PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alen Skoro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Claude Van Damme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Skoro comes to the cage accompanied by Volim Sarajevo. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Skoro
vs
Claude Van Damme

185 cm
24
180 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
174 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Golden Lilium
Golden Lilium

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Alen Skoro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jean Claude Van Damme!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, William Peck and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Damme throws a series of punches but Skoro moves out of range.

Van Damme gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Skoro forces his way into half guard.
Van Damme pushes Skoro off looking to stand but Skoro dives back in and keeps control.

Skoro wants to work for an arm triangle but Van Damme is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Skoro is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Van Damme sees it coming and defends easily.

Skoro wants to work for an arm triangle but Van Damme is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Skoro trying to work for an americana but Van Damme has managed to regain full guard.
Van Damme is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Van Damme looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Skoro drops back, looking for a kneebar! Van Damme looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Van Damme looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Van Damme!

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Van Damme looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Skoro is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Van Damme is looking for a kimura here.
Skoro moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Van Damme drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Van Damme jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Van Damme looks gassed!

Skoro had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Van Damme defends it easily.

Skoro looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Van Damme stands up and waves to Skoro to follow him.
Skoro fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Skoro shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Van Damme defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alen Skoro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Damme tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Van Damme stuffs the takedown attempt from Skoro. Skoro gets slowly back to his feet.
Van Damme misses with a two punch combination.
Jean Claude Van Damme is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Skoro looks for a takedown but Van Damme sprawls well.
Van Damme displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Skoro.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Skoro is defended easily by Van Damme.
Van Damme throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Skoro shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Van Damme defends it nicely.
Van Damme slaps away a takedown attempt from Skoro, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Skoro fails with a takedown attempt.
Skoro shoots for a double leg takedown but Van Damme sprawls well. He's pushed Skoro's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Alen Skoro will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Van Damme misses with a jab, cross combination.
Skoro fails with a takedown attempt.
Van Damme fails with an attempt to clinch.

Skoro scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Skoro tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Skoro goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Van Damme has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Skoro but great work by Van Damme.

Van Damme working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Van Damme thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Damme thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Skoro regains half guard.

Skoro looking for submissions off his back.
Skoro wants to get back to full guard.

Skoro looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Skoro actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Van Damme is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Skoro sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two 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.

Skoro looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Van Damme is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Skoro is just riding it out for now. Van Damme eventually gives up the hold.

Skoro looking for submissions off his back.

Van Damme is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Skoro is just riding it out for now. Van Damme eventually gives up the hold.

Skoro is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Van Damme pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skoro is pressing down on Van Damme's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Skoro looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Skoro escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Van Damme gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Van Damme wants to pass the guard but Skoro is keeping the position.

Van Damme gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Van Damme closes the distance and pushes Skoro back into the cage.
Van Damme misses with a knee to the head.
Van Damme throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Skoro prevents a takedown attempt there.
Skoro tries for a takedown but Van Damme manages to get underhooks.
Van Damme misses with an elbow strike.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Skoro drops down looking for an ankle pick but Van Damme pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alen Skoro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Skoro closes this distance looking for a takedown but Van Damme circles away.

Skoro shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Skoro looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alen Skoro dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Skoro darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Skoro seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Van Damme does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Skoro seems to be working for a kimura but Van Damme defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Damme manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Skoro fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Skoro showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Van Damme.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Skoro is defended easily by Van Damme.
Van Damme wants to clinch up but Skoro keeps it at a distance.
Skoro will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alen Skoro. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Van Damme clinches up with Skoro and pushes him back against the cage.
Van Damme looking to throw knees to the head but Skoro is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme leaning against his opponent.
Van Damme looking for a takedown.
Van Damme slows down the pace here.
Van Damme takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Skoro dodges an elbow strike from Van Damme.
Van Damme can't break the clinch.
Van Damme tries a knee to the head but Skoro blocks it.
Skoro avoids the elbow strike from Van Damme, against the cage.
Skoro is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Van Damme pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Van Damme is pressed up against the cage. Skoro has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Van Damme down to the mat. Van Damme avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Jean Claude Van Damme is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Skoro shoots in looking for a takedown. Van Damme tries to sprawl out of it but Skoro keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Van Damme manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Skoro.
Van Damme swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Skoro closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Skoro is looking for a kimura here.

Skoro is working for a kimura here but Van Damme manages to reverse the position and he's now in Skoro's guard.

Skoro working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Van Damme doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Van Damme manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Van Damme tries to free his leg and advance position but Skoro is retaining full guard.
Jean Claude Van Damme has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skoro is looking to sweep but instead, Van Damme has passed into half guard.

Skoro is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Van Damme pulls his head out easily.

Van Damme is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Van Damme is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Skoro is just riding it out for now. Van Damme eventually gives up the hold.

Van Damme is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Skoro defends it well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Skoro is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Van Damme pulls his head out easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jean Claude Van Damme.
I think Skoro has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alen Skoro!