PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Takke Downlinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jukka Pekka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jukka Pekka has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Downlinen
vs
Pekka

179 cm
23
169 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

180 cm
21
156 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Takke Downlinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jukka Pekka!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pekka gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Pekka controlling Downlinen's posture.
Downlinen trying to control the position from guard on top but Pekka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pekka wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pekka doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Downlinen throws and elbow that misses. Pekka uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Downlinen's guard. Nice move by Pekka!
Downlinen controls Pekka momentarily but Pekka frees himself.

Downlinen working for a triangle but Pekka defends it easily.
Downlinen is looking to stand back up but Pekka counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Downlinen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pekka wants to pass to mount but Downlinen is defending the position.

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

Downlinen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Pekka wants to sweep here but Downlinen controlling him for the moment.
Pekka is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Downlinen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pekka keeping full guard, as Downlinen tries to pass.
Downlinen advances position into side control!
Pekka is looking for a sweep.
Pekka struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Downlinen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Downlinen trying to control the action but Pekka is working from the bottom.
Pekka trying to hold on to Downlinen's head to control him but Downlinen postures up.
Nice strikes from Downlinen there.
Downlinen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Pekka looking for submissions off his back.
Pekka on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Pekka makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Pekka.
Pekka keeping moving, preventing Downlinen from controlling successfully.
Downlinen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Downlinen lands a couple of digs.
Pekka striking off his back but it's not causing Downlinen any problems.
Downlinen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Downlinen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Pekka scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Pekka moves out of range of the body kick from Downlinen.

Downlinen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Downlinen throws an elbow but Pekka slips to the side and avoids it well.
Pekka manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Downlinen is trying to control but Pekka passes into side control!
Downlinen is breathing heavily.
Downlinen tries to buck Pekka off but Pekka is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Downlinen is working hard here to advance position.

Pekka decides to stand back up.
Downlinen misses with a takedown attempt - Pekka sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Pekka takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Pekka fails with an attempt to clinch.

Downlinen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Pekka working for a triangle but Downlinen defends it easily.

Downlinen is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Pekka is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Pekka has escaped and now he's on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takke Downlinen dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Pekka scores with a takedown into Downlinen's guard.
Downlinen working a defensive guard here.
Downlinen is looking to sweep but instead, Pekka has passed into half guard.
Pekka blocks the strikes from Downlinen.
Pekka wants to control but Downlinen is keeping him busy.
Downlinen tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Pekka has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

Pekka stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Downlinen fails with the takedown
and Pekka counters with a nice body kick.
Downlinen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Pekka counters with a head kick.
Pekka moves in looking to clinch but Downlinen pushes him off.
Pekka has a takedown stuffed.
Pekka fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Downlinen misses with a takedown
and Pekka counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Takke Downlinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pekka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Downlinen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pekka shoots in looking for a takedown. Downlinen tries to sprawl out of it but Pekka keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Downlinen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Downlinen misses with a takedown attempt

and Pekka counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Downlinen!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Downlinen is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Downlinen has given up his back here.
Pekka is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Pekka controlling well, preventing Downlinen from escaping the position.
Pekka controls the action.
Pekka lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Downlinen.

Pekka is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pekka keeps control of the position as Downlinen tries to break free.
Pekka doesn't have the hooks in and Downlinen manages to turn into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pekka working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Downlinen.
Downlinen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pekka wants to get back to his feet but Downlinen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Pekka preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Downlinen preventing the sweep.
Downlinen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Downlinen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Downlinen lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Pekka down.
Pekka is trying to get back to half guard.
Pekka is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Downlinen cracks Pekka with a big elbow.
Downlinen lands a decent elbow from side control.
Pekka is working to avoid the ground and pound but Downlinen connects with a decent elbow.
Downlinen lands a few punches from side control.
Downlinen trying to control the position but Pekka is working away.
Pekka wants to control but Downlinen postures up.
Jukka Pekka has got the better of the ground game so far.
Downlinen scores with punches from side control.
You can see the frustration on Pekka's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Downlinen is chipping away with strikes.
Downlinen is looking to take a break and control but Pekka is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jukka Pekka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Downlinen scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Pekka missing with punches from the bottom.
Pekka tries to roll over but Downlinen keeps him under control.
Pekka is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Pekka is pressing down on Downlinen's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Pekka bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Downlinen's guard.
Downlinen is trying to control the position but Pekka postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pekka working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Downlinen wants to sweep here but Pekka controlling him for the moment.
Pekka seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pekka trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Downlinen trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Downlinen looking to control.
Downlinen keeping full guard, as Pekka tries to pass.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Downlinen shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Downlinen showed some decent athleticism there.
Pekka throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Pekka works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Downlinen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Downlinen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Downlinen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Pekka is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Downlinen stands up over Pekka, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Downlinen lands a couple of elbows.
Downlinen preventing the sweep.
Downlinen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Downlinen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pekka swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pekka controls Downlinen momentarily but Downlinen frees himself.
Pekka utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Downlinen scores with the left hand. Pekka knows he should have avoided that one.

Downlinen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Pekka!
Downlinen working Pekka over with strikes here.
BOOM! Downlinen connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Downlinen cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Downlinen lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Downlinen misses with a head shot.
Downlinen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Downlinen landing strikes from the mount and Pekka is in trouble!
Pekka wants to control but Downlinen is having none of it.
The referee warns Pekka that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Pekka slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Pekka gets back to full guard.
Pekka controls Downlinen momentarily but Downlinen frees himself.
Downlinen wants to get up but he can't break Pekka's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Downlinen wants to pass the guard but Pekka is keeping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takke Downlinen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Downlinen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takke Downlinen!