PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Keith Ludi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pulla Pesonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Keith Ludi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ludi
vs
Pesonen

180 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Keith Ludi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pulla Pesonen!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Ludi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Ludi moves into the clinch successfully.
Ludi lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Ludi scores with a knee to the head.

Ludi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ludi lands a head kick. Pesonen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A head kick misses from Pesonen.
Ludi closes the distance and clinches up with Pesonen, looking for a takedown. Ludi pushes Pesonen against the cage but Pesonen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Pesonen stuffs the takedown attempt from Ludi. Ludi gets slowly back to his feet.
Ludi tries to close the distance and clinch but Pesonen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ludi tries to clinch up.
Ludi is looking to clinch.

Ludi gets a clinch.
Pesonen stalling in the clinch but Ludi improves position.

Ludi manages to break the clinch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Pesonen, right into the meat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ludi shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Ludi was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ludi goes for an armbar but Pesonen turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Pesonen.

Ludi is looking for a triangle but Pesonen pushes his legs off easily.
Pesonen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Ludi trying to keep a closed guard but Pesonen is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pesonen won't allow Ludi to get back to his feet.

Ludi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pesonen looks gassed!
Pesonen won't allow Ludi to get back to his feet.
Ludi working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ludi looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Pesonen has picked Ludi up and slammed him! Ludi can't keep hold of the triangle and Pesonen manages to pass to side control!

Pesonen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ludi is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Ludi is looking for a sweep.
Pesonen throwing strikes but Ludi manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!

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.

Ludi decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Keith Ludi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ludi moves in looking to clinch but Pesonen pushes him off.

Ludi closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Ludi decides to stand back up.

Ludi scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Ludi decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Ludi rushes Pesonen and presses him up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keith Ludi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pesonen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Ludi gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Ludi tries to clinch but Pesonen moves out of range.
Ludi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ludi lands with a slapping head kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ludi.
Ludi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pesonen has a takedown stuffed.
Pesonen is breathing heavily.
Ludi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pesonen swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ludi throws a head kick that Pesonen semi-blocks.

Ludi gets a takedown into half guard.

Ludi decides to stand and escape the position.
Keith Ludi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pesonen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Ludi shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ludi showed some decent athleticism there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ludi escapes and gets back to his feet.
Pesonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Ludi.
Ludi looks for a takedown but Pesonen sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keith Ludi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice takedown defense from Pesonen. No joy for Ludi on that attempt.

Ludi forces Pesonen back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ludi prevents the takedown attempt.

Ludi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ludi.
Pesonen takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Ludi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ludi might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ludi postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ludi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Ludi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pesonen pinned against the cage. Pesonen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ludi closes the distance and clinches.
Ludi crunches a lovely knee into Pesonen's ribcage.

Ludi manages to break the clinch.
Pesonen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ludi as he avoids it easily.

Ludi drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Ludi has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ludi tries to clinch up but Pesonen circles away and keeps his distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keith Ludi dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Ludi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ludi fails in his attempt to clinch.

Ludi closes the distance and clinches.

Ludi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nice body kick there by Ludi.

Ludi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pesonen sprawls well initially but Ludi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Ludi is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Pesonen is just riding it out for now. Ludi eventually gives up the hold.

Ludi stands up out of the half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ludi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Ludi decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Ludi moves into range and clinches up with Pesonen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ludi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pesonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Ludi.

Ludi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Ludi working Pesonen over with strikes.
Pesonen is trying to control but can't.
Ludi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Ludi is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ludi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Pesonen is not content to let Ludi control the position.

Pesonen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

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.

Ludi decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Ludi moves in looking to clinch but Pesonen pushes him off.
Ludi tries to clinch there but Pesonen circles away.
Ludi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pesonen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ludi tries to close the distance and clinch but Pesonen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pulla Pesonen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Keith Ludi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ludi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pesonen can do to turn this around?
Ludi scores with a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keith Ludi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ludi 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keith Ludi!