PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Salvador Cannon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Axel Van Dam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Dam has chosen Beatdown - Gunman Joe as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cannon
vs
Van Dam

188 cm
20
212 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

186 cm
24
212 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Steve's Services - All of my services are free!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Salvador Cannon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Axel Van Dam!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Trevor Gratis and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Van Dam. Cannon does a little dance to reset his feet.
Van Dam connects with a nice looking jab.
Cannon misses with a body shot.
Cannon scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Cannon thuds a left hand into Van Dam's body.
Van Dam scores with a shot to the body.
Van Dam throws a shot to the body.
Van Dam swats away the attempt to clinch by Cannon.
Cannon keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Van Dam.
Cannon shoots in for a takedown but Van Dam shows good takedown defense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cannon gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Van Dam defending well as Cannon loads up on a big left hand.
Van Dam tries for a takedown but Cannon circles away easily

and Cannon counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Van Dam looking for subs off his back but Cannon has passed one foot through into half guard.
Cannon prevents Van Dam from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Dam gets full guard.
Cannon is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Cannon wants to control from the top but Van Dam keeps moving.
Van Dam looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cannon is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Cannon postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Van Dam is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Cannon wants to control from the top but Van Dam keeps moving.
Cannon content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Van Dam escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cannon gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Van Dam 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.
Cannon slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Van Dam is looking for a triangle but Cannon pushes his legs off easily.
Van Dam is trying to control the position but Cannon postures up.
Cannon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Van Dam swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salvador Cannon dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Cannon clinches with his opponent.
Van Dam tries to break the clinch but Cannon is controlling the position.
Cannon tries to score a body lock takedown but Van Dam shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Van Dam throws a head punch that misses.
Cannon throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Van Dam keeps control of Cannon as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Van Dam blocking some punches.
Cannon slows down the pace here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cannon wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cannon stalling in the clinch.
Van Dam misses with a punch on the inside.
Cannon is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cannon tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Cannon working aggressively here.
Cannon has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Cannon takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Cannon is looking to break free of the clinch but Van Dam has double underhooks.
Cannon will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Van Dam up against the cage.
A short right from Van Dam on the inside.
Cannon content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Cannon is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Van Dam is defending well for now.
Come on Cannon - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Cannon tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Dam avoids the damage to the body.
Cannon wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Van Dam.
Van Dam softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Cannon drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salvador Cannon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cannon blocks an uppercut.
Cannon wants to break the clinch but can't.
Van Dam makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
The referee calls for Cannon to work.

Van Dam breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cannon loads up on a big right hand but Van Dam slips the punch.
Cannon takes a swing at Van Dam's ribcage but misses.
Cannon throws a hook to the side of Van Dam's head but Van Dam sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A shot to de liver by Van Dam. Beautiful body shot.
Cannon swings and misses with a shot to the body
letting Van Dam counter with a right hand.
Cannon takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Van Dam shoots in and bounces Cannon off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Van Dam passes Cannon's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Cannon wants to control but Van Dam is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Van Dam seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cannon does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Dam is looking to take a break and control but Cannon is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cannon tries to get to full guard but Van Dam has control of the leg.
Cannon moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Cannon keeping moving, preventing Van Dam from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Van Dam passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Van Dam tries for a kimura but Cannon is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Axel Van Dam showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Cannon with a hook.
Van Dam misses with a takedown

so Cannon counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Van Dam wants to sweep but no luck.
Cannon loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Van Dam looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cannon is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cannon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Van Dam is keeping the position for now.
Cannon trying to control the position from guard on top but Van Dam is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cannon is stalling in the full guard.
Van Dam bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cannon's guard.
Van Dam wants to control from the top but Cannon keeps moving.
Cannon controls Van Dam momentarily but Van Dam frees himself.

That's two 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.
Cannon looking for a sweep. Not yet Cannon, not yet.
Van Dam trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Van Dam is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Van Dam works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Van Dam tries to pass to full mount but Cannon defends it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Van Dam fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cannon avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cannon misses the body punch
and Van Dam counters with a left to the body.
Cannon tries for a takedown but Van Dam sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cannon. Van Dam does a little dance to reset his feet.
Van Dam throws a predictable looking body shot
and Cannon counters with a series of strikes. Van Dam will be more careful next time no doubt.
Van Dam with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Cannon swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Cannon takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cannon misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cannon misses with a hook to the body
and Van Dam counters with a nice uppercut.
Cannon walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Cannon throws a sloppy body shot

and Van Dam counters with a shoot takedown. Cannon fights it but they end up in guard.
Van Dam pushing down on Cannon's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Van Dam moves nicely into side control.
Cannon is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Van Dam is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Cannon is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Axel Van Dam comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Van Dam 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Axel Van Dam!