PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jean Claude Van Damme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esko Jazz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Damme comes to the cage accompanied by Fight to Survive. Jazz has chosen AC/DC - Back in Black as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Jean Claude Van Damme had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Claude Van Damme
vs
Jazz

182 cm
23
190 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

178 cm
22
190 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jean Claude Van Damme!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Esko Jazz!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Igor Prikhodko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Damme throws a sloppy head kick and Jazz moves out of range easily.
Van Damme looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Van Damme throws a leg kick which misses Jazz's front leg but catches the back leg as Jazz tries to avoid it.

Van Damme fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Jazz, pushing him back against the cage.
Jazz controlling the action here for a moment.
Van Damme prevents a takedown attempt there.
Van Damme scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Jazz stalling the fight.
Van Damme looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Van Damme breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Van Damme darts in and clinches Jazz up against the cage.
Jazz has Van Damme pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Van Damme manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Van Damme breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Jazz gets a clinch.

Van Damme breaks the clinch.
Van Damme doesn't manage to clinch there - Jazz circles away.
Jazz tries for a takedown but Van Damme sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Jean Claude Van Damme has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Esko Jazz.
Van Damme cracks the inside of Jazz's front leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jazz keeps the fight on the outside.
Jazz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Van Damme as he jumps to the side.
Van Damme swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Jazz.
Jazz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Van Damme swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Van Damme throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Jazz looks gassed!
Jazz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Van Damme as Jazz shoots in.
Van Damme throws a front kick aimed at Jazz's knee but Jazz avoids it well.

Van Damme drives through and clinches with Jazz against the cage.
Van Damme being controlled against the cage.
Jazz tries to pull guard but Van Damme won't allow it.
Van Damme displaying some good clinch control by pressing Jazz up against the cage.
Jazz prevents Van Damme from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Van Damme has Jazz pushed against the cage.
Van Damme fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Van Damme is trying to break the clinch but Jazz has him pressed against the cage.

Van Damme manages to break the clinch.

Van Damme drives through and clinches with Jazz against the cage.
Jazz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Van Damme's efforts to push away.

Jazz breaks the clinch.
Jazz shoots for a takedown but Van Damme saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Jazz checks a leg kick.
Jazz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Van Damme is fending him off so far but Jazz persists. Nope, Van Damme circles away and we're back to standing.
Van Damme connects with a high kick.
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!

Van Damme has taken the fight to the clinch.
Van Damme scores with a hook to the body.
Good body shot from Van Damme.
Jazz has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Van Damme is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Jazz fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Van Damme softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Jazz misses with an elbow over the top.
Jazz is struggling to control the position.
Van Damme wants to break free but Jazz has control.
Van Damme lands a left hand.
Van Damme tries to break the clinch but Jazz is controlling the position.

Jazz manages to pull guard.
Van Damme postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Van Damme trying to control but Jazz is working from the bottom.
Jazz is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jazz trying to keep a closed guard but Van Damme is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Van Damme pushes down on Jazz's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Jazz looking for submissions off his back.
Van Damme thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Jazz's head.
Van Damme lands with a punch from half guard.
Jazz trying to control from the bottom.
Van Damme is keen to just control but Jazz is a slippery customer.
Van Damme perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Van Damme connects with a nice short shot to Jazz's temple.
Jazz is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Claude Van Damme dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Jazz fails with the takedown.
Jazz shoots in for a double leg but Van Damme sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Van Damme forces Jazz back against the cage and clinches.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Jazz tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Jean Claude Van Damme has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Esko Jazz.
Jazz has Van Damme pushed against the cage.
Jazz is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Jazz drops down looking for an ankle pick but Van Damme pulls his leg out and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jazz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Van Damme closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Jazz is breathing heavily.
Van Damme is trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jazz leaning his opponent against the cage.
Jazz looking to slow down the pace here.
Jazz drops down looking for an ankle pick but Van Damme pulls his leg out and moves away.
Van Damme keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Van Damme moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Van Damme moves into the clinch successfully.
Jazz blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Van Damme controlling the action here for a moment.
Jazz wants a takedown but no success here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme lands a shot to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A right hook to the body lands for Van Damme.
Van Damme tries to land knees in the clinch but Jazz avoids the damage to the body.
A right handed body shot lands from Van Damme.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Van Damme creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Van Damme pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Van Damme fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Van Damme rushes Jazz and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Van Damme creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Jazz throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Van Damme blocks it with crossed arms.

Van Damme's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jazz fails to land the takedown.
Van Damme moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Damme scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Jean Claude Van Damme seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme lands with a kick to the temple. Jazz shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Jean Claude Van Damme is winning the standup battle so far.
Van Damme tries to clinch there but Jazz circles away.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Jazz scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Jazz working the ground and pound but Van Damme is defending the strikes.
Van Damme is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Jazz wants to control but Van Damme is keeping him busy.
Van Damme on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Van Damme tries to get out of the position.
Van Damme tries to improve position but can't.
Van Damme managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Jazz.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Van Damme struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jazz working the head with strikes.
Jazz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Van Damme keeps working.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Jazz moves into the clinch successfully.
Van Damme misses with a hook from the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Jazz has Van Damme pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Jazz pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Van Damme tumbling to the mat - Jazz dives into Van Damme's guard.
Jazz looking to pass the guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Van Damme is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Jazz is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Claude Van Damme dominated that second round.
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!

Jazz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Van Damme is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jazz tries to clinch but Van Damme is having none of it.
Jazz avoids the head kick by Van Damme.
Jazz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Danga de danga de dang - Van Damme scores with a four punch combination!
Van Damme looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Jazz scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Jazz looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Van Damme is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Jazz works over Van Damme with some ground and pound from guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jazz thows a big elbow that misses.

Jazz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Jazz chips away with some ground and pound.
Van Damme looking to control.
Jazz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Van Damme works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jazz throwing strikes from guard but Van Damme blocks nicely.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Van Damme sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Van Damme on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Jazz throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Van Damme tries a low kick but Jazz avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jazz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jazz looks for a takedown but Van Damme sprawls well.

Jazz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Jazz sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Van Damme is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Van Damme struggling a bit here.

Jazz is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Van Damme is trying to escape and Jazz transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Van Damme is forced to tap! Nice work there by Jazz! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Esko Jazz!