PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lauricio Aranda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Axel Holmstrom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Axel Holmstrom told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Aranda
vs
Holmstrom

192 cm
18
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

184 cm
25
211 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lauricio Aranda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Axel Holmstrom!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Colin Fray and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aranda circles away from the clinch attempt.

Aranda moves into the clinch successfully.
Holmstrom misses with a knee strike.
Aranda tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Holmstrom just stands there and leans against the cage.
A knee to the head by Holmstrom.
Aranda leaning his opponent against the cage.
Holmstrom misses with a knee to the head.
Aranda lands a right hand.
Aranda wants to break the clinch but can't.
Holmstrom stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Holmstrom lands a nice knee to the body.
Holmstrom tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Holmstrom with a knee to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Holmstrom tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Holmstrom connects with a nasty looking knee right to Aranda's face.
Aranda drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Holmstrom gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmstrom tries to land a knee to the head but Aranda blocks with his arms.
Holmstrom lands a knee to the head.
Aranda can't break the clinch.
Holmstrom putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Aranda in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Aranda is breathing heavily.
Holmstrom connects with a knee to the head.
Aranda takes a knee right on the jaw!
Holmstrom connects with a knee to the head.
Holmstrom's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Holmstrom receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Aranda changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Holmstrom fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lauricio Aranda. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Holmstrom instigates a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Holmstrom landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Holmstrom landing knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Holmstrom obliges.
Holmstrom is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Holmstrom with a knee to the head.
Holmstrom has Aranda pressed against the cage.
Holmstrom connects with a knee to the head.
Holmstrom connects with a knee to the head.
Holmstrom with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmstrom with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Holmstrom throws a knee to the head but misses.
Holmstrom unloads a knee to the mid-section. Aranda lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Holmstrom landing knees to the body.
Aranda is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Holmstrom gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Holmstrom with a knee to the head.
Holmstrom lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Holmstrom.
Holmstrom with a knee to the head.
Holmstrom throws a knee to the head but misses.
Aranda wants a takedown but no success here.
Holmstrom with a knee to the head.
Holmstrom with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Holmstrom gets underhooks to prevent Aranda's takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmstrom looking to throw knees to the head but Aranda is blocking nicely.
Holmstrom blocking some punches.
Aranda changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Holmstrom fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Holmstrom clinches up with Aranda and pushes him back against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Holmstrom stalling against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Aranda wants a takedown but no success here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Axel Holmstrom dominated that 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.

Aranda tries a head kick but it misses.
Holmstrom tries to clinch up

and Aranda counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Holmstrom pulls Aranda in close to prevent any damage.
Aranda throws a big elbow that misses.

Holmstrom kicks Aranda off and gets to his feet.

Holmstrom tries to keep at a distance but Aranda has taken the fight into the clinch.
Holmstrom scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Holmstrom connects with a nasty looking knee right to Aranda's face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmstrom lands a nice knee to the body.
Holmstrom lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Aranda tries to break free but Holmstrom pushes him back against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Holmstrom.
Holmstrom with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Holmstrom with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Holmstrom connects with a knee to the head.
Holmstrom scores with a knee to the head.
Holmstrom with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Holmstrom putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Aranda in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Holmstrom tries to land a knee to the head but Aranda blocks with his arms.
Aranda tries to pull guard but Holmstrom won't allow it.
Holmstrom tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Holmstrom connects with a nasty looking knee right to Aranda's face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aranda has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The referee is keeping an eye on Holmstrom - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Aranda is trying to break free.
Holmstrom tries a knee to the head but Aranda blocks it.
Aranda working hard to break the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Holmstrom scores with a knee to the head.

Aranda has Holmstrom pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Aranda pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Holmstrom tumbling to the mat - Aranda dives into Holmstrom's guard.
Holmstrom keeping moving, preventing Aranda from controlling successfully.
Holmstrom wants to get back to his feet but Aranda is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aranda throws a big elbow that misses.
Aranda loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Holmstrom working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Aranda.
Aranda trying to move into half guard but instead Holmstrom has managed to sweep!
Aranda throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Aranda throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Aranda looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Aranda trying to strike off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aranda tries to strike from the bottom.

Aranda throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Holmstrom got a little sloppy there for a moment and Aranda has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Holmstrom has managed to get both his arms back between Aranda's legs - danger averted.
Holmstrom slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Holmstrom won't allow Aranda to sweep him here.
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 Lauricio Aranda will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Holmstrom wants to clinch up but Aranda keeps it at a distance.
Holmstrom tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Aranda counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Aranda trying to control but Holmstrom is working from the bottom.
Aranda scoring with some ground and pound.
Aranda stops Holmstrom from standing up.
Holmstrom is trying to keep Aranda in close.

Holmstrom has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Aranda off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Aranda has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Axel Holmstrom is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmstrom tries to clinch but Aranda moves out of range.
Holmstrom tries to close the distance and clinch but Aranda swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Holmstrom tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Aranda manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Aranda is trying hard to land a takedown here. Holmstrom sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Holmstrom has closed the distance and engaged Aranda in a clinch.
Aranda is trying to push Holmstrom away but Holmstrom has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Aranda wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Holmstrom has him pressed against the cage.
Aranda throws a punch but it's blocked by Holmstrom.
Aranda wants to break the clinch but can't.
Holmstrom is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Holmstrom crunches a lovely knee into Aranda's ribcage.
Holmstrom with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmstrom with a knee to the head.
Holmstrom content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Holmstrom blocking some punches.
Aranda takes a knee right on the jaw!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Holmstrom tries a knee to the head but Aranda blocks it.
Axel Holmstrom seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Aranda is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Aranda tries to stall but Holmstrom uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Holmstrom with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Holmstrom landing knees to the head.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Holmstrom tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Holmstrom looking to throw knees to the head but Aranda is blocking nicely.
Aranda wants a takedown but no success here.
Stalling in the clinch from Holmstrom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmstrom looking to slow down the pace here.
Aranda doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Holmstrom with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Holmstrom landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Aranda is trying to push Holmstrom away but Holmstrom has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Aranda has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Holmstrom avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lauricio Aranda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aranda goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Holmstrom connects with a nasty looking knee right to Aranda's face.
Aranda wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Holmstrom has him pressed against the cage.
Aranda goes for a takedown attempt but Holmstrom pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Holmstrom instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmstrom lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Aranda takes a knee right on the jaw!
Aranda tries to break the clinch but Holmstrom is controlling the position.
Aranda is trying to force a seperation but Holmstrom has the dominant position.
Aranda pressing his opponent against the cage.
A knee to the head by Holmstrom.
Holmstrom utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Holmstrom has Aranda pressed against the cage, preventing Aranda from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Lauricio Aranda has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aranda throws a punch but it's blocked by Holmstrom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Axel Holmstrom comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Holmstrom 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight for Axel Holmstrom!
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight for Axel Holmstrom!
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight for Axel Holmstrom!

Axel Holmstrom wins by unanimous decision!