PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Face Punchalot (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tuukka Kuparivuori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Face Punchalot has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Punchalot
vs
Kuparivuori

186 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
18
191 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Face Punchalot!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tuukka Kuparivuori!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Stewart Dunkirk and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Punchalot fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Punchalot moves in looking to clinch but Kuparivuori pushes him off.
Punchalot tries a head kick but it misses.

Punchalot looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kuparivuori!

Punchalot working for a guillotine from mount but Kuparivuori is in no mood to give up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Punchalot with good strikes from the mount here!
Kuparivuori is trying desperately to improve position.
Punchalot has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Kuparivuori tries to hold on but Punchalot postures up.
Kuparivuori is looking to get to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kuparivuori is just holding on here. Punchalot manages to take his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuparivuori looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Punchalot is controlling the position but Kuparivuori somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
Punchalot trying to control from half guard but Kuparivuori is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Kuparivuori darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kuparivuori trying to control from Punchalot's half guard. Punchalot has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Kuparivuori stopping the sweep attempt from Punchalot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kuparivuori drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Punchalot dives on top into guard.
Punchalot trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuparivuori is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Punchalot sitting in guard here, content to control.

Kuparivuori looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Punchalot passes into half guard.
Punchalot thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kuparivuori's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuparivuori wants to control but Punchalot is keeping busy.
Punchalot throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kuparivuori is trying to maintain the position but Punchalot is very close to passing his half guard.
Kuparivuori looks gassed!
Punchalot prevents Kuparivuori from improving his position.
Kuparivuori is trying to maintain the position but Punchalot is very close to passing his half guard.
Punchalot lands with a punch from half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

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

Kuparivuori closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Kuparivuori controls the position.
You can see the frustration on Punchalot's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Punchalot is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Punchalot wants to control but Kuparivuori postures up.
Punchalot tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Punchalot tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Kuparivuori avoids the attempt from Punchalot to control.
Kuparivuori wants to control the pace but Punchalot is squirming around nicely.
Punchalot tries to reverse the position but Kuparivuori maintains control.
Kuparivuori landing strikes, looking to finish!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Face Punchalot 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.

Punchalot decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Punchalot is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Punchalot is looking to take a break and control but Kuparivuori is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kuparivuori trying to control but Punchalot postures up.
Kuparivuori is controlling Punchalot's trapped leg to prevent Punchalot from advancing to side control.
Punchalot prevents Kuparivuori from improving his position.
Punchalot is keen to just control but Kuparivuori is a slippery customer.
Kuparivuori is trying to maintain the position but Punchalot is very close to passing his half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kuparivuori regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Punchalot looking to sit in guard and control but Kuparivuori gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Punchalot being controlled here, momentarily.
Kuparivuori stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Punchalot swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kuparivuori trying to control but Punchalot is working from the bottom.
Punchalot is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Kuparivuori postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Punchalot wants to sweep here but Kuparivuori controlling him for the moment.
Kuparivuori is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Kuparivuori trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kuparivuori is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Punchalot misses with a takedown attempt

and Kuparivuori counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Punchalot!
Kuparivuori content just to control the position here.
Kuparivuori can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Punchalot is looking to escape.
Punchalot wants to control but Kuparivuori is having none of it.
Punchalot is just holding on here. Kuparivuori manages to take his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Punchalot turns into Kuparivuori and is now in his guard.

Punchalot stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Kuparivuori gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Punchalot counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Punchalot lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Punchalot wants to get back to his feet.
Kuparivuori has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Punchalot is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuparivuori wants to improve his position but Punchalot is controlling well.
Punchalot tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Face Punchalot overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kuparivuori is trying to maintain the position but Punchalot is very close to passing his half guard.

Kuparivuori looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Punchalot pushes past his half guard into mount!
Kuparivuori is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kuparivuori wants to get back to his feet.
Punchalot controlling from the full mount.
Kuparivuori is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Face Punchalot dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Punchalot shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kuparivuori but Kuparivuori pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Punchalot has his takedown stuffed

and Kuparivuori moves into the clinch.

Punchalot pulls guard.
Kuparivuori preventing the sweep.
Punchalot keeping full guard, as Kuparivuori tries to pass.
Punchalot controls Kuparivuori momentarily but Kuparivuori frees himself.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kuparivuori trying to control but Punchalot is working from the bottom.
Kuparivuori slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuparivuori wants to control from the top but Punchalot keeps moving.
Kuparivuori won't allow Punchalot to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Kuparivuori looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kuparivuori wants to pass the guard but Punchalot is defending well.
Punchalot looks like he's trying to stand up.
Kuparivuori looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Punchalot is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Punchalot is refusing to be controlled, as Kuparivuori sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Punchalot wants to get back to full guard.
Punchalot trying to hold on to Kuparivuori's head to control him but Kuparivuori postures up.
Punchalot moves into full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Punchalot holds on and takes a little breather.

Punchalot had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Kuparivuori is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Punchalot Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Kuparivuori's back instead.
A lull in the action here.
Kuparivuori is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Punchalot is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Kuparivuori defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Punchalot avoiding Kuparivuori 's attempts to control his hands.
Punchalot controlling the position well here. Kuparivuori rolled but Punchalot kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Kuparivuori staying busy and making it hard for Punchalot to control.

Punchalot is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Kuparivuori won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips Punchalot off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:04 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Face Punchalot!