PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ragnar Lothbrock (ranked 3445 p4p, 4139 weight class) and Steve Norton (ranked 383 p4p, 450 weight class). Norton has chosen Notice Me as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lothbrock
vs
Norton

185 cm
29
235
2 - 8 - 0

195 cm
30
259
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Granite 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 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ragnar Lothbrock!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steve Norton!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Steve Montenegro and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lothbrock throws a series of punches but Norton avoids them all with ease.
Lothbrock will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Lothbrock forces Norton back against the cage and clinches.

Norton gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Lothbrock manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Norton scores with a punch to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Lothbrock clinches up with Norton and pushes him back against the cage.
Lothbrock tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Lothbrock fails to pull guard.
Lothbrock jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Norton walks away with a smile on his face. Lothbrock gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ragnar Lothbrock. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lothbrock keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Lothbrock has Norton up against the cage in a clinch.
Norton softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lothbrock tries to score a body lock takedown but Norton shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Lothbrock prevents the takedown attempt.
Norton is pressed up against the cage. Lothbrock has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Norton down to the mat. Norton avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Norton misses with a head kick.

Norton closes the distance and clinches.
Lothbrock changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Norton fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Lothbrock takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Lothbrock takes one on the button.

Lothbrock gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Norton manages to break the clinch.
Lothbrock misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Norton swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lothbrock darts in and clinches Norton up against the cage.

Lothbrock gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Norton looking to control.
Lothbrock being controlled here momentarily.
Norton keeping moving, preventing Lothbrock from controlling successfully.
Norton wants to stand and escape but Lothbrock is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lothbrock trying to control the position from guard on top but Norton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Norton can do anything to dispel that myth.
Lothbrock sitting in guard here, content to control.
We've been hearing that Lothbrock has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Norton trying to control the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norton keeping moving, preventing Lothbrock from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lothbrock tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Norton defends well and Lothbrock ends up having to push Norton into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Norton steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Lothbrock.
Lothbrock working hard to break the clinch.

Norton breaks the clinch.
Good standup being displayed there by Norton as he connects with a hook.

Lothbrock forces Norton back against the cage and clinches.

Norton escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lothbrock fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Norton.
Lothbrock looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Norton is fending him off so far but Lothbrock persists. Nope, Norton circles away and we're back to standing.

Lothbrock moves into range and clinches up with Norton.
Norton is pushing Lothbrock up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Lothbrock tries to circle away but Norton has him pinned against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lothbrock tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Lothbrock doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Norton with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Lothbrock fails to pull guard.
Lothbrock has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Norton avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Norton breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ragnar Lothbrock seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Norton throws a sloppy head kick and Lothbrock moves out of range easily.
Norton throws a sloppy head kick and Lothbrock moves out of range easily.

Norton moves into range and clinches up with Lothbrock.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Steve Norton will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Lothbrock clinches up with Norton and pushes him back against the cage.

Norton manages to break the clinch.

Lothbrock has closed the distance and engaged Norton in a clinch.
Lothbrock changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Norton fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Norton gets tackled into the cage by Lothbrock. Lothbrock maintains the clinch.

Norton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Norton tests Lothbrock's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Norton shoots for a takedown but Lothbrock saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lothbrock has managed to clinch.

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

Lothbrock rushes Norton and presses him up against the cage.
Lothbrock goes for a takedown in the clinch but Norton prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norton has Lothbrock pressed against the cage.
Norton gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lothbrock.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ragnar Lothbrock. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lothbrock drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Norton gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Lothbrock can't get the takedown.
Lothbrock stalling in the clinch but Norton improves position.

Norton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Lothbrock clinches.
Lothbrock takes a shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lothbrock is trying to pull guard but Norton has him pressed against the cage.
Norton avoids the elbow strike from Lothbrock, against the cage.

Norton manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Norton wriggles free and stands up.

Norton throws a big overhand right that connects, sending Lothbrock tumbling to the canvas!

It looks like Ragnar Lothbrock has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Norton connects with a couple of short punches.
Norton wants to control from the top but Lothbrock keeps moving.
Norton throws a big right hand that misses.

Norton decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Lothbrock, up you get!

Lothbrock fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Norton, pushing him back against the cage.
Norton gets underhooks to prevent Lothbrock's takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Norton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Lothbrock gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A frustrated look appears on Lothbrock's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ragnar Lothbrock has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Lothbrock tries to pull guard but Norton forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Norton digs a right hand underneath Lothbrock's ribcage. Lothbrock let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Norton has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Norton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Norton thuds his right hand into Lothbrock's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Decent striking displayed by Norton there.
Norton leaves Lothbrock with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Norton pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Lothbrock closes the distance and clinches.
Lothbrock tries to score a body lock takedown but Norton shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Lothbrock stalling in the clinch but Norton improves position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Norton breaks from the clinch.
A nice inside leg kick there by Norton. That's going to slow Lothbrock down.
Norton misses with a double jab.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lothbrock letting Norton take a breather here.
Norton cracks Lothbrock with a nice body shot.

Norton pulls guard successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Norton is on top in guard.

Norton trying to control but Lothbrock is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Norton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ragnar Lothbrock's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Lothbrock moves into the clinch.

Norton pulls Lothbrock into guard.
Lothbrock wants to control from the top but Norton keeps moving.
Lothbrock controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Norton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lothbrock is one step ahead there.
Lothbrock wants to control from the top but Norton keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lothbrock is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Norton is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Norton uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Norton has Lothbrock up against the cage in a clinch.

Norton breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Norton looks to land a body kick but Lothbrock moved away.
Lothbrock takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Lothbrock closes the distance and clinches.

Norton breaks the clinch.
Lothbrock keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Norton keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Norton misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lothbrock moves out of range of the body kick.

Lothbrock has taken the fight to the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Norton ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Norton no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Norton looking to control.
Lothbrock makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Lothbrock postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Norton is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lothbrock not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Lothbrock postures up in Norton's guard and throws a big left but Norton blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lothbrock preventing the sweep.
Ragnar Lothbrock has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lothbrock trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lothbrock postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Lothbrock gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Norton's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Norton tries a head kick but it misses.

Lothbrock closes the distance and pushes Norton back into the cage.
Lothbrock is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Norton pulls guard effortlessly.
Norton trying to control the position.
Norton can't keep his opponent in guard - Lothbrock advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lothbrock wants to control but Norton is keeping him busy.
Lothbrock performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Lothbrock is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Norton is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ragnar Lothbrock!
Steve Norton spoke after the fight, saying 'I will come back stronger than ever to smash whatever I need to smash to win again.'.