PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Oscar Mike (ranked 6511 p4p, 24734 weight class) and Cam Velower (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Oscar Mike looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Mike
vs
Velower

185 cm
20
135
3 - 7 - 0

175 cm
20
135
1 - 10 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Oscar Mike!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cam Velower!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mike clinches up against the cage.
Mike looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Mike fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mike is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Velower breaks from the clinch.
Mike tries to close the distance and clinch but Velower swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Velower drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mike defends it well.
Velower looks for a takedown but Mike sprawls well.

Mike fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Velower, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velower is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Mike swings wildly with an uppercut but Velower uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mike looking to stall.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mike prevents a takedown attempt there.
We've been hearing reports that Mike has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Oscar Mike has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cam Velower.

Velower breaks from the clinch.
Mike tries to clinch there but Velower circles away.
Mike tries to clinch there but Velower circles away.
Velower drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mike defends it well.
Mike moves in looking to clinch but Velower pushes him off.

Mike moves into the clinch.
Mike managing to block the knees to the body from Velower.

Velower jumps guard.
Velower throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Velower kicks Mike off and gets to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velower swats away the attempt to clinch by Mike.
Velower feints the counter takedown.
Mike is looking to clinch but Velower is avoiding it.
Mike throws a nice looking combination but Velower bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Velower drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mike defends it well.
Mike will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mike tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Velower misses with a takedown attempt - Mike sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mike fails with an attempt to clinch.
Velower fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Velower tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mike defends well and Velower ends up having to push Mike into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Velower throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mike's waist but Mike gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Velower off to one side.
Mike misses with a low kick.
Mike fails with a takedown attempt.
Velower drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mike defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Velower shoots in looking for a takedown. Mike tries to sprawl out of it but Velower keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mike manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mike is looking to counter the offense by Velower and move into the clinch.
Mike takes a kick to the side of the head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Velower avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Velower misses with a takedown attempt - Mike sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cam Velower will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Velower gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Velower drags the fight down to the ground.
Velower is pulling down on Mike's head. It's preventing any offense from Mike, at least for the moment.
Velower looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mike is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Mike drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Velower manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mike has Velower in his guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velower wants to control from the top but Mike keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velower sitting in guard here, content to control.
Mike wants to stand up but Velower is controlling him.
Velower wants to control from the top but Mike keeps moving.
Mike is looking to stand up but Velower isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Mike pushes Velower off and scrambles back to his feet.
Velower throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mike's waist but Mike gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Velower off to one side.
Velower fails with a takedown attempt.
Mike moves in looking to clinch but Velower pushes him off.
Mike tries to clinch up.
Mike fails in his attempt to clinch.
Velower drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mike defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velower stuffs the takedown attempt from Mike. Mike gets slowly back to his feet.
Oscar Mike seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mike tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Velower manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mike throws a looping overhand right but Velower ducks down to avoid it.
Mike tries to clinch but Velower is having none of it.
Velower is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mike sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Oscar Mike has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cam Velower.
Velower looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mike is fending him off so far but Velower persists. Nope, Mike circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Velower fails with the takedown.
Mike seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Velower misses with a takedown attempt - Mike sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
As Velower tries to get set, Mike tries to push him back and clinch up but Velower manages to avoid the attempt.
Velower dives in for a single leg takedown but Mike sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Velower swats away the attempt to clinch by Mike.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The fight stays on the outside here - Mike looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Cam Velower will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Velower dives in for a single leg takedown but Mike sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Velower shoots for a double leg takedown but Mike sprawls well. He's pushed Velower's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mike wants to clinch up but Velower keeps it at a distance.
Velower shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Mike pinned against the cage. Mike gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Oscar Mike has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cam Velower.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velower shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mike as he jumps to the side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mike tries to score a power double leg takedown but Velower sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mike somewhat.
Mike stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mike wants it to stay on the feet.
It looked like Mike wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Mike fails in his attempt to clinch.
Velower changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Mike is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Velower tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Mike moves in looking to clinch but Velower pushes him off.
Mike stuffs the takedown attempt from Velower. Velower gets slowly back to his feet.
Oscar Mike is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Velower shoots in looking for a takedown but Mike manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Velower's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mike looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Velower avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Velower tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Velower avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velower closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mike circles away.
Mike stuffs the takedown.
Velower tries for a takedown but Mike sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Velower fails with the takedown
enabling Mike to counter with a crisp jab.

Velower scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Mike throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Mike really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mike tries to clinch there but Velower circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mike with a nice cross.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Velower shoots in for a takedown but Mike shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mike tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Velower paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And Velower tries to counter it with a takedown but Mike pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Velower gets tackled into the cage by Mike. Mike maintains the clinch.
Velower blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Velower misses with a body punch.
Velower is looking to take this one to the mat.
Oscar Mike has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cam Velower is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Velower jumps guard but Mike stands there with Velower around his waist. Velower gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Velower wants to take the fight to the mat but Mike manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Oscar Mike showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Velower 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!