PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thorvald Espensen (ranked 3170 p4p, 374 weight class) and Pyrrhus Epirus (ranked 3479 p4p, 397 weight class). Epirus has chosen The Devil and The Huntsman as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Espensen
vs
Epirus

177 cm
21
185 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

178 cm
29
171 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Thorvald Espensen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Pyrrhus Epirus!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Epirus doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Epirus doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Epirus moves to clinch but Espensen breaks away
and Espensen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Pyrrhus Epirus seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Epirus drives through and clinches with Espensen against the ropes.
Espensen tries to work over Epirus's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Epirus using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Espensen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Espensen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Espensen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Epirus tries to clinch there but Espensen circles away.

Epirus closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Espensen breaks the clinch.
A jab from Espensen finds it's way through Epirus's defenses.
Epirus tries to clinch up.
Espensen seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Espensen has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Espensen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Epirus tries to clinch but Espensen moves out of range.
Epirus doesn't manage to clinch there - Espensen circles away.
Epirus walks into a jab.
We've been informed that Epirus has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Epirus clinches with his opponent.
Epirus throws a head punch that misses.
A right hand to the body from Espensen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Epirus looking to throw knees to the head but Espensen is blocking nicely.
Epirus digs a right hand underneath Espensen's ribcage. Espensen let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Epirus working aggressively here.
Espensen works on Epirus's body with a couple of short punches.
Epirus softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.

Espensen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Epirus tries to clinch up but Espensen circles away and keeps his distance.
Epirus throws a leg kick
and Espensen counters with a leg kick.

Epirus closes the distance and pushes Espensen back into the ropes.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Espensen.
Epirus struggles to land a body shot inside as Espensen controls his hands.

Espensen breaks the clinch.
Epirus tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Espensen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Epirus takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Espensen is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Epirus is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Espensen with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Epirus wants to clinch.
Epirus tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Espensen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Epirus closes the distance looking to clinch
and Espensen counters with a nice uppercut.
Espensen lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Espensen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Epirus misses with a looping right.
Epirus is looking to clinch.
Espensen keeps the fight on the outside.
Espensen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Epirus wants to clinch but Espensen slips to the side
and Espensen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Espensen delivers a nice body kick.
Epirus walks forward, straight into a front kick from Espensen.
Espensen circles away from the clinch attempt
and Espensen counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espensen scores with a one two! Epirus had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch but Espensen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Espensen looks to score with a jab to the body but Epirus is just out of range.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Espensen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Epirus slips under a jab.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Espensen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Epirus avoids the body shot from Espensen.
Espensen is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Espensen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Epirus throws out a counter right but Espensen avoids it with no problem.
Espensen checks the leg kick.
Epirus is looking to land body kicks.
Epirus is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Epirus fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Epirus tries to clinch
and Espensen counters with a nice body shot.
Espensen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Epirus wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espensen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Epirus on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Epirus is looking to clinch but Espensen is avoiding it.
Epirus pivots, looking for a leg kick but Espensen is out of range and Epirus settles back down.
Espensen appears to be looking for a big counter.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Espensen cracks Epirus with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch up but Espensen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Espensen drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Espensen lands a jab to Epirus's midsection.
Epirus tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Espensen to counter with a crisp jab.
Epirus tries to clinch up.
Espensen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - Epirus looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Espensen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thorvald Espensen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Epirus throws a chopping leg kick but Espensen manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Espensen looks to land a right hand but Epirus moved out of range.
Epirus tries to clinch up.
Epirus drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Epirus takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Espensen fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Epirus tries to clinch there but Espensen circles away.
Espensen is looking for a counter combo.
Espensen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Epirus can do to turn this around?
Espensen swats away the attempt to clinch by Epirus.

Epirus moves into the clinch.

Espensen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espensen pushes Epirus away with a front kick.
Epirus moves in looking to clinch but Espensen pushes him off.
Pyrrhus Epirus is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Espensen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Espensen was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch but Espensen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Espensen throwing a counter right hand but Epirus manages to avoid it.
Espensen throws a series of punches but Epirus avoids them all with ease.
Epirus loads up on a big right hand but Espensen slips the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espensen misses with an uppercut.
Espensen circles away from the clinch attempt
and Espensen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Espensen tests Epirus's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Epirus fails in his attempt to clinch.
Espensen throws a counter high kick but Epirus was just alert enough to avoid it.
Epirus throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Espensen throws a good cross that connects.
Espensen's corner calls for a 1-2. Espensen obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Epirus tries to clinch but Espensen moves out of range.
Epirus tries to clinch up but Espensen circles away and keeps his distance.
Espensen swats away the attempt to clinch by Epirus.
Espensen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A jab from Epirus does it's job there.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Epirus in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Espensen digs a good hook to Epirus's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espensen throws a series of strikes that have Epirus backpedaling.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Epirus tries to clinch but Espensen moves out of range.
Espensen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Epirus fails in his attempt to clinch.
Epirus closes the distance but Espensen moves to the side
and Espensen counters with a low kick, right behind Epirus 's knee.
Espensen scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Epirus throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Espensen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Epirus tries to clinch
and Espensen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Epirus tries to clinch but Espensen is having none of it.
Espensen is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Epirus is looking to clinch.
Epirus closes the distance but Espensen moves to the side
and Espensen counters with a nice body shot.
Epirus attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Espensen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Epirus.
Epirus is looking to clinch.
Epirus keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Despite the aggression on Epirus's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Epirus tries to clinch up but Espensen circles away and keeps his distance.
Epirus fails in his attempt to clinch.
Espensen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Espensen lands with a shot to the body.
Epirus closes the distance looking to clinch
and Epirus takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Epirus tries to clinch up but Espensen circles away and keeps his distance.
Epirus slips under a jab.
Espensen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Espensen lands a nice shot to the body.
Epirus is looking to clinch.
Espensen tries to land a front kick but Epirus steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Espensen lands a front kick.
Espensen scores with a jab to the body.
Epirus moves to clinch but Espensen breaks away
enabling Espensen to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espensen stuns Epirus with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Espensen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Epirus tries to clinch up but Espensen circles away and keeps his distance.
Epirus takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Epirus rushes Espensen and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Epirus misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Espensen.
Espensen digs a right hand underneath Epirus's ribcage. Epirus let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Pyrrhus Epirus seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Espensen digs a right hand underneath Epirus's ribcage. Epirus let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Epirus is breathing heavily.

Espensen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Epirus tries to clinch up but Espensen circles away and keeps his distance.
Espensen swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Espensen lands a slapping body shot.
Epirus avoids the body shot from Espensen.
Espensen lands a lovely overhand right.
Epirus misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Espensen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Epirus tries to clinch there but Espensen circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thorvald Espensen dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Epirus tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A counter left hand to the body from Espensen misses its target.
Epirus has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Epirus tries to clinch but Espensen moves out of range.
Espensen is looking to counter punch.
Epirus moves in looking to clinch but Espensen pushes him off.
Thorvald Espensen is winning the standup battle so far.

Epirus gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Espensen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Epirus wants to clinch but Espensen slips to the side
and Espensen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Espensen with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Epirus tries to clinch but Espensen moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Espensen. Epirus does a little dance to reset his feet.
Espensen keeps the fight on the outside.
Epirus tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Espensen scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch but Espensen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Epirus throws a front kick aimed at Espensen's knee but Espensen avoids it well.
Espensen cracks Epirus with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Espensen swings for the body but Epirus moves out of range.
Espensen throws a body punch but Epirus moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espensen keeps the fight on the outside.
Epirus wants to clinch but Espensen slips to the side
and Espensen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Epirus tries to clinch up
and Espensen counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Espensen lands a nice hook to Epirus's body. Epirus takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Espensen defending well as Epirus loads up on a big left hand.
Epirus wants to clinch.
Espensen feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Epirus is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch up but Espensen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Epirus is looking to clinch.
Espensen wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Epirus stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Espensen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Epirus fails in his attempt to clinch.
Espensen scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Espensen keeps the fight on the outside.
Espensen is looking to counter punch.
Nice shot lands for Espensen.
Epirus doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Epirus swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Espensen is looking to wear down Epirus with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Epirus throws a leg kick that is checked
and Espensen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Epirus has managed to clinch.
Epirus swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Epirus tries to work over Espensen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Epirus misses with the head strike.

Espensen breaks from the clinch.
Epirus darts in trying to clinch
and Espensen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Some bone on bone action there as Espensen checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A counter left hand to the body from Espensen misses its target.
Epirus takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Epirus is looking to clinch.
It looked like Espensen wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Espensen digs a good body shot into Epirus's ribs.
Epirus throws a leg kick
and Espensen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Espensen connects with the punch.
Espensen lands a jab to the nose.
Epirus walks into a left hand.
Espensen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Espensen throws a shot to the body.
Pyrrhus Epirus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thorvald Espensen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Epirus does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Epirus tries to close the distance and clinch up but Espensen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
As Epirus looks to move away, Espensen throws a big counter combo but Epirus just gets out of the way.
Epirus throws a leg kick that is checked
and Espensen counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Epirus tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Espensen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Epirus closes the distance but Espensen moves to the side
and Espensen counters with a stiff right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice uppercut lands for Espensen. That snapped Epirus's head back.
Espensen lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espensen lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Epirus misses the body punch
letting Espensen counter with a right hand.
Espensen looks to land a combination but Epirus avoids it well.
Espensen smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Espensen on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Epirus. Epirus obviously looking to wear him down.
Espensen throws a right and a left that Epirus avoids nicely.
Epirus fails with an attempt to clinch.
Epirus takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A nice leg kick lands there from Epirus.
Epirus falls off balance throwing a combination
and Espensen counters with a stiff right hand.
Espensen stuns Epirus with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Epirus falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Espensen to counter with a crisp jab.
Epirus gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Espensen makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thorvald Espensen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Espensen, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight for Thorvald Espensen!
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight for Thorvald Espensen!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Thorvald Espensen!

Thorvald Espensen wins by unanimous decision!
Thorvald Espensen very nearly forgot to thank Sin City Allstars amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.