PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Elvis Presley (ranked 1706 p4p, 219 weight class) and Thorvald Espensen (ranked 2375 p4p, 287 weight class). Thorvald Espensen acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the ring.

Presley
vs
Espensen

180 cm
23
177 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

177 cm
21
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Elvis Presley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Thorvald Espensen!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Presley misses with an uppercut.
Presley dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Espensen. That did some damage!
Presley uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Espensen.
Presley throws a quick counter kick to the body but Espensen avoids it.
Espensen takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Presley blocks a leg kick.
Presley swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Presley throws a chopping leg kick but Espensen manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Presley lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Presley instigates a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Presley's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Presley blocking some punches.
Presley blocks an uppercut.
Espensen scores with a shoulder strike.
Knees to the body from Presley.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Espensen breaks the clinch.
Presley scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Presley fails with an attempt to clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Presley. Espensen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Presley throws a body kick that misses.
Espensen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Presley misses the shot to the body.
The fighters circle momentarily. Presley darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Presley throws a series of punches but Espensen avoids them all with ease.
Presley chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Presley scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espensen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Presley lands a slapping body shot.
Espensen has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.

Presley takes the fight into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Espensen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Espensen.
Espensen misses with a punch to the body.
Presley goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Espensen tries to work over Presley's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Presley misses with a punch to the body.
Espensen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Espensen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Presley cracks Espensen with a nice body shot.
Espensen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Presley blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Espensen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Presley has him pressed against the ropes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Presley misses with a punch to the body.
Espensen throws a head punch that misses.
Nice body punch from Espensen.
Presley dodges an elbow strike from Espensen.
Presley misses with a punch to the body.

Presley escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Presley throws a head kick that Espensen semi-blocks.
Espensen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Presley.
Espensen does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Presley looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Presley throws a body punch but Espensen moves out of range.
Espensen wants to counter with a clinch but Presley pushes him away.
Presley looks to score with a jab to the body but Espensen is just out of range.
Presley looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Espensen tries to counter with a clinch but Presley shakes him off and moves away.
Presley uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Espensen has time to react.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Presley throws a low kick, looking for Espensen's leg but Espensen calmly moves out of range.
Presley throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Presley throws out a leg kick but Espensen moves out of range and Presley only half commits.
Despite the aggression on Espensen's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Presley fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Espensen manages to avoid it.
Presley misses with a body kick.
Espensen now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Presley swings for the body but Espensen moves out of range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Espensen.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Espensen tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Presley fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Espensen checks it well.
Espensen appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Presley avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Presley misses with a leg kick
and Espensen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elvis Presley dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Presley misses with a head kick.
Presley is looking to wear down Espensen with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

Presley gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Espensen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Espensen lands an elbow inside that Presley shrugs off.

It looks like Elvis Presley has been cut.
Presley avoiding damage.
Presley tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Espensen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Espensen misses with a punch to the body.
Espensen has a couple of punches blocked by Presley.
Presley tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Presley prevents a body shot from Espensen.
Espensen tries to throw a body punch but Presley avoids it by throwing Espensen back against the ropes.
Espensen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Espensen wants to break the clinch but can't.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espensen misses with a double jab.
Espensen checks a leg kick.
Espensen slips a straight right by Presley.
Espensen steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Presley.
Espensen takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Presley wants to clinch up but Espensen keeps it at a distance.
Espensen takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Presley tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Presley throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Presley tries to clinch but Espensen is having none of it.
Espensen tries a quick counter leg kick but Presley is wise to it.
Presley tries to clinch there but Espensen circles away.
Presley is looking to chop away at Espensen's legs.
Espensen unleashes a big counter combination but Presley bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Presley avoids the head kick by Espensen.
Presley tried to counter with a leg kick but Espensen avoided it.
Presley tries to clinch
and Espensen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Espensen takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Presley misses with a hook to the body
and Espensen counters with a slapping leg kick.
Presley is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Espensen can do to turn this around?
Espensen misses with a double jab.
Presley looks to score with a jab to the body but Espensen is just out of range.

Presley clinches up with Espensen and pushes him back against the ropes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Presley is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Presley has Espensen pressed against the ropes, preventing Espensen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Espensen tries a body shot but Presley blocks it.
Presley is struggling to control the position.
Espensen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Presley lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Espensen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Presley misses with a low kick as Espensen jumps back.
Espensen is looking for the big counter here.
Presley throws a leg kick
and Espensen counters with a leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Presley.
Presley has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Presley throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Presley fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Espensen defending well as Presley loads up on a big left hand.
Espensen appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Espensen tries to land a leg kick but Presley saw it coming and moves away.
Presley thinks about countering with a head kick.
Espensen lands a nice looking body shot.
Espensen looks to land a combination but Presley avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Presley buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Presley throws an overhand right that lands on Espensen's shoulder, as Espensen tries to avoid the shot.
Espensen is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Espensen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Despite the aggression on Espensen's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
A good leg kick by Presley.
Espensen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Presley.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Presley misses the jab.
Espensen unleashes a big counter combination but Presley bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Espensen checks a leg kick.
Espensen steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Presley.
Presley ducks under a wild hook from Espensen.
Presley tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Espensen manages to circle out of the way.
Presley misses with a leg kick
and Presley takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Thorvald Espensen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Elvis Presley's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Espensen takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Presley throws a leg kick that is checked
and Espensen counters with a body kick.
Espensen tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Presley throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Espensen counters with a straight right hand.
Presley misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Espensen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Presley misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Espensen.
Presley tries to clinch up but Espensen circles away and keeps his distance.
Espensen tries to counter by closing the distance.

Presley drives through and clinches with Espensen against the ropes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Presley can't find room to land a body shot as Espensen controls the action.
Espensen scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Espensen wants to get back to striking at distance but Presley won't allow it.
Presley manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espensen misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Presley prevents a body shot from Espensen.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Presley.
Espensen is looking to break free of the clinch but Presley has double underhooks.
Presley tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Espensen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Presley throws a half hearted mid kick.
Presley throws a poor cross that misses
and Espensen counters with a three punch combo that has Presley backing up. Presley nods at Espensen to acknowledge the strikes.
Thorvald Espensen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Presley throws a body kick that misses.
Espensen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Presley lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Presley buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Thorvald Espensen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A looping hook to the body misses from Presley. Espensen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Espensen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Presley throws a body shot but no joy.
Elvis Presley is winning the standup battle so far.
A head kick misses from Espensen.
Presley lands a front kick.
Espensen's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Presley just misses with a punch to the body.
Presley scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Presley comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Presley fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Presley blocks the body kick.
Presley is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Espensen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Presley throws a leg kick which misses Espensen's front leg but catches the back leg as Espensen tries to avoid it.
Presley misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Espensen.
Espensen lands a leg kick that knocks Presley off balance momentarily.
Presley throws a half hearted mid kick.
Espensen doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Presley lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Espensen throws a right and a left that Presley avoids nicely.
Presley feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Espensen's calf.
Presley throws a solid leg kick but Espensen takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Presley.
Presley lands the left hand.
Presley avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Presley is looking to slow Espensen down with leg kicks.
Espensen throws a push kick but Presley slaps the foot to one side.
Espensen takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Elvis Presley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Espensen on the wrong end of a nice jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Good work by Presley as he checks the leg kick.
Presley misses with a combination
and Espensen counters with a series of strikes. Presley will be more careful next time no doubt.
Presley jabs at Espensen's body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Elvis Presley.
I think Presley 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight for Elvis Presley!
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Elvis Presley!
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight for Elvis Presley!

Elvis Presley wins by unanimous decision!