PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taylor Green (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesse Juutalainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Green kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is In the Air Tonight. Jesse Juutalainen 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!

Green
vs
Juutalainen

195 cm
23
205 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

194 cm
19
210 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Taylor Green!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jesse Juutalainen!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Green fails to land the takedown.
Green shoots in but Juutalainen avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Green throws a combination. Juutalainen tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Green avoids the body shot from Juutalainen.
Juutalainen misses with a double jab
and Green counters with a left and a right that stings Juutalainen.
Juutalainen misses the jab.
Green tries to close the distance and clinch up but Juutalainen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Green is looking to slow Juutalainen down with leg kicks.
Green shoots in looking for a takedown. Juutalainen tries to sprawl out of it but Green keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Juutalainen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taylor Green. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Juutalainen stuffs the takedown attempt from Green. Green gets slowly back to his feet.
Juutalainen misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Green shoots in looking for a takedown. Juutalainen tries to sprawl out of it but Green keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Juutalainen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Green is breathing heavily.
Green digs a good hook to Juutalainen's body.
Juutalainen throws a front kick aimed at Green's knee but Green avoids it well.
A head kick misses from Juutalainen.
Juutalainen waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Green.
Juutalainen connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Green avoids a punch combination nicely.
Juutalainen throws a right and a left that Green avoids nicely.
Green steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Juutalainen.
Green looks to land a combination. Juutalainen sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Juutalainen.
Green fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Green.
Juutalainen throws a predictable looking body shot

and Green counters by clinching up.
Green gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Juutalainen.
Juutalainen tries for a takedown. No joy.
Juutalainen keeps control of Green as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Juutalainen goes for a takedown attempt but Green pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Green checks a low kick from Juutalainen.
The fight stays on the outside here - Green looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Green shoots in but Juutalainen avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Green stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Juutalainen.
Juutalainen moves out of range of the body kick.
Juutalainen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Juutalainen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Green changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Juutalainen tries to avoid it but Green manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Juutalainen to the ground. Juutalainen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Juutalainen misses with a looping right.
Juutalainen misses with a low kick.
Juutalainen circles away from the clinch attempt.

Green rushes Juutalainen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

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.

Juutalainen pulls Green into guard.
Juutalainen wants to sweep here but Green controlling him for the moment.
Juutalainen keeping moving, preventing Green from controlling successfully.

Juutalainen looking for a guillotine here but Green defends easily.
Green is stalling in the full guard.
Juutalainen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Juutalainen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Green shoots in but no luck this time.
Juutalainen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A combination from Juutalainen does no damage.
Juutalainen falls off balance throwing a combination

and Green counters with a takedown into side control.

Juutalainen throws Green to one side and escapes!
Green dodges the punch combination from Juutalainen.

Juutalainen darts in and clinches Green up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Green escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Green checks a leg kick.
Juutalainen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Juutalainen gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Green is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Juutalainen is looking to take a break and control but Green is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Juutalainen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Green wants to get back to full guard.
Green wants to control but Juutalainen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Juutalainen is trying to control. Green wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Juutalainen thows a huge punch but Green dodges it nicely.
Juutalainen prevents Green from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Juutalainen stuffs the takedown.
Taylor Green seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Green tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Juutalainen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Green doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Juutalainen counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taylor Green. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Juutalainen tries to pull guard but Green holds him up against the cage and eventually Juutalainen drops back down to his feet.

Juutalainen has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Green is trying to keep an underhook but Juutalainen manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Juutalainen tries to pass to full mount but Green defends it.
Green wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Juutalainen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Green avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Juutalainen.
Green is holding on to half guard well.
Green misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Juutalainen tries to pass the half guard into mount. Green knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Juutalainen misses with a head shot. Green uses the momentum to regain guard.

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

Green shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Juutalainen's guard.
Green pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Juutalainen is keeping the position for now.

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

Juutalainen had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Green is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Juutalainen Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Green's back instead.
Juutalainen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Green controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Will Juutalainen go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Juutalainen gets his hands free as Green looks to control.
Juutalainen lands punches and elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Juutalainen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. And we move into the final round!

Juutalainen scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Juutalainen misses with a few strikes there.
Juutalainen throws a big shot that misses.

Green closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Green lands in his opponent's guard.
Green trying to control the position from guard on top but Juutalainen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Juutalainen pushes Green off and gets back to his feet.
Juutalainen misses with a wild combination.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Green with a poor takedown

and Juutalainen counters with a single leg into guard. Green didn't expect that.
Juutalainen lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Green pulls Juutalainen in close to his closed guard and prevents Juutalainen from doing any damage or advancing position.
Juutalainen wants to control from the top but Green keeps moving.
Juutalainen postures up and lands a big shot to Green's brow.
Juutalainen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Juutalainen won't allow Green to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Juutalainen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Juutalainen trying to control but Green is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Green changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Juutalainen tries to avoid it but Green manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Juutalainen to the ground. Juutalainen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Green blocks the body kick.
Green shoots in for a takedown but Juutalainen shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taylor Green. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Juutalainen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Green takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Green lands with a kick to the temple. Juutalainen shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Green is looking to slow Juutalainen down with leg kicks.
Green misses with a takedown attempt - Juutalainen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Green doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Green gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Juutalainen punching from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Green.
Juutalainen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Green blocks the strikes from Juutalainen.
Green is looking to advance position but Juutalainen won't allow it.
Juutalainen trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Juutalainen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Jesse Juutalainen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Green decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Juutalainen, up you get!

Green gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Green is pushing Juutalainen up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Green.
Juutalainen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Green fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Nice sprawl there from Juutalainen as Green shoots in.
Taylor Green has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Juutalainen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Green.
Juutalainen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jesse Juutalainen.
I've got Juutalainen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesse Juutalainen!