PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dane Valentine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcin Held (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Dane Valentine has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Dane Valentine seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Valentine
vs
Held

209 cm
19
193 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
18
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dane Valentine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Marcin Held!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Paulsen Ambrosius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Valentine fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Held, pushing him back against the cage.
Held looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
A frustrated look appears on Held's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Held fails to land.
Valentine lands an elbow just above Held 's eye.

Valentine escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Valentine closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Held taking a bit of punishment here - Valentine scoring with strikes.
The referee asks Valentine politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Valentine prefers to stall for the moment though.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!

Valentine stands up.
Valentine really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Held moves to clinch but Valentine breaks away
and Held takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Held gets tackled into the cage by Valentine. Valentine maintains the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Held misses with a short punch on the inside.
Valentine gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Held swings wildly with an uppercut but Valentine uses good head movement to avoid it.

Valentine escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Held wants to clinch.
Held just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromValentine.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Held wants to clinch up but Valentine keeps it at a distance.
Held moves to clinch but Valentine breaks away

and Valentine counters with a takedown into side control.
Valentine is working Held over with some ground and pound from side control.

Valentine decides to stand up, so the ref orders Held to his feet.

Valentine clinches.
Held told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Valentine lands an elbow inside.
Valentine lands a shot to the body.
Valentine scores with a hook to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Valentine.
Valentine lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Held backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Valentine pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Valentine darts in and clinches Held up against the cage.

Valentine's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Valentine clinches with his opponent.
Valentine scores a nice knee to the body.

Valentine escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Marcin Held seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Valentine drives through with a takedown into Held's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Valentine decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Held, up you get!

Valentine forces Held back against the cage and clinches.
Valentine unloads a knee to the mid-section. Held lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Valentine breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Valentine gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Valentine creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Held takes an elbow to the forehead.
Valentine lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Valentine lands a damaging elbow.

Valentine pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Valentine drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Valentine content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentine is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Valentine cracks Held with a solid left hand.
Valentine stands up over Held, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Held wants to get back to his feet but Valentine is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Valentine postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Valentine throws a big elbow that misses.
Valentine scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Held wants to stand but Valentine is controlling the position.
Valentine scoring with punches to the head and body.
Valentine chips away with some ground and pound.
Valentine won't allow Held to get back to his feet.

Held is working an open guard so Valentine takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Valentine closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Valentine scores with a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valentine doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Valentine breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Marcin Held is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Held gets caught napping as Valentine dives in and scores a takedown. Held manages to retain guard.
Held is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Valentine is controlling him.

Valentine gets to his feet. Held looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Valentine closes the distance and clinches.
Valentine landing knees to the body.

Valentine breaks the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Held looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Held wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dane Valentine dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Held wants to clinch up but Valentine keeps it at a distance.
Held closes the distance looking to clinch
and Valentine connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Held tries to clinch but Valentine moves out of range.
Valentine tries to counter by clinching up but Held breaks away and moves out of range.
Held fails with an attempt to clinch.
Held tries to close the distance and clinch up but Valentine swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Valentine moves into range and clinches up with Held.

Valentine's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Held is looking to clinch but Valentine is avoiding it.
Valentine is looking to counter with head kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Valentine forces Held back against the cage and clinches.
Valentine lands an elbow inside that Held shrugs off.
Held is breathing heavily.
Valentine lands a body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Valentine.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Valentine.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Valentine manages to break the clinch.
Valentine keeps the fight on the outside.

Held gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Valentine seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Valentine scoring with some ground and pound.
Valentine will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Valentine stands up over Held, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Valentine stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Valentine closes the distance and pushes Held back into the cage.
Held swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Valentine is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Valentine breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Valentine throws a good cross that connects.
Held tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Valentine paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Valentine forces Held back against the cage and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Valentine pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Valentine closes the distance and pushes Held back into the cage.
Valentine working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Valentine pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Valentine moves into the clinch successfully.

Valentine's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Marcin Held is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Held darts in trying to clinch
and Valentine counters with a slapping leg kick.

Valentine fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Held, pushing him back against the cage.
Valentine lands an elbow inside that Held shrugs off.
Valentine comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Valentine scores with a shot to the side of Held's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Valentine breaks from the clinch.
Valentine lands with a slapping head kick.

Valentine has taken the fight to the clinch.
Valentine using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Valentine.
Valentine scores with a hook to the body.
Valentine lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Valentine breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd cheers as Valentine lands an impressive looking overhand right. Held doesn't seem phased though.
Held tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Valentine counters with a head kick.

Valentine gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Valentine scores a nice knee to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A left hand lands to the body for Valentine.
Valentine lands an elbow that stopped Held in his tracks for a moment.
Nice body punch from Valentine - that landed with a thud.

Valentine pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Valentine rushes Held and presses him up against the cage.
Valentine lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Valentine pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Valentine clinches up against the cage.

Valentine breaks the clinch.
Valentine is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Valentine moves into the clinch.
Valentine lands a nice knee to the body.

Valentine breaks the clinch.
Valentine swats away the attempt to clinch by Held.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dane Valentine dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Valentine circles away from the clinch attempt
and Valentine counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Held fails in his attempt to clinch.

Valentine darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Valentine working Held over with strikes.

Valentine looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Valentine postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Held to stand up.
Held takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Valentine closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Valentine breaks from the clinch.
Held moves to clinch but Valentine breaks away
and Valentine counters with a straight right hand.
Valentine is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Held can do to turn this around?
Held darts in trying to clinch
and Valentine counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Valentine fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Held sprawls well initially but Valentine persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Dane Valentine overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Valentine looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Held with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Valentine is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Held is just riding it out for now. Valentine eventually gives up the hold.
Valentine drops an elbow to the side of Held's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentine working the head and body with strikes.
Valentine is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Valentine drops an elbow to the side of Held's head.
Valentine is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Valentine working over Held with some ground and pound. Held looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Valentine lands with a punch from half guard.
Valentine knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Held on the ground.
Nice strikes from Valentine there.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Valentine in particular looking to stall.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Valentine lands a nice short elbow.

Valentine is trying to work for a kimura but Held is defending well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Valentine content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Held pushes Valentine off looking to stand but Valentine dives back in and keeps control.
Valentine is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Valentine working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Valentine takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Valentine lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Valentine wants to take a breather but Held is having none of it.
Valentine slips a nice elbow through Held's hands, connecting with Held's forehead.
Held is looking to escape.
Valentine looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Held with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Valentine working Held over with strikes.
Valentine stalling.
Held is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Valentine avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Valentine moves into the clinch.

Valentine breaks from the clinch.
Held wants to clinch but Valentine slips to the side
and Valentine counters with a nice low kick that buckles Held's knee momentarily.

Held tries to keep at a distance but Valentine has taken the fight into the clinch.
Valentine lands an elbow inside.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Valentine is leaning against Held and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Marcin Held has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Held misses with a punch on the inside.
Dane Valentine is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Valentine breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dane Valentine showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Valentine has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:26
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:26
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dane Valentine!