PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Thip Top (ranked 1302 p4p, 931 weight class) and Anton Strålman (ranked 155 p4p, 118 weight class). Top comes to the cage accompanied by Self Destructor - Chevelle. Strålman has chosen Three Kings as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Top
vs
Strålman

175 cm
29
155
14 - 12 - 0

172 cm
35
148
27 - 21 - 1

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thip Top!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 21 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Anton Strålman!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Chris Edwards and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Top swats away the attempt to clinch by Strålman.
Top lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Strålman tries to clinch up.
Top circles away from the clinch attempt.
Strålman lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Strålman tries to clinch but Top moves out of range.
Strålman lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Top circles away quickly and effectively.
Top throwing a counter right hand but Strålman manages to avoid it.
Strålman wants to slow Top down by chopping away at his legs.
Strålman tries to bum rush Top with a series of wild strikes but Top uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Strålman looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Strålman with a nice calf kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Strålman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Top blocks a head kick by Strålman.

Strålman closes the distance and clinches.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Top throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Top prevents a body shot from Strålman.

Top breaks from the clinch.
Strålman swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Top counters with a straight right hand.
Strålman is looking to land body kicks.
Strålman with the inside leg kick.
Top looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A clash of legs there as Strålman blocks the low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strålman is looking to clinch.
Strålman throws the left hand but Top avoids the punch easily.
Strålman has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Strålman punishes Top's body with a nice straight punch.
Strålman takes a jab right on the kisser.
Top wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Strålman moves into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Strålman working hard to break the clinch.
Top softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Top is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Strålman blocks an elbow strike from Top.

Strålman breaks from the clinch.
A nice combination there by Strålman.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Top lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Strålman moves into the clinch successfully.
Top prevents the takedown attempt.
Strålman wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
With the fighters up against the cage, Top throws an elbow but misses.
Top comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Top misses with an elbow over the top.
Top throws a head punch that misses.
Top lands with a short shot to the head.

Top breaks from the clinch.
Top ducks under a wild hook from Strålman.
An attempted straight right counter from Top misses the target.
Strålman misses with a two punch combination.
Strålman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Top pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Top throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Strålman lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Strålman closes the distance looking to clinch
and Top counters with a good low kick that Strålman was not able to check.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Strålman checks a leg kick.
Top tries to work over Strålman's front leg with a kick but Strålman checks it.
Strålman unleashes a big counter combination but Top bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Strålman tries to clinch up but Top circles away and keeps his distance.
Strålman tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Top counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Strålman thinking.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Strålman tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Strålman misses with a looping right.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Thip Top will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nice uppercut there from Strålman.
Strålman misses with a wild combination.
A head kick misses from Strålman.
Top is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Strålman tries to clinch up but Top circles away and keeps his distance.
Strålman tries to clinch up but Top circles away and keeps his distance.
Top throws a leg kick but Strålman sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Top tries to score with a low kick but Strålman moves his leg out of the way.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Strålman throws a leg kick that is checked
and Top counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Top throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Strålman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Anton Strålman seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Top avoids the head kick by Strålman.
Strålman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Top manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Strålman is looking to clinch.
A counter left hand to the body from Top misses its target.

Strålman gets a clinch.

Strålman's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Anton Strålman is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Strålman tries to clinch but Top is having none of it.

Strålman rushes Top and presses him up against the cage.

Top escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Top wants to slow Strålman down by chopping away at his legs.
Strålman looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Strålman throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Top to counter with a crisp jab.
Top keeps the fight on the outside.
Strålman just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromTop.
Strålman throws a poor cross that misses
and Top connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strålman with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Top throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Top looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Anton Strålman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Top misses with a body punch
and Strålman counters with a nice uppercut.
Strålman misses with a leg kick
and Top counters with a right hand to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Top keeps the fight on the outside.
Top circles away from the clinch attempt
and Top cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Top throws a leg kick
and Strålman makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Strålman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Top lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Strålman throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strålman throws an overhand right that lands on Top's shoulder, as Top tries to avoid the shot.

Strålman moves into the clinch.

Strålman breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Top tries a head kick but it misses.
Top throws a half hearted mid kick.
Strålman connects with a looping right hand.
Top circles away from the clinch attempt.
Strålman looks to score with a jab to the body but Top is just out of range.
Strålman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Top swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A combination from Strålman does no damage.
Strålman fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Top scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
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!

Top goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Strålman rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Top's guard! Nice work there by Strålman!

Top looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Strålman engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Top working for submissions but it's allowed Strålman to get to half guard.
Strålman wants to stand up but Top has a hold of him and won't allow it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Anton Strålman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Strålman wants to clinch
and Top counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Strålman is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Strålman wants to clinch.
Top appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Strålman jabs at Top's body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Strålman on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Both fighters circling a little - Top finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Strålman tries to clinch but Top is having none of it.
Strålman checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Top will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Strålman looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Strålman walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Top checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Top quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Strålman misses with a straight left.
Strålman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Top swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Strålman tries to close the distance and clinch but Top swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Strålman fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Top.
Strålman tries to clinch but Top is having none of it.
Strålman throws a right hand that Top ducks under and follows up with a left that Top also avoids with ease.
It looked like Top wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Strålman jabs Top right on the nose. Top blinks but takes it well.
Strålman defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Top.
Anton Strålman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Strålman misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strålman fails to land with a series of punches.
Top shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Strålman tries to clinch up.
Strålman lands with a shot to the body.
Top takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Top takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Strålman misses with a hook.
Strålman throws a jab but it's blocked by Top.
Strålman throws a combination. Top tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Strålman closes the distance but Top moves to the side
and Top counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strålman tries to bum rush Top with a series of wild strikes but Top uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Strålman rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Top moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Strålman is trying to drag Top to the mat but Top just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Top's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Top throws a half hearted mid kick.
A head kick misses from Top.
Strålman looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Top slips a jab and a cross from Strålman.
Strålman misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Top misses with a leg kick
and Strålman connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Strålman cracks a nice hook into Top's ribs.
Strålman throws a shot from downtown. Top moves away and avoids it.
Strålman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Top manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
As Strålman backs away, Top returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Strålman is looking to clinch.
Top misses with a few strikes there.
Strålman misses with a double jab
and Top counters with a leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A slow jab from Strålman misses its intended target.
Strålman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Top paws at him with a jab and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anton Strålman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Strålman 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anton Strålman!
Anton Strålman spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.