PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jani Honkanen (ranked 2026 p4p, 1684 weight class) and Dick Hickock (ranked 253 p4p, 213 weight class). Jani Honkanen could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Dick Hickock's chin.

Honkanen
vs
Hickock

190 cm
26
280
3 - 2 - 0

200 cm
26
270
5 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jani Honkanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Dick Hickock!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Santiago Holmes and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Honkanen slips a jab from Hickock.
Honkanen drops down looking for a counter takedown but Hickock sprawls and moves away.
Honkanen tries to move into range but Hickock moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Honkanen 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.
Hickock rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

so Honkanen counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Honkanen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hickock works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Honkanen controlling from the top position.
Hickock is trying to control the position but Honkanen postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hickock keeping moving, preventing Honkanen from controlling successfully.
Honkanen looking to pass the guard.
Honkanen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hickock utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Honkanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Hickock is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hickock is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hickock working a defensive guard here.
Hickock has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Walter J Abramowitz Center for Bigness. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Honkanen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Honkanen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Hickock working for a triangle but Honkanen defends it easily.
Honkanen is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

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.
Honkanen advances to half guard.
Hickock wants to get back to full guard.

Hickock looking for submissions off his back.
Honkanen keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Honkanen is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hickock is just riding it out for now. Honkanen eventually gives up the hold.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Honkanen trying to control from half guard but Hickock is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Honkanen is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Hickock is trying to get back to full guard.
Hickock really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Honkanen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Honkanen not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Honkanen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hickock defends it well.
Honkanen looks to land a strike but Hickock avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Honkanen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Honkanen wants to control from the top but Hickock keeps moving.

That's four 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.

Honkanen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Honkanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Hickock is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Honkanen is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hickock throws a right hand that misses

and Honkanen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hickock won't be happy with that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Honkanen wants to control but Hickock is keeping him busy.
Hickock defending against the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hickock throws a looping overhand right but Honkanen ducks down to avoid it.
Honkanen drops down looking for a counter takedown but Hickock sprawls and moves away.
Honkanen needs to keep his hands up - Hickock had a free shot at his head there.
Hickock throws an off balance right hand

and Honkanen counters with a takedown into side control.
Honkanen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hickock keeps working.

Honkanen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hickock is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hickock is looking to reverse the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Honkanen tries for a kimura but Hickock is defending well.
Honkanen is looking to take a break and control but Hickock is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Honkanen in side control, throwing shots but Hickock defends.
Hickock tries to improve position but can't.
Honkanen throws a strike aimed at the side of Hickock's head but Hickock avoids it well.
Honkanen looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Hickock is avoiding damage well.

Honkanen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hickock is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Honkanen sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Hickock is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Hickock can't do much from the bottom here.
Honkanen 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.
Honkanen tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Honkanen creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Hickock sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Honkanen is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Hickock knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Hickock wants to control but Honkanen postures up.
Honkanen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hickock can do to turn this around?
Hickock is trying to improve his position.
Honkanen throws an elbow but Hickock slips to the side and avoids it well.

Honkanen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hickock is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hickock is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Honkanen's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hickock looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Honkanen pushes past his half guard into mount!
Honkanen looking to finish with strikes here!
Hickock is wriggling around trying to escape.
Honkanen throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Hickock because Honkanen loaded up on that one.

Honkanen looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Honkanen throwing strikes here but Hickock is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Honkanen content just to control the position here.
Hickock is wriggling around trying to escape.
Jani Honkanen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Honkanen landing strikes, looking to finish!
Honkanen wants to control the pace but Hickock is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Honkanen looking to finish with strikes here!
Honkanen throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Hickock wants to control but Honkanen is having none of it.
Hickock working to try and regain half guard.
Hickock keeps trying to improve his position.
Honkanen content just to control the position here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Honkanen wants to control the pace but Hickock is squirming around nicely.
Honkanen lands a nice shot to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jani Honkanen dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Hickock misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Honkanen.
Hickock misses with a right hand

and Honkanen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hickock won't be happy with that.
Honkanen wants to control but Hickock is keeping him busy.
Honkanen works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Honkanen happy to just control the position for now.
Hickock is looking to reverse the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Honkanen throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Hickock can't do much from the bottom here.

Honkanen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Honkanen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Honkanen throwing strikes but Hickock manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Hickock has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Honkanen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Honkanen regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Honkanen trying to control but Hickock postures up.
Honkanen is trying to get back to full guard.
Hickock tries to pass to full mount but Honkanen defends it.
Honkanen regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Honkanen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Honkanen is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Hickock doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Honkanen.
Hickock is trying to get back to full guard.

Hickock is defending against the submission attempts here by Honkanen.

Honkanen is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Hickock doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Honkanen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Honkanen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Honkanen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Honkanen uses his free foot to push down on Hickock's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Hickock.
Hickock wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Honkanen.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Honkanen throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jani Honkanen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Honkanen, 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 David Hoff scores the fight 30:27
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jani Honkanen!