PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alberto Baptista (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Puhakka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Baptista
vs
Puhakka

185 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
23
170 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alberto Baptista!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sam Puhakka!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baptista keeps the fight on the outside.
Baptista swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Puhakka keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sam Puhakka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Puhakka uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Baptista.
Puhakka wants to clinch up but Baptista keeps it at a distance.
Puhakka moves in looking to clinch but Baptista pushes him off.

Puhakka rushes Baptista and presses him up against the cage.
Baptista is trying to break free.
Puhakka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Puhakka unloads a knee to the mid-section. Baptista lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Puhakka breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Puhakka throws a nice head kick!
Puhakka tries to clinch there but Baptista circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Puhakka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Baptista lands a with a good body shot.
Puhakka is looking to clinch but Baptista is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puhakka fails to land with a series of punches.
Puhakka is looking to clinch.
Puhakka tries to clinch up but Baptista circles away and keeps his distance.
Baptista lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Puhakka tries to clinch up but Baptista circles away and keeps his distance.
Puhakka moves in looking to clinch but Baptista pushes him off.
Baptista ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Puhakka moves away.
Puhakka lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Alberto Baptista has been cut.
Baptista keeps the fight on the outside.
Baptista tries for a takedown but Puhakka sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Puhakka moves away from the strike by Baptista.
Baptista throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Puhakka sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Puhakka doesn't manage to clinch there - Baptista circles away.
Puhakka throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puhakka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Baptista swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Baptista keeps the fight on the outside.

Puhakka gets caught flat footed, as Baptista shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Baptista forces his way into half guard.

Baptista is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Puhakka sees it coming and defends easily.
Puhakka moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Baptista is in close to Puhakka's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Baptista looking to pass the guard.
Puhakka keeping moving, preventing Baptista from controlling successfully.
Baptista is fighting to break Puhakka's control of his arms but Puhakka is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baptista preventing the sweep.
Baptista trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Baptista 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.
Puhakka wants to sweep but no luck.
Puhakka lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Baptista!
Puhakka trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Baptista working to try and regain half guard.
Baptista tries to hold on but Puhakka pushes him away.
Baptista manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Baptista won't allow Puhakka to pass to mount.

That's four 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.
Baptista works his way to full guard. Good work.
Puhakka wants to control from the top but Baptista keeps moving.
Puhakka looks gassed!

Baptista is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Puhakka stands and throws Baptista's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Puhakka trying to control the position but Baptista is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sam Puhakka will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Alberto Baptista's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Baptista connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Puhakka is looking to land body kicks.
The fighters circle momentarily. Baptista darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Alberto Baptista is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Puhakka tries to clinch up.
Puhakka is looking to clinch.
Puhakka moves in looking to clinch but Baptista pushes him off.
Baptista blocks the body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Baptista drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Baptista postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Baptista is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Baptista stopping the sweep attempt from Puhakka.
Baptista forces his way into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puhakka is looking to improve his position.
Baptista is looking to take a break and control but Puhakka is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Puhakka is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Baptista is keen to just control but Puhakka is a slippery customer.
Puhakka tries to roll over but Baptista keeps him under control.
Puhakka is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Puhakka is breathing heavily.

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

That's two 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.
Puhakka tries a head kick but it misses.
Puhakka is looking to clinch but Baptista is avoiding it.
Baptista swats away the attempt to clinch by Puhakka.
Baptista lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Puhakka at a distance.
Baptista throws out a leg kick but Puhakka moves out of range and Baptista only half commits.
Sam Puhakka is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Baptista throws a combination that misses
and Puhakka counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Puhakka falls off balance throwing a combination
and Baptista counters with a stiff right hand.
Baptista misses with a shot to the body
and Puhakka counters with a series of strikes. Baptista will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puhakka tries to close the distance and clinch but Baptista swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Baptista looks to land a left hand but Puhakka moved out of range nicely.
Puhakka clinches but Baptista breaks the clinch
and Baptista counters with a nice body shot.
Puhakka is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Puhakka takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Puhakka is looking to clinch but Baptista is avoiding it.
Baptista uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Puhakka.
Baptista throws a nice looking combination but Puhakka bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Baptista falls off balance throwing a combination
and Puhakka counters with a good low kick that Baptista was not able to check.

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.
Nice cross by Baptista.
Puhakka slips under a jab.
Puhakka closes the distance but Baptista moves to the side

and Baptista decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Puhakka's guard.
Baptista cracks Puhakka with a solid left hand.

Baptista is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Baptista drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Baptista jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Puhakka throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Baptista connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alberto Baptista dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Alberto Baptista's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Baptista ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Puhakka moves away.
Puhakka fails in his attempt to clinch.
Puhakka is looking to clinch but Baptista is avoiding it.
Baptista avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Baptista circles away from the clinch attempt.
Puhakka is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Baptista throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baptista keeps the fight on the outside.
Puhakka wants to clinch.
Puhakka tries to clinch up but Baptista circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puhakka throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Baptista defending well as Puhakka loads up on a big left hand.
Baptista takes a swing at Puhakka's ribcage but misses.
Baptista swats away the attempt to clinch by Puhakka.
Puhakka takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Baptista dodges the punch combination from Puhakka.
Baptista lands with a straight right. Puhakka didn't see that one coming.
Baptista will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The fight stays on the outside here - Puhakka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Puhakka. No joy for Baptista on that attempt.
Puhakka closes the distance looking to clinch
and Baptista counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Puhakka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Baptista paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Puhakka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Baptista swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Baptista fails to land with a series of punches.
Puhakka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Baptista paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Puhakka tries to clinch there but Baptista circles away.
Puhakka tries to clinch up but Baptista circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puhakka tries a head kick but it misses.
Puhakka tries to clinch up.
Puhakka tries to clinch up but Baptista circles away and keeps his distance.
Puhakka looks to clinch
and Baptista connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Puhakka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Baptista throws a body punch but Puhakka moves out of range.
Puhakka closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Baptista to counter with a crisp jab.
Puhakka tries to clinch but Baptista is having none of it.
A head kick misses from Puhakka.
Baptista keeps the fight on the outside.
The fight stays on the outside here - Puhakka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Puhakka tries to clinch but Baptista is having none of it.

Baptista gets a takedown into half guard.
Baptista trying to control from half guard but Puhakka is working away.
Baptista not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Baptista sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Baptista is looking to take a break and control but Puhakka is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Puhakka is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alberto Baptista showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Baptista 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alberto Baptista!