PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Magnus Thoressen (ranked 1203 p4p, 849 weight class) and Braynas Hlervu (ranked 148 p4p, 97 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.

Thoressen
vs
Hlervu

178 cm
29
167
13 - 9 - 0

168 cm
28
158
7 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Magnus Thoressen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Braynas Hlervu!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Sosuke Kotani and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hlervu dodges the punch combination from Thoressen.
Thoressen has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Desert Fitness & Training -13 Elites/1 Sensational in the buildup to the fight.
Thoressen looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Hlervu stuns Thoressen with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Hlervu looks to score with a jab to the body but Thoressen is just out of range.
Hlervu throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Hlervu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hlervu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thoressen was well out of range. Poor timing from Hlervu.
A good leg kick by Hlervu.
The fighters circle momentarily. Hlervu darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Thoressen checks the leg kick nicely there.
A little feinted left hand from Thoressen on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hlervu misses with a straight right.
Hlervu tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Thoressen is able to avoid easily.
Thoressen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hlervu feints and then cracks Thoressen's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Thoressen down.
Thoressen checks a low kick from Hlervu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A low kick from Hlervu is predictable there
and Thoressen counters with a straight right hand.
Hlervu throws a big shot that misses.
Hlervu avoids the body shot from Thoressen.
Hlervu walks into a stiff left hand from Thoressen.
Thoressen takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Thoressen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hlervu.
Thoressen avoids the body shot from Hlervu.
Thoressen tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Hlervu attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Hlervu wants to clinch.
Hlervu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thoressen was well out of range. Poor timing from Hlervu.
Hlervu looks to score with a jab to the body but Thoressen is just out of range.
Hlervu throws a right hand that misses
and Thoressen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hlervu takes a swing at Thoressen's ribcage but misses.
A little feinted left hand from Thoressen on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hlervu throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Thoressen walks into a straight right hand from Hlervu.
Hlervu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thoressen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hlervu walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Thoressen checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Hlervu swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Hlervu scores with a hook.
A telegraphed right hand from Hlervu misses the target.
Hlervu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thoressen chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hlervu can pounce on him.
A slow jab from Thoressen misses its intended target.

Thoressen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Hlervu fails to land.
Hlervu looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Hlervu wants to break free but Thoressen has control.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Thoressen.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Thoressen.
Hlervu wants to get back to striking at distance but Thoressen won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thoressen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Hlervu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hlervu throws a hook to the side of Thoressen's head but Thoressen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hlervu is looking to clinch but Thoressen is avoiding it.
Some bone on bone action there as Thoressen checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Hlervu fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Thoressen tests Hlervu's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Thoressen swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Hlervu.
Hlervu connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Thoressen momentarily.
Hlervu lands a leg kick that knocks Thoressen off balance momentarily.
A shot to the body from Hlervu misses
and Thoressen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thoressen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hlervu.
A clash of legs there as Thoressen blocks the low kick.
Hlervu moves in looking to clinch but Thoressen pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thoressen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thoressen misses with a looping right.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thoressen scores with a nice strike.
An inside leg kick lands from Hlervu.
Hlervu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Thoressen.
Hlervu dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hlervu darts in trying to clinch
letting Thoressen counter with a right hand.

Hlervu clinches up against the cage.
Hlervu struggles to land a body shot inside as Thoressen controls his hands.
Hlervu has a couple of punches blocked by Thoressen.
Hlervu wants to break the clinch but can't.
Thoressen is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Thoressen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Hlervu blocks an uppercut.
Thoressen is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Hlervu lands a right hand that snaps the head of Thoressen backwards.
Thoressen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Braynas Hlervu will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Hlervu throws a sloppy head kick and Thoressen moves out of range easily.
Braynas Hlervu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Thoressen moves out of range as Hlervu strikes.
Hlervu misses with a straight left.
Thoressen swats away the attempt to clinch by Hlervu.
Thoressen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Thoressen keeps the fight on the outside.
Thoressen on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Hlervu misses with a low kick.
Hlervu connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Thoressen looks to land a left hand but Hlervu moved out of range nicely.
A jab lands there for Thoressen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hlervu scores with a jab to the jaw.
Hlervu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thoressen.
A little feinted left hand from Thoressen on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Hlervu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thoressen manages to avoid it.
Hlervu dodges the punch combination from Thoressen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hlervu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Thoressen.
Thoressen is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Thoressen checks a low kick from Hlervu.
Thoressen misses with a low kick.
Thoressen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thoressen avoids the head kick by Hlervu.
Hlervu lands with a good body shot.
Thoressen cracks Hlervu with a good jab.
Hlervu misses with a hook. Thoressen ducked under it nicely.
An attempted straight right counter from Thoressen misses the target.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hlervu.
Thoressen half committed to a counter leg kick.
Hlervu swings for the body but Thoressen moves out of range.

Thoressen instigates a clinch.
Thoressen blocks an uppercut.
Thoressen landing knees to the head.
Hlervu blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Good body shot from Hlervu.

Hlervu escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hlervu connects with a high kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hlervu wants to clinch.
Hlervu throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hlervu attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Thoressen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nice shot lands for Thoressen.
Hlervu circles away from the clinch attempt.

Hlervu has taken the fight to the clinch.

Hlervu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hlervu throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thoressen misses with a hook.
Hlervu misses with a right hand
and Thoressen makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hlervu digs a good body shot into Thoressen's ribs.
Thoressen ducks under a wild hook from Hlervu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thoressen ducks under a wild hook from Hlervu.
The fighters circling - Thoressen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hlervu tries to clinch there but Thoressen circles away.
Thoressen clobbers Hlervu with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Thoressen moves out of range of the body kick.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thoressen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Thoressen misses with an uppercut.
Hlervu misses with a lunging right hand
and Thoressen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A head kick from Thoressen lands but Hlervu takes it in his stride.
Thoressen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hlervu rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Hlervu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hlervu fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Thoressen takes a swing at Hlervu's ribcage but misses.
Thoressen swats away the attempt to clinch by Hlervu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thoressen throws a jab when Hlervu was well out of range.
Hlervu tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Thoressen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Thoressen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Thoressen misses with a wild body shot.
Thoressen slips under a jab from Hlervu.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hlervu thows a leg kick but Thoressen checks it
and Thoressen counters with an inside leg kick.
Hlervu misses with a head kick.
Hlervu wants to clinch.
It looked like Thoressen was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Hlervu.
Hlervu keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Hlervu throws a nice outside leg kick.
Thoressen scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Thoressen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hlervu moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hlervu motions for Thoressen to come forward. Hlervu throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Hlervu slips a jab and a cross from Thoressen.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Magnus Thoressen will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Thoressen looks to land a left hand but Hlervu moved out of range nicely.
Thoressen slips a straight right by Hlervu.
Thoressen throws an off balance right hand
letting Hlervu counter with a right hand.
Hlervu throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Thoressen on the side of the head.
Hlervu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thoressen was well out of range. Poor timing from Hlervu.
Hlervu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hlervu listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Hlervu fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Thoressen, pushing him back against the cage.
Thoressen misses with a knee to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hlervu lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Thoressen.
Magnus Thoressen has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Thoressen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Hlervu wants to break the clinch but can't.
Thoressen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Thoressen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Hlervu is trying to break the clinch but Thoressen is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thoressen tries a knee to the head but Hlervu blocks it.
Hlervu misses with a hook to the ribs.
Thoressen lands a left hand.
Thoressen prevents Hlervu from breaking the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Hlervu.
Thoressen throws a head punch that misses.
Hlervu tries to break the clinch but Thoressen is controlling the position.
Hlervu tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hlervu pushes Thoressen back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Thoressen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hlervu lands a hook that snaps the head of Thoressen backwards.
Thoressen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nice body punch from Hlervu - that landed with a thud.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A short body shot lands from Hlervu as the two fighters clinch.
Thoressen misses with some punches.
Hlervu lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short right from Hlervu on the inside.
Thoressen throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hlervu lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Thoressen backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Hlervu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hlervu is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Hlervu lands a jab-cross combination.
Hlervu throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A cross from Hlervu lands.
Thoressen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Hlervu missing with a left hand there. Thoressen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Jab, jab by Thoressen - just one landing.
Thoressen scores with a head kick. Hlervu tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Hlervu throws a series of punches but Thoressen moves out of range.
Hlervu dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hlervu lands with a slapping head kick.
Hlervu digs a good hook to Thoressen's body.
The fighters circling - Hlervu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hlervu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hlervu changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Thoressen doesn't manage to clinch there - Hlervu circles away.

Hlervu takes the fight into the clinch.

Hlervu manages to break the clinch.
Hlervu fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Thoressen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Thoressen gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Hlervu keeps the fight on the outside.
Hlervu doesn't manage to clinch there - Thoressen circles away.
Hlervu moves out of range as Thoressen strikes.
Thoressen looks to land a left hand but Hlervu moved out of range nicely.
Hlervu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thoressen moves away.
Braynas Hlervu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hlervu throws a leg kick
and Thoressen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Thoressen throws a hook to the side of Hlervu's head but Hlervu sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hlervu connects with an inside leg kick.
A big left from Hlervu misses.
Thoressen throwing a counter right hand but Hlervu manages to avoid it.
Hlervu throws an overhand right that lands on Thoressen's shoulder, as Thoressen tries to avoid the shot.
Hlervu tries to clinch up but Thoressen circles away and keeps his distance.
Thoressen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hlervu moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thoressen misses with an uppercut.

Thoressen clinches with his opponent.
Hlervu throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Thoressens head.
Thoressen gets through Hlervu's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Hlervu tries to work over Thoressen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Thoressen misses with a knee strike.
Thoressen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Hlervu can't find room to land a body shot as Thoressen controls the action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Braynas Hlervu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hlervu 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Braynas Hlervu!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Braynas Hlervu made sure he mentioned Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing, along with how happy he was to win his fight.