PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thorvald Espensen (ranked 2348 p4p, 269 weight class) and Ace Knott (ranked 3953 p4p, 390 weight class). Thorvald Espensen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Espensen
vs
Knott

177 cm
20
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
21
182 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Dangerous GnP
Great elbows
Powerful

Sin City Allstars

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Thorvald Espensen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ace Knott!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Paul Tew and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knott tries to clinch but Espensen moves away
and Espensen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Espensen has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

Knott clinches with his opponent.
Knott lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Espensen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Espensen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Knott stalks Espensen and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Espensen's face. Espensen staggers backwards, shaken.
Espensen swats away the attempt to clinch by Knott.
A quick step to the side and Espensen tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Knott tries to clinch up
and Espensen counters with a nice low kick that buckles Knott's knee momentarily.
Knott throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Espensen counters with a straight right hand.

Knott clinches up against the ropes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Espensen manages to break the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Knott. Espensen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Espensen throwing a counter right hand but Knott manages to avoid it.
Knott is looking to clinch.
A little feinted left hand from Espensen on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Knott wants to clinch.
Espensen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Knott rushes Espensen and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Espensen lands a left hand that snaps the head of Knott backwards.

Espensen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Knott looks to clinch
and Knott takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Knott misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Espensen counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Knott thinking.
Knott has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knott misses with a body punch
and Espensen counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Knott comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Espensen defending well as Knott loads up on a big left hand.
As Knott looks to move away, Espensen throws a big counter combo but Knott just gets out of the way.
The fight stays on the outside here - Knott looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Espensen is looking to counter punch.

Knott clinches up with Espensen and pushes him back against the ropes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Knott softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.

Espensen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Knott's corner calls for a 1-2. Knott obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Espensen circles away from the clinch attempt
and Espensen makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knott moves in looking to clinch but Espensen pushes him off.
Knott throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
As Knott looks to move away, Espensen throws a big counter combo but Knott just gets out of the way.
Espensen throws a jab when Knott was well out of range.

Knott closes the distance and clinches.
Knott tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Espensen lands a hook that snaps the head of Knott backwards.
Knott tries to work over Espensen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Knott taking a breather.
Still in the clinch, Knott scores with a nice short uppercut.

Espensen breaks the clinch.
Knott misses the shot to the body.
Espensen throwing a counter right hand but Knott manages to avoid it.
Knott tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Knott tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Espensen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Espensen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Espensen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knott tries to close the distance and clinch but Espensen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Knott tries to close the distance and clinch but Espensen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Knott fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Espensen manages to avoid it.
As Knott tries to get set, Espensen tries to push him back and clinch up but Knott manages to avoid the attempt.

Knott clinches up with Espensen and pushes him back against the ropes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A shot in the inside from Knott.

Espensen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Knott tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Espensen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Espensen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Knott wants to clinch up but Espensen keeps it at a distance.
It looked like Espensen was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Knott.
Knott moves in looking to clinch but Espensen pushes him off.
Espensen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Knott swings for the body but Espensen moves out of range.
Knott misses with a body shot
and Espensen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Knott fails in his attempt to clinch.
Espensen was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
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 Thorvald Espensen will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Knott misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Espensen to counter with a crisp jab.
Knott wants to clinch up but Espensen keeps it at a distance.

Knott moves into the clinch.
Espensen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Knott swings wildly with an uppercut but Espensen uses good head movement to avoid it.

Espensen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Knott tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Espensen was well out of range. Poor timing from Knott.
Knott wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Espensen lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Knott at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knott avoids the body shot from Espensen.
Knott swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A little feinted left hand from Espensen on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Knott closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Espensen breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knott misses with a body shot.
Knott is looking to clinch.
Espensen is looking for a counter combo.
Espensen swats away the attempt to clinch by Knott.
Espensen moves out of range of the strikes.
Knott tries to clinch but Espensen is having none of it.
Espensen tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Knott manages to circle out of the way.
Knott moves in looking to clinch but Espensen pushes him off.
Knott jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Espensen is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Knott wants to clinch.
Knott fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knott darts in trying to clinch
and Espensen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Knott misses with a body shot
letting Espensen counter with a right hand.
Thorvald Espensen is winning the standup battle so far.
Knott fails in his attempt to clinch.
Knott looks to score with a jab to the body but Espensen is just out of range.
Espensen appears to be looking for a big counter.
Knott is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Espensen rather than just go for the knockout.
A slow jab from Espensen misses its intended target.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Espensen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Espensen is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Knott swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espensen taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Knott digs a right hand underneath Espensen's ribcage. Espensen let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Espensen blocks a body shot from Knott.
Knott misses with some punches.
Espensen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Knott in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Nice body punch from Espensen - that landed with a thud.
Espensen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A short right from Knott.
Knott is leaning against Espensen and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Knott trying to control the position but instead, Espensen has worked for underhooks and has pushed Knott into the ropes.
A left hand lands to the body for Espensen.
Knott tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Espensen's elbow.

Espensen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nice body punch from Espensen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espensen moves forwards but Knott connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Knott wants to clinch
and Espensen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Knott tries to clinch there but Espensen circles away.

Knott closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Espensen throws a head punch that misses.
Knott takes a shot to the head.
Knott misses with some punches.
Knott has a couple of punches blocked by Espensen.

Espensen breaks from the clinch.
Knott misses with a body punch
enabling Espensen to counter with a crisp jab.
Knott missing with a left hand there. Espensen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Knott tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Espensen counters with an outside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thorvald Espensen dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Knott moves in looking to clinch but Espensen pushes him off.
Knott misses with a hook.
An attempted straight right counter from Espensen misses the target.
Espensen takes a shot right to the bread basket.
A big right from Espensen misses.
Knott swings widly with a right hand
letting Espensen counter with a right hand.
Espensen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Knott.
An attempted straight right counter from Espensen misses the target.
Knott tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Knott takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knott tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Knott tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Espensen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Knott fails to land.
Knott misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knott lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Espensen backwards.
Knott working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Espensen breaks the clinch.
A big right from Espensen misses.
Knott misses with a jab to the body
and Espensen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Knott is looking to clinch but Espensen is avoiding it.
Knott wants to clinch
and Espensen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Espensen comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Knott throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Espensen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Knott tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Espensen was well out of range. Poor timing from Knott.
A counter left hand to the body from Espensen misses its target.
Knott tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Espensen paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knott wants to clinch.
Knott misses the shot to the body.
It looked like Espensen was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Knott.
Knott ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Espensen moves away.
Knott tries to clinch but Espensen moves out of range.
Knott tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Espensen was well out of range. Poor timing from Knott.
Knott swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Knott is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Espensen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Knott tries to close the distance and clinch up but Espensen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Espensen is looking to counter punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Espensen takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Knott misses
and Espensen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Knott misses with a looping left.
Espensen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Espensen seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Knott connects with a body shot.
Knott moves to clinch but Espensen breaks away
and Espensen counters with a straight right hand.

Knott moves into the clinch.
Knott is looking to control Espensen's arms but Espensen gets an underhook and turns him. Now Knott has his back to the ropes.
Knott swings wildly with an uppercut but Espensen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Knott misses with the head strike.
Knott lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Knott.
Knott tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Knott goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Knott fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Espensen breaks from the clinch.
Knott closes the distance looking to clinch
and Espensen counters with a nice uppercut.
Knott misses with a jab to the body
and Espensen counters with a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Knott tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Espensen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Espensen is looking to counter punch.

Knott gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Espensen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Knott moves into range and connects with a jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ace Knott.
I think Espensen 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Thorvald Espensen!
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight for Thorvald Espensen!

Thorvald Espensen wins by majority decision!
After the big win, Thorvald Espensen made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Sin City Allstars and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.