PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leon Opstad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Scott (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Opstad might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Moby - Natural Blues. Scott has chosen DMX - Ain't No Sunshine as his entrance music. Michael Scott is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Opstad
vs
Scott

188 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

186 cm
26
185 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Venom Combat Sports

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Leon Opstad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Michael Scott!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Scott looks for a takedown but Opstad sprawls well.
Opstad has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Shark Tank MMA in the buildup to the fight.
Opstad defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Scott.
Scott leaves Opstad with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Scott lands a jab to the nose.
Scott displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Opstad throws out the jab.
Scott throws out a counter right but Opstad avoids it with no problem.
Scott keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Opstad.
Opstad shoots and misses
and Scott counters with a stiff right hand.

Scott shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Opstad is trying to defend but Scott finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Scott not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Scott wants to take a breather but Opstad is having none of it.

Scott is working for a kimura but Opstad is defending it quite comfortably.
Opstad has his hands clasped together around Scott's back. He's all about the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Scott slows the pace down in half guard.
Scott missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Scott wants to lay and pray for a moment but Opstad keeps working.
Scott looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Opstad looking for submissions off his back.
Opstad trying to control here.
Opstad lands a couple of sideways elbows.
Scott not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Opstad is looking to improve his position.
Scott working Opstad over with strikes.
Opstad wants to get back to his feet.
Opstad keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Scott stops Opstad from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Scott is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Opstad actively working from the bottom here.
Opstad is refusing to be controlled, as Scott sits in half guard.
Scott sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Opstad defending well though.
Scott trying to control from half guard but Opstad is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Scott is looking to clinch but Opstad is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Opstad throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Scott's waist but Scott gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Opstad off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leon Opstad. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Scott manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Opstad on his heels. He'll look to pass Opstad's guard now, I'm sure.
Scott wants to control from the top but Opstad keeps moving.
Scott wants to pass the guard but Opstad is keeping the position.
Opstad working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Scott.
Scott trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Opstad trying to control the position here.
Scott wants to control from the top but Opstad keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Scott working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Opstad's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Scott dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Opstad goes for a double leg but Scott avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Scott continues to drive forward.
Opstad misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Scott takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Scott lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Scott shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Opstad napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Scott wants to control but Opstad is keeping him busy.
Michael Scott has got the better of the ground game so far.
Scott scoring with punches from side control.
Opstad is not content to let Scott control the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Opstad tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Scott wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Opstad struggling a bit here.
Opstad gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Scott has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The referee warns Opstad that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Opstad's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Scott pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Scott working the ground and pound effectively.
Scott connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Scott trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Scott landing punches.

Opstad is rocked!
Opstad bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Opstad wants to control from the top but Scott keeps moving.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Scott is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Scott keeping moving, preventing Opstad from controlling successfully.
Opstad has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Opstad stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Scott swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Scott controlling the position.
Opstad postures up.

Opstad avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Opstad is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Scott controls Opstad momentarily but Opstad frees himself.

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.
Opstad trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Opstad slips nicely into half guard.

Opstad stands up out of the half guard.
Scott tries to clinch up but Opstad circles away and keeps his distance.
Opstad loads up on a big right hand but Scott slips the punch.

Scott forces Opstad back against the cage and clinches.
Opstad blocks an uppercut.
Scott scores with a shot to the side of Opstad's head.
Scott is looking to take this one to the mat.
Scott blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Scott managing to block the knees to the body from Opstad.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nice body punch from Scott.
Scott misses with a takedown attempt - Opstad sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A decent looking cross lands there for Opstad.

It looks like Michael Scott has been cut.

Scott shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Opstad manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Opstad manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Opstad has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Scott clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Scott manages to escape to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Opstad gets caught flat footed, as Scott shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Scott wants to control from the top but Opstad keeps moving.
Opstad wants to improve his position but instead Scott has moved into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Scott is looking to take a break and control but Opstad is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Scott might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Opstad haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Scott blocks the strikes from Opstad.
Scott trying to mount his opponent but Opstad defends it.
Scott is trying to control. Opstad wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Scott is taking a breather. Opstad says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Scott seems to be working for a kimura but Opstad defends the submission attempt.

That's two 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.
Scott wants to control but Opstad is keeping him busy.
Opstad is looking to escape.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Opstad lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Opstad misses with a takedown attempt
and Scott connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Scott darts in and clinches Opstad up against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Scott.
A head punch on the inside from Scott fails to land.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Scott takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Scott.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Scott.
Scott makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Opstad has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Scott uses from the top position.
Scott passes into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Scott wants to take a breather but Opstad is having none of it.
Leon Opstad has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Opstad throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Scott has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Scott seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Opstad does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Scott seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Scott is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Opstad is just riding it out for now. Scott eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opstad is trying to stand.
Scott lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Michael Scott is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Scott is keen to just control but Opstad is a slippery customer.
Opstad is looking to improve his position.

Scott stands up from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Scott comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Scott has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Scott!
An out of breath Michael Scott thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.