PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Arjen Van Slang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and paul manson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Van Slang
vs
manson

183 cm
22
230 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

225 cm
22
226 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Arjen Van Slang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, paul manson!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, William Gold and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Slang tries for a takedown but manson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Van Slang fails with a takedown attempt.
manson on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
A punch lands to the side of Van Slang 's head but he takes it in his stride.
manson shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
manson scores with a jab. Van Slang acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
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!

Van Slang closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Van Slang stops manson from getting back to his feet.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Van Slang lands a nice short elbow.
Van Slang trying to mount his opponent but manson defends it.
Van Slang scoring with strikes to the body and head.

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

Van Slang is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and manson defends it well.
Van Slang is breathing heavily.

Van Slang is trying to work for a kimura but manson is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
manson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

manson is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Van Slang pulls his head out easily.
Van Slang winds up and cracks manson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Van Slang is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. manson doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Van Slang.
manson tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Van Slang tries to pass to full mount but manson defends it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

manson has closed the distance and engaged Van Slang in a clinch.

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.

manson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van Slang shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arjen Van Slang. That's going to take a lot out of him.
manson lands with a nice combination. Van Slang backs away looking to recover.

manson moves into the clinch.

manson breaks from the clinch.

manson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
manson working Van Slang over with strikes.
manson winds up and cracks Van Slang with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Van Slang is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of manson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take manson's back!
manson manages to reverse the position and now he's in Van Slang's guard. Nice work there by manson.
manson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
manson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Van Slang might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Van Slang has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but manson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Van Slang is looking for a triangle but manson pushes his legs off easily.
manson works over Van Slang with some ground and pound from guard.

manson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
manson cracks Van Slang with a solid left hand.

Van Slang working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. manson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. manson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Van Slang looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! manson has picked Van Slang up and slammed him! Van Slang can't keep hold of the triangle and manson manages to pass to side control!
manson passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Van Slang!
manson dominating with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
manson landing punches.
Van Slang tries to reverse the position but manson maintains control.
Van Slang looks very frustrated and is flailing away with strikes from the bottom. His corner are telling him to stay calm.
Van Slang taking shots to the head.
Van Slang working to try and regain half guard.
manson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Van Slang can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Van Slang can't escape the position.
manson is landing with some decent strikes but Van Slang is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

manson looking for a guillotine from mount but Van Slang is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Van Slang throwing hammer fists to the chest of manson. What's that going to do exactly?
Van Slang really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but paul manson will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

manson moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Van Slang shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in manson's guard.
manson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Van Slang thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
manson striking off his back but it's not causing Van Slang any problems.
Van Slang looking to pass the guard.

Van Slang drops back, looking for a kneebar! manson looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. manson looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from manson!
Van Slang takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Van Slang gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
manson is nestled in close to Van Slang, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's one minute gone in the round.

manson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Van Slang defends it well.
manson wants to stand but Van Slang has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
manson thows a huge punch but Van Slang dodges it nicely.
Van Slang lands with a few short shots to the body.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
manson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Van Slang looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and manson pushes past his half guard into mount!
manson lands a big elbow.
Van Slang is looking to get to half guard.
manson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
manson scores with a couple of good head shots there.
manson lands a big elbow.
Van Slang really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
manson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Van Slang flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
manson is in the full mount, landing strikes.

manson is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Van Slang is surviving well by controlling manson's body position as best he can.
manson blocks Van Slang's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Van Slang is in all sorts of trouble here.
manson looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
manson lands a heavy elbow.
Van Slang throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Van Slang in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Van Slang working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Slang in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
manson working away from the top, dropping strikes.
manson is landing with some decent strikes but Van Slang is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
manson throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Van Slang because manson loaded up on that one.
manson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Arjen Van Slang overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Van Slang is desperately trying to improve his position but manson has a good base and remains in mount.
Van Slang swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Van Slang tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Van Slang is working hard here to advance position.
manson with shots to the head and body - Van Slang looks very uncomfortable down there.
Van Slang tries to reverse the position but manson maintains control.
Van Slang is bucking up trying to escape but manson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
manson has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Van Slang's face.
Van Slang is wriggling around trying to escape.
manson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

manson working for a submission but Van Slang is keeping him at bay.
manson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Van Slang hang on?
Van Slang really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
manson lands a big elbow.
Van Slang throwing hammer fists to the chest of manson. What's that going to do exactly?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Van Slang keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
manson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but paul manson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Van Slang gets the takedown into side control.
Van Slang lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
manson takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Van Slang thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Van Slang tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Van Slang has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
manson throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
manson dodges the ground and pound from Van Slang.
manson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Van Slang is looking to advance position but manson won't allow it.
manson gets back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
manson striking off his back but it's not causing Van Slang any problems.

manson working for a triangle but Van Slang defends it easily.
Van Slang wants to pass the guard but manson is keeping the position.
Van Slang postures up in manson's guard and throws a big left but manson blocks it.
Van Slang throws and elbow that misses. manson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Van Slang's guard. Nice move by manson!
Van Slang thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
manson connects with a couple of short punches.
manson thows a big elbow that misses.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Van Slang misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Van Slang shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has manson pinned against the cage. manson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Van Slang shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with manson but manson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Van Slang fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Van Slang stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from manson.
Arjen Van Slang seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
manson tests Van Slang's chin there with a solid looking shot.
manson tries to clinch up but Van Slang circles away and keeps his distance.

Van Slang scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Van Slang goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, manson rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Van Slang's guard! Nice work there by manson!
manson throwing strikes from guard but Van Slang blocks nicely.

Van Slang is looking for a triangle here but manson uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
manson is working Van Slang over with some ground and pound from side control.
manson sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Van Slang is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

manson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Van Slang, who protects the arm well.
Van Slang regains half guard.
manson thows a huge punch but Van Slang dodges it nicely.
Van Slang slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Van Slang trying to strike off his back.

Van Slang looking for submissions from the bottom but instead manson passes into side control.
manson in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
manson misses with the ground and pound.
Van Slang manages to work his way to half guard, despite manson's best efforts.
manson wants to pass the guard but Van Slang is defending well.
Van Slang landing a few short strikes.
manson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Van Slang's head.

Van Slang looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
manson working Van Slang over with strikes.
Arjen Van Slang has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Van Slang avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Van Slang misses with a double jab

and manson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Van Slang!
paul manson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
manson landing strikes from the mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to paul manson.
I've got manson 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 James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... paul manson!