PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Yrjo Puska (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vihanen Thaikku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Puska comes into the arena with GWB -rap blaring out of the sound system. Thaikku is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Ice Cream Paint Job. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Puska
vs
Thaikku

183 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

189 cm
23
189 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Yrjo Puska!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vihanen Thaikku!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thaikku doesn't manage to clinch there - Puska circles away.
Thaikku misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thaikku tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thaikku doesn't manage to clinch there - Puska circles away.
Thaikku is looking to clinch but Puska is avoiding it.
Puska avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thaikku misses with a head kick.
Thaikku fails with an attempt to clinch.

Puska scores with a takedown into Thaikku's guard.
Puska stays in close to Thaikku's body and controls the position.
Puska trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puska stays in close to Thaikku's body and controls the position.
Puska looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Puska looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puska stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thaikku swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thaikku keeping moving, preventing Puska from controlling successfully.

That's four 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.
Thaikku keeping full guard, as Puska tries to pass.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Puska swings for the body but Thaikku moves out of range.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Puska!
Thaikku is looking to clinch.

Puska shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Puska controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Puska scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puska seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Thaikku for as long as he can get away with.
Puska has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Thaikku!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Puska trying to control but Thaikku is having none of it.
Puska tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puska's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Yrjo Puska just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Thaikku tries to clinch but Puska is having none of it.

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.
Thaikku tries to clinch up.
Puska looks to score with a jab to the body but Thaikku is just out of range.
Thaikku misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thaikku is looking to clinch.
Puska swings for the body but Thaikku moves out of range.
Thaikku fails in his attempt to clinch.
Puska blocks a head kick by Thaikku.
Puska swats away the attempt to clinch by Thaikku.
Puska lands a really nice looking cross but Thaikku seems unphased.
Nice sprawl there from Thaikku as Puska shoots in.
Thaikku lands a nice shot that snaps Puska's head back.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thaikku wants to clinch up but Puska keeps it at a distance.

Puska looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Puska slips nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yrjo Puska dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Thaikku misses with a body kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thaikku looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thaikku throws a head kick that misses.

Thaikku gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Puska wants to control from the top but Thaikku keeps moving.
Puska trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puska sitting in guard here, content to control.
Puska trying to control the position from guard on top but Thaikku is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yrjo Puska is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two 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.
Puska advances position into side control!
Puska happy to just control the position for now.
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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Yrjo Puska just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
A head kick misses from Thaikku.
Vihanen Thaikku has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Puska misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thaikku.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thaikku looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Vihanen Thaikku is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Thaikku is looking to clinch but Puska is avoiding it.

Puska closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Thaikku to the mat! Thaikku manages to get full guard.
Thaikku wants to get back to his feet but Puska is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Thaikku takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Puska sitting in guard here, content to control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Yrjo Puska showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Puska has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yrjo Puska!