PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Simon Marcus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kane Ardal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Marcus
vs
Ardal

180 cm
27
180 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

182 cm
27
186 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Heavy handed

RAGS of a RONIN

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 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Simon Marcus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kane Ardal!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marcus uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ardal.
Ardal misses with a body shot.
Marcus tries to clinch up but Ardal circles away and keeps his distance.
Ardal fails to land with a series of punches.

Ardal rushes Marcus and presses him up against the cage.
Ardal misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ardal can't break the clinch.
Marcus is trying to drag Ardal to the mat but Ardal just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ardal gets underhooks to prevent Marcus's takedown attempt.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ardal creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Marcus lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ardal manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Marcus closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ardal circles away.
Ardal unleashes a big counter combination but Marcus bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simon Marcus. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marcus shoots in looking for a takedown but Ardal manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Marcus's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Kane Ardal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marcus fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Marcus takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Ardal misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Marcus fails with the takedown.
Ardal looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ardal misses with the body kick

and Marcus counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Ardal kicks Marcus off and gets back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Marcus moves into range and clinches up with Ardal.
Ardal prevents the takedown attempt.

Marcus lands a takedown into guard.
Ardal wants to get back to his feet but Marcus is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Marcus is stalling in the full guard.
Marcus trying to control but Ardal is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marcus stops Ardal from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marcus wants to control from the top but Ardal keeps moving.
Ardal controlling the position.
Marcus looking to pass the guard.
Ardal lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Marcus is striking off his back. Ardal thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Marcus slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marcus looking for a sweep. Not yet Marcus, not yet.
Marcus has a closed guard, preventing Ardal from standing up.
Marcus looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ardal is one step ahead there.
Marcus is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Marcus throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Ardal stands and steps away. Marcus gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kane Ardal dominated that 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.

Marcus gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ardal counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ardal works over Marcus's head and body with a nice combination.

It looks like Simon Marcus has been cut.
Ardal throws a nice head kick!
Ardal lands a jab.
Ardal throws a right and a left that Marcus avoids nicely.
Ardal pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Marcus is looking to counter the offense by Ardal and move into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ardal tries to close the distance and clinch but Marcus swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Marcus drops down looking for a counter takedown but Ardal sprawls and moves away.
Ardal throws a head kick that misses
and Marcus connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ardal tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Marcus manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ardal throws a sloppy head kick and Marcus moves out of range easily.
Ardal cracks Marcus with a right hand to the side of the head.
Marcus fails with the takedown
and Ardal counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ardal tries a head kick but it misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Ardal, as that shot connected.
Marcus with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ardal counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simon Marcus. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Some wild striking there from Ardal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ardal digs a good hook to Marcus's body.
Ardal has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Marcus avoids the head kick by Ardal.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Marcus is defended easily by Ardal.
Ardal raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Ardal fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ardal throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marcus goes for a double leg but Ardal avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ardal continues to drive forward.
Marcus takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Marcus blocks a head kick by Ardal.
Marcus staying out of range there.
Marcus attempts a counter takedown but Ardal avoids it well and moves away.
Ardal throws a body shot but no joy.
Ardal tries to bum rush Marcus with a series of wild strikes but Marcus uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ardal throws a head kick that half lands.
Kane Ardal seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ardal goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marcus throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ardal's waist but Ardal gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Marcus off to one side.
Ardal cracks Marcus with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Ardal throws a body kick that misses

and Marcus counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Marcus sitting in guard here, content to control.
Ardal is looking to stand up but Marcus isn't so interested in that idea.
Ardal working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marcus.
Marcus wants to control from the top but Ardal keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kane Ardal showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Simon Marcus's cut.
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!

Marcus tries for a takedown but Ardal circles away easily
and Ardal counters with a left to the body.
Simon Marcus is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ardal tries to clinch but Marcus is having none of it.
Marcus shoots in for a takedown but Ardal shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ardal connects with a solid leg kick.
Ardal throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Marcus gets a clinch.

Ardal breaks from the clinch.
Ardal connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Marcus's hands.
Ardal throws a hook to the side of Marcus's head but Marcus sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left lands for Ardal.
Ardal tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Marcus shoots in for a takedown but Ardal shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simon Marcus. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marcus fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ardal tries to clinch but Marcus moves out of range.
Ardal wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Ardal stuffs the takedown.
Ardal lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Ardal tries to clinch but Marcus moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ardal moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Ardal fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Marcus misses with a takedown attempt
and Marcus takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Marcus shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ardal counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Ardal!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Horrible takedown attempt by Marcus or perhaps it was just good defense by Ardal, which made it look bad.
Ardal unleashes a big counter combination but Marcus bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ardal lands a high kick!

Marcus shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Ardal is trying to defend but Marcus finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Marcus missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ardal tries to kick Marcus off but Marcus keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Marcus lands with a punch from half guard.
Ardal looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marcus passes to full mount!
Marcus controlling from mount.
Kane Ardal is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Marcus jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Ardal is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Ardal and Marcus has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Marcus grinds an elbow into Ardal's temple.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kane Ardal comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ardal winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

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