PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kristoffer Kvam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lift Stronger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Kvam
vs
Stronger

175 cm
24
185 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

183 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kristoffer Kvam!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lift Stronger!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stronger gets the takedown into side control.
Kvam looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Stronger is looking to take a break and control but Kvam is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Stronger throws an elbow but Kvam slips to the side and avoids it well.
Stronger wants to control but Kvam is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Kvam's face as Stronger controls the position.
Stronger tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
No joy there for Kvam, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stronger tries for a takedown but Kvam sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Kvam changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Stronger looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Stronger tries to buck Kvam off but Kvam is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stronger struggling a bit here.
Kvam has knee on belly and moves into mount.

Kvam wants to finish this one by submission but Stronger is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Kvam.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stronger is in all sorts of trouble here.

Kvam looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Stronger wants to hold on but Kvam pushes him away.
Stronger is looking to get to half guard.
Stronger takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Stronger is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stronger is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Kvam wants to control the pace but Stronger is squirming around nicely.
Stronger flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Stronger is working to get back to half guard.
Stronger tries to hold on but Kvam pushes him away.
Stronger is trying to escape the mount.
Kvam pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Stronger tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Stronger slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Stronger moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Stronger working for a triangle but Kvam defends it easily.
Kvam trying to control the position from guard on top but Stronger is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Stronger is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kvam is aware though and is defending well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Stronger is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

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

Lift Stronger dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kvam lands with a nice body kick.

Stronger decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Stronger takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Stronger seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kvam does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Stronger perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Kvam is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Stronger pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kvam tries to roll over but Stronger keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Stronger misses with a takedown

and Kvam counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Stronger is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kvam scoring with some ground and pound.
Kvam trying to control but Stronger is working from the bottom.
Stronger is pulling down on Kvam's head to control his posture.

Kvam stands and steps away. Stronger gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Stronger shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kvam is trying to defend but Stronger finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Kvam avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Stronger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kvam wants to get back to full guard but Stronger has passed into side control.
A nice elbow there by Stronger.
Stronger looking to control but Kvam is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Stronger lands a big elbow.
Stronger lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Stronger can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kvam is looking to escape.
Stronger unloading with bombs!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Stronger.
Kvam is working to get back to half guard.
Kvam is working hard here to advance position.
Stronger fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Stronger looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Kvam sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Kvam is trying to get back to full guard.
Stronger seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kvam does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Stronger is trying to work for a kimura but Kvam is defending well.
Stronger tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kvam knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Kvam looking for submissions off his back.
Kvam is staying active underneath Stronger, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Kvam trying to hold on to Stronger's head to control him but Stronger postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Stronger misses with a takedown

and Kvam counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Stronger tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Stronger slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kristoffer Kvam will probably get the nod.
That's time! Kvam's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Kvam looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Stronger is positioning himself well to prevent Kvam advancing to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kvam trying to control from half guard but Stronger is working away.
Stronger trying to control here.
Stronger might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Kvam kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Stronger wants to control the action here but instead Kvam manages to pass to full mount!
Kvam prevents Stronger from getting the reversal.
Kristoffer Kvam overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kvam connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stronger is looking to get to half guard.
Stronger regains half guard.
Kvam thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stronger's head.
Stronger tries to roll over but Kvam keeps him under control.
Stronger misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Kvam blocks the strikes from Stronger.
Kvam trying to control from half guard but Stronger is working away.
Stronger regains full guard. Nicely done.
Kvam trying to control but Stronger is working from the bottom.

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.
Stronger throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

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

and Kvam counters with a takedown into side control.
Stronger is trying to get back to half guard.
Stronger struggling a bit here.
Stronger manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Kvam manages to get to full guard.

Kvam escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Stronger gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kvam had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Stronger defends it easily.
Stronger has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kvam tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stronger postures up.

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

Kvam working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Stronger doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Stronger manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Stronger loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stronger pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kvam is keeping the position for now.

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

Kvam darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Stronger actively working from the bottom here.

Kvam is working for a submission of some sort.
Kvam lands strikes from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kristoffer Kvam showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Kvam has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Kristoffer Kvam!
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Kristoffer Kvam!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Kristoffer Kvam!

Kristoffer Kvam wins by unanimous decision!
Kristoffer Kvam is the new middleweight champion!