventing Paulsson from controlling successfully.
Paulsson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Michael is keeping the position for now.
Michael has Paulsson pulled in close to control his posture.
Michael tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Paulsson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michael has control of Paulsson's left arm, preventing Paulsson from doing any damage.
Paulsson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Michael bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Paulsson shoots in but no luck this time.
Paulsson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Michael's waist but Michael gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Paulsson off to one side.
Michael doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lars Paulsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Michael moves into range and connects with a jab.
Paulsson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Paulsson on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Michael gets caught flat footed, as Paulsson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Bryer Michael has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lars Paulsson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michael is looking to stand up but Paulsson isn't so interested in that idea.
Michael wants to control the position but Paulsson says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Michael is concentrating on defense, preventing Paulsson from advancing position.
Paulsson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Michael with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Michael tries to get to full guard but Paulsson has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paulsson controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Michael is looking to control Paulsson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Michael avoid being mounted?
Paulsson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Paulsson looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bryer Michael comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Paulsson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Lars Paulsson!
A relieved looking Lars Paulsson thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.