PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Elix Juarez (ranked 3510 p4p, 4120 weight class) and Autio Saari (ranked 387 p4p, 444 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Juarez
vs
Saari

180 cm
25
170
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
178
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

LazyCombat Clothing

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 The Island, Elix Juarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Autio Saari!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Bart Greer and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Saari closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Juarez definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

Saari looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Saari is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Juarez sees it coming and defends easily.

Saari is working for a submission of some sort.

Saari wants to work for an arm triangle but Juarez is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Juarez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Saari's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Saari's back!
Saari staying busy and making it hard for Juarez to control.
Saari tries to roll but Juarez sticks to his back.
Saari turns into Juarez and is now in his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saari is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Juarez is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Juarez has escaped and now he's on top!

Juarez trying to control but Saari is working from the bottom.
Juarez stays in close to Saari's body and controls the position.
Juarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Saari is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saari tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Saari had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Juarez defends it easily.
Juarez advances to half guard.

Juarez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Saari is just riding it out for now. Juarez eventually gives up the hold.
Juarez wants to pass to mount but Saari is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Juarez wants to take a breather but Saari is having none of it.

Saari is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Juarez pulls his head out easily.
Juarez slows the pace down in half guard.
Juarez wants to take a breather but Saari is having none of it.

Saari is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Juarez pulls his head out easily.
Saari is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Juarez trying to control from half guard but Saari is working away.
Juarez moves into full mount! Saari won't be happy about that!
Juarez wants to control the pace but Saari is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saari keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Juarez wants to take Saari's back but he can't do it this time.
Saari is squirming around, avoiding Juarez's attempts to control the action.
Juarez is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Saari is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Juarez controlling the position easily from mount.
Juarez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Juarez content just to control the position here.
Saari is desperately trying to improve his position but Juarez has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Juarez fails to take his opponent's back.
Saari can't escape the position.
Saari is squirming around, avoiding Juarez's attempts to control the action.
Saari can't escape the position.
Juarez fails to advance to Saari's back.
Saari can't escape the position.
Saari gets back to half guard.

Saari looking for submissions off his back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saari is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Saari looks winded!
Juarez trying to mount his opponent but Saari defends it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Elix Juarez will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Juarez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Saari!
Saari tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Saari gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Saari is trying to escape the mount.
Saari regains half guard.

Saari actively working from the bottom here.
Juarez passes to side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Juarez passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Saari!
Saari really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Juarez sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Juarez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Saari is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Juarez wants to take Saari's back but he can't do it this time.
Juarez tries to control but Saari wriggling away.
Saari keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Juarez wants to take Saari's back here but Saari is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Saari manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Juarez trying to pass the guard but Saari defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Juarez works his way into full mount!
Saari is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Saari has given up his back here. Will Juarez look for the submission or keep pounding away?

Saari defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Juarez's arms.
Juarez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Saari can do to turn this around?
Juarez biding his time, looking for the opening.
Saari tries to escape but Juarez has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Juarez wants to control but Saari is keeping busy.
Saari is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Saari can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Juarez controlling the positon.
Saari looking very determined here, making life difficult for Juarez.
Saari manages to reverse the position and now he's in Juarez's guard. Nice work there by Saari.
Juarez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Juarez uses his free foot to push down on Saari's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Saari.
Saari keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Juarez sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Juarez has control of Saari's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Saari regains control of the situation pretty easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saari is squirming around, avoiding Juarez's attempts to control the action.
Juarez wants to take his opponent's back but Saari doesn't allow it.
Juarez content just to control the position here.
Saari working to try and regain half guard.
Juarez controlling his opponent.
Saari sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Elix Juarez dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Saari shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Juarez manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Juarez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Saari defends it easily.
Juarez trying to control the position here.
Saari is looking to advance position but Juarez has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Saari is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Juarez tries to control but Saari wriggling away.
Saari is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Juarez wants to control the pace but Saari is squirming around nicely.
Juarez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Saari is trying to escape the mount.
Juarez wants to control the pace but Saari is squirming around nicely.
Saari is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Juarez trying to control but Saari is having none of it.
Saari is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Juarez working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Saari is looking to improve his position but Juarez isn't that keen on the idea.
Juarez moves to the back position.
Juarez trying to control momentarily.
Juarez has the hooks in. Saari is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Juarez has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Saari has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Juarez trying to control momentarily.
Saari is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Juarez is hanging on to Saari's back as he tries to escape.

Saari is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Juarez gets his way!
Saari is in bad spot here.
Saari takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Juarez trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Juarez is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Saari has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Juarez has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Saari taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Juarez doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Elix Juarez!