PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jack McScramble (ranked 2217 p4p, 3018 weight class) and Dick Ekelund (ranked 190 p4p, 246 weight class). Dick Ekelund will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

McScramble
vs
Ekelund

156 cm
31
150
11 - 15 - 0

178 cm
30
150
10 - 12 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Fantasy Threads

Conviction

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 11 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jack McScramble!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dick Ekelund!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Yves DeLean and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ekelund tries to close the distance and clinch but McScramble swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

McScramble moves into the clinch.
McScramble is working for takedown but Ekelund is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ekelund tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and McScramble avoids it.
Ekelund pressing his opponent against the cage.

McScramble works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Ekelund looking for a sweep. Not yet Ekelund, not yet.
Ekelund keeping full guard, as McScramble tries to pass.
McScramble with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McScramble looking to pass the guard.
McScramble is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekelund wants to sweep here but McScramble controlling him for the moment.
McScramble might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

McScramble drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ekelund dives on top into guard.

McScramble looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Ekelund puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Ekelund prevents McScramble from improving his position.
We've been hearing good reports from McScramble's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Ekelund not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekelund trying to control the action but McScramble is working from the bottom.
McScramble has a hand on Ekelund's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Ekelund takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Ekelund looking to control but McScramble is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
McScramble is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekelund controlling the pace for now.
McScramble reaches up and holds on to Ekelund to control the position.
McScramble regains half guard.
Ekelund prevents McScramble from improving his position.

That's four 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.
Ekelund wants to take a breather but McScramble is having none of it.
McScramble tries to roll over but Ekelund keeps him under control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

McScramble looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The fighters are battling for position here. McScramble manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dick Ekelund 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.

McScramble gets tackled into the cage by Ekelund. Ekelund maintains the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ekelund.
McScramble just leaning against Ekelund, taking a breather.
McScramble will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ekelund up against the cage.
Ekelund scores with a shot to the side of McScramble's head.

McScramble lands a takedown into guard.
McScramble slips nicely into half guard.

McScramble is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ekelund sees it coming and defends easily.
Jack McScramble overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

McScramble is looking for a kimura here.
Ekelund is trying to defend against the ground and pound but McScramble scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McScramble is looking to take a break and control but Ekelund is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

McScramble is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ekelund tries to roll over but McScramble keeps him under control.
McScramble tries to pass to full mount but Ekelund defends it.
McScramble is looking to pass Ekelund's guard but actually Ekelund recovers to full guard.
McScramble throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
McScramble stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ekelund swivels though and keeps the full guard.
McScramble wants to control from the top but Ekelund keeps moving.
McScramble wants to pass the guard but Ekelund is keeping the position.
Ekelund looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
McScramble is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
McScramble trying to control but Ekelund is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Dick Ekelund seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A swing and a miss from Ekelund.
McScramble misses with a wild body shot.
Ekelund tries to close the distance and clinch up but McScramble swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ekelund fails with an attempt to clinch.
McScramble avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
McScramble lands a slapping body shot.
Ekelund is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by McScramble.
Ekelund throws a right hand that McScramble ducks under and follows up with a left that McScramble also avoids with ease.
McScramble tries to counter with a takedown but Ekelund is quick to defend against it.
Ekelund cracks McScramble with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekelund tries to clinch up.
McScramble half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Ekelund swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A jab from Ekelund misses.

Ekelund clinches up against the cage.
Ekelund lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
McScramble blocks an uppercut.
Ekelund throws a head punch that misses.
McScramble blocks an uppercut.

McScramble is trying to trip Ekelund. He has hold of a leg but Ekelund is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. McScramble persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ekelund looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
McScramble is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ekelund utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
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 Jack McScramble will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ekelund misses with a straight right.
Ekelund tries to clinch but McScramble is having none of it.
A big right from Ekelund misses.
Ekelund cracks McScramble with a good jab.
McScramble wants to clinch.
Ekelund tries to clinch but McScramble is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McScramble throws a lazy right hand but Ekelund sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ekelund tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. McScramble manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
McScramble appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Ekelund jabs McScramble to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Ekelund lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Ekelund is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekelund throws out a loose jab but McScramble uses good head movement to avoid it.
McScramble tries to counter with a takedown but Ekelund is quick to defend against it.

Ekelund instigates a clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from McScramble.
Ekelund fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ekelund misses with a punch on the inside.
McScramble working Ekelund over with knees to the body.
Still in the clinch, McScramble scores with a nice short uppercut.
McScramble stalling.

McScramble has hold of one of Ekelund's legs. Ekelund is fighting the takedown attempt but McScramble gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

McScramble has gone for a leg lock! Ekelund slips out almost immediately though and dives into McScramble's guard.

McScramble keeping moving, preventing Ekelund from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

McScramble is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ekelund defends well.
McScramble wants to improve his position but instead Ekelund has moved into half guard.
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!
Ekelund wants to control but McScramble is keeping him busy.
McScramble is concentrating on defense, preventing Ekelund from advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McScramble is trying to get back to full guard.
McScramble is staying active underneath Ekelund, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
McScramble is trying to get back to full guard.
McScramble keeping control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ekelund prevents McScramble from improving his position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ekelund tries to close the distance and clinch up but McScramble swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ekelund fails in his attempt to clinch.
McScramble just misses with a punch to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dick Ekelund.
I think Ekelund has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Dick Ekelund!
An out of breath Dick Ekelund thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.