PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Trond Asmundsen (ranked 1913 p4p, 1481 weight class) and Valentin Saric (ranked 254 p4p, 195 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.

Asmundsen
vs
Saric

188 cm
28
190
14 - 11 - 0

200 cm
27
195
9 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Core Combat

Conviction

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 14 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Trond Asmundsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Valentin Saric!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Sosuke Kotani and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Asmundsen ducks right into an uppercut from Saric.
Saric throws the left hand but Asmundsen avoids the punch easily.
Asmundsen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
And Saric tries to counter it with a takedown but Asmundsen pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Asmundsen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Asmundsen swings for the body but Saric moves out of range.
Saric on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Asmundsen walks into a straight right hand from Saric.
Asmundsen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saric.
Asmundsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saric moves away.
Asmundsen misses the shot to the body.
Saric looks to land a combination but Asmundsen avoids it well.
Asmundsen drops down looking for a counter takedown but Saric sprawls and moves away.
Asmundsen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Asmundsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saric moves away.
Nice straight punches there by Saric. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Saric.

Saric moves into range and clinches up with Asmundsen.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Asmundsen is looking to control Saric's arms but Saric gets an underhook and turns him. Now Asmundsen has his back to the cage.
Asmundsen can't find room to land a body shot as Saric controls the action.
Asmundsen stalling in the clinch.
Saric lands with a light punch inside.
Nice body punch from Asmundsen.
Asmundsen is pushing Saric up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saric wants a takedown but no success here.

Saric escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Saric loads up on a big right hand but Asmundsen slips the punch.
Saric jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Asmundsen half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Saric jabs Asmundsen to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Saric drives through with a takedown into guard.

Asmundsen looking for a guillotine here but Saric defends easily.
Asmundsen is trying to control the position but Saric postures up.
Saric wants to control from the top but Asmundsen keeps moving.
Saric looking to pass the guard.
Asmundsen keeping moving, preventing Saric from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saric sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Asmundsen's guard.
Saric is looking to take a break and control but Asmundsen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Asmundsen trying to control here.
Saric works his foot free and advances to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saric fails to move to back control.
Saric wants to control the pace but Asmundsen is squirming around nicely.
Asmundsen wants to hold on but Saric pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Asmundsen is looking to improve his position but Saric isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Asmundsen tries to hold on but Saric postures up.
Saric trying to control but Asmundsen is having none of it.
Asmundsen tries to hold on but Saric postures up.
Asmundsen is squirming around, avoiding Saric's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Saric with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Saric trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Asmundsen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Saric tries to control but Asmundsen wriggling away.
Asmundsen slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Saric moves nicely into side control.
Asmundsen prevents Saric from improving position.
Asmundsen manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Saric moves away from the strike by Asmundsen.
Asmundsen wants to clinch.
Asmundsen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Asmundsen tries for a takedown but Saric sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Saric ducks under a wild hook from Asmundsen.
Saric throws a body punch but Asmundsen moves out of range.
A left lands for Saric.
Asmundsen lands a nice shot that snaps Saric's head back.
Asmundsen misses with a wild body shot.
Saric misses the shot to the body.
Saric darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saric swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Asmundsen takes a swing at Saric's ribcage but misses.
Asmundsen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Saric looks to throw the jab but Asmundsen is out of range.
Saric checks the leg kick nicely there.
Saric throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Asmundsen enables Saric to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Asmundsen manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Saric advances position into side control!
Asmundsen struggling a bit here.

Saric tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Saric remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Saric tries to advance to mount but can't.
Asmundsen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Asmundsen regains half guard there - taking advantage of Saric's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asmundsen is looking to control Saric's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Asmundsen avoid being mounted?
Asmundsen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Saric controlling the pace.
My spies in Fairtex MMA inform me that Saric has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Asmundsen manages to get to full guard.
Saric pushes down on Asmundsen's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Saric controlling the pace.
Asmundsen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Saric is working away from the top position though.
Saric is trying to control the action in half guard but Asmundsen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Asmundsen wants to improve his position but Saric is controlling well.
Saric trying to control the action but Asmundsen is working from the bottom.
Asmundsen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Saric is working away from the top position though.
Saric trying to control the action but Asmundsen is working from the bottom.
Asmundsen is looking for a sweep. Saric is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Saric stalling.
Asmundsen trying to control from the bottom.
Asmundsen works his way to full guard. Good work.
Asmundsen keeping moving, preventing Saric from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Saric stays in close to Asmundsen's body and controls the position.

Asmundsen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Saric can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Saric is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Saric lying in Asmundsen's guard like a wet fish here, stalling away. Asmundsen decides he's had enough of all that nonsense - he escapes his hips and locks up an armbar! Wow, that was slick! Saric taps! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Trond Asmundsen!