PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ed Horn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ralf Van Gaal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Horn
vs
Van Gaal

220 cm
22
295 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

200 cm
21
290 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ed Horn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ralf Van Gaal!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Tiny Johnson and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Gaal shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Van Gaal looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Van Gaal stuffs the takedown attempt from Horn. Horn gets slowly back to his feet.

Horn moves into the clinch successfully.
Horn tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Horn landing knees to the body.
Horn pushes Van Gaal back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Horn lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Van Gaal backwards.
Horn goes for a takedown in the clinch but Van Gaal prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ed Horn. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Horn pulls Van Gaal into guard.
Horn looking for a sweep. Not yet Horn, not yet.
Horn looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Horn is trying to control the position but Van Gaal postures up.
Horn will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Horn is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Horn stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Van Gaal misses with a takedown

and Horn holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Van Gaal prevents a takedown attempt there.
Horn is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Horn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Gaal is looking to clinch but Horn is avoiding it.

Horn gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Van Gaal keeps control of Horn as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Horn breaks the clinch.
Horn closes the distance and clinches up with Van Gaal, looking for a takedown. Horn pushes Van Gaal against the cage but Van Gaal circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Horn lands a glancing blow to the side of Van Gaal's head.

Horn shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Horn seems to be working for a kimura but Van Gaal defends the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horn trying to advance position but Van Gaal counters by regaining guard.

Horn gets to his feet. Van Gaal looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Horn misses with a wild combination.
Van Gaal on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Horn drives through and clinches with Van Gaal against the cage.
Horn lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Horn pulls Van Gaal into guard.
Horn is looking to stand back up but Van Gaal counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Horn.
Horn tries to buck Van Gaal off but Van Gaal is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Horn sneaks back into half guard.
Van Gaal tries to pass to full mount but Horn defends it.
Horn is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Van Gaal is taking a breather. Horn says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Horn trying to control from the bottom.

That's four 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.
Horn moves into full guard.

Horn is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Horn wants to stand but Van Gaal is controlling the position.
Van Gaal should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Van Gaal tries to free his leg and advance position but Horn is retaining full guard.
Van Gaal postures up in Horn's guard and throws a big left but Horn blocks it.
Horn throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Horn is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Horn seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Van Gaal does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ed Horn dominated that 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.

Horn with a poor takedown

and Van Gaal counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Horn is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Horn working a defensive guard here.
Van Gaal trying to control the position from guard on top but Horn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Van Gaal must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Horn has his foot on Van Gaal's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Van Gaal works his way back into a safe position though.

Horn throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Van Gaal escapes and throws Horn's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Van Gaal is breathing heavily.
Horn is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Van Gaal has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horn trying his best to control but Van Gaal has mounted him.
Horn tries to hold on but Van Gaal postures up.
Horn is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Horn is looking to get to half guard.
Horn tries to lock up and control but Van Gaal gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Horn working to try and regain half guard.
Horn is working hard here to advance position.

That's two 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.
Horn is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Horn is trying to escape the mount.
Horn throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Horn working to try and regain half guard.
Van Gaal can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Horn is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horn really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Van Gaal wants to control the pace but Horn is squirming around nicely.
Horn tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Van Gaal controlling the pace for now.
Horn wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

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.
Horn is looking to get to half guard.
Horn regains half guard.
Horn trying to control here.
Horn slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Horn throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ralf Van Gaal showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Horn has taken the fight to the clinch.

Horn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Horn fails to land the takedown.
Horn shoots in but Van Gaal avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Horn closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Van Gaal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Horn is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Van Gaal!
Horn looking to control and managing it successfully.
Horn tries to control but Van Gaal wriggling away.

Horn looking for a guillotine from mount but Van Gaal is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horn fails to move to back control.

Horn has control of Van Gaal's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Van Gaal regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Horn thowing shots but they're missing.
Horn can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Van Gaal is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Horn has hold of Van Gaal's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Van Gaal manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Horn landing shots from mount.
Horn wants to control the pace but Van Gaal is squirming around nicely.
Horn looking to finish Van Gaal with some ground and pound. This is bad for Van Gaal!
Horn looking to finish Van Gaal with some ground and pound. This is bad for Van Gaal!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horn tries to control but Van Gaal wriggling away.
Horn lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Horn moves to take his opponent's back.
Horn trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Horn working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Horn is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Van Gaal is defending well though. Horn let's go of the attempt for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Horn is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Van Gaal has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Horn has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Van Gaal taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Horn doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ed Horn!