PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Anssi Koivuranta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joao Janjaum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Koivuranta
vs
Janjaum

180 cm
22
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Anssi Koivuranta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joao Janjaum!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koivuranta shoots in but Janjaum avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Janjaum throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Janjaum lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Janjaum scores with a head kick.
Janjaum keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Joao Janjaum seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Janjaum tries to clinch but Koivuranta is having none of it.
Janjaum throws a nice inside leg kick.
Koivuranta moves out of range of the body kick.
Nice sprawl there from Janjaum as Koivuranta shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anssi Koivuranta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Koivuranta takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Janjaum stuffs the takedown attempt from Koivuranta. Koivuranta gets slowly back to his feet.

Koivuranta closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Janjaum to the mat! Janjaum manages to get full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Janjaum wants to stand and escape but Koivuranta is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koivuranta throws a big right hand that misses.
Janjaum utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Koivuranta is breathing heavily.
Janjaum wants to stand and escape but Koivuranta is having none of it.
Koivuranta throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Janjaum wants to stand and escape but Koivuranta is having none of it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Janjaum lands a nice leg kick that just misses Koivuranta's sensitive parts.
Koivuranta avoids a kick to the body.
Joao Janjaum is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Janjaum.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Crunch! Janjaum slams his shin into Koivuranta's torso.
Janjaum stuffs the takedown attempt from Koivuranta. Koivuranta gets slowly back to his feet.
An inside leg kick lands from Janjaum.
The fight stays on the outside here - Janjaum looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Janjaum moves in looking to clinch but Koivuranta pushes him off.
A head kick misses from Janjaum.
Janjaum tries to clinch up.
Crunch! Janjaum slams his shin into Koivuranta's torso.
Janjaum wants to clinch.
Koivuranta walks forward, straight into a front kick from Janjaum.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Janjaum misses with a body shot.
A head kick misses from Janjaum.
Koivuranta sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Janjaum tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Janjaum looks to score with a jab to the body but Koivuranta is just out of range.
A chopping leg kick lands by Janjaum.
Koivuranta fails with the takedown.
Janjaum wants to clinch.
Janjaum keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Janjaum looks to score with a jab to the body but Koivuranta is just out of range.
Janjaum throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Janjaum, right into the meat.
Janjaum stuffs the takedown.
Janjaum ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Koivuranta moves away.
Koivuranta on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Janjaum. Janjaum obviously looking to wear him down.
Janjaum throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Janjaum tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Koivuranta paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Janjaum is looking to slow Koivuranta down with leg kicks.
Janjaum explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Koivuranta fails with a takedown attempt.
Koivuranta misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Janjaum fakes the leg kick and cracks Koivuranta in the body.
Janjaum lands with a kick to the temple. Koivuranta shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Janjaum lands a nice looking kick to the body. Koivuranta takes a step back to recover.
Janjaum scores with a body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Janjaum fails with an attempt to clinch.
Janjaum throws a quick inside leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Janjaum.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Janjaum is looking to clinch.
Janjaum wants to clinch.
A punch lands to the side of Koivuranta 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Janjaum keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anssi Koivuranta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Janjaum explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Koivuranta steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Janjaum. That one must have hurt.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Janjaum. Koivuranta shrugs it off though.
A chopping leg kick lands by Janjaum.
Janjaum lands a head kick!
Janjaum throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Janjaum fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A solid body kick from Janjaum.

Janjaum gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Janjaum using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Koivuranta has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Janjaum unloads a knee to the mid-section. Koivuranta lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Janjaum pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Janjaum misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Koivuranta.
Koivuranta takes an elbow to the forehead.
Janjaum scores with a knee to the head.
Janjaum creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Koivuranta's defenses.
Janjaum gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Janjaum tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Janjaum throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Janjaum misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Koivuranta.
Janjaum prevents a takedown attempt there.
Koivuranta is trying to drag Janjaum to the mat but Janjaum just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Koivuranta tries to score a body lock takedown but Janjaum shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Janjaum lands a damaging elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Janjaum lands a nice knee to the body.

Koivuranta has Janjaum pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Koivuranta pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Janjaum tumbling to the mat - Koivuranta dives into Janjaum's guard.
Koivuranta thows a big elbow that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Koivuranta accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Koivuranta in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Janjaum preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Janjaum is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Janjaum preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Koivuranta trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koivuranta is working Janjaum over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Koivuranta shoots in looking for a takedown. Janjaum tries to sprawl out of it but Koivuranta keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Janjaum manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Koivuranta shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Janjaum as he avoids it easily.

Janjaum rushes Koivuranta and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Janjaum misses with a knee strike.
Koivuranta will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Janjaum pushes off an throws an elbow but Koivuranta leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Janjaum tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Koivuranta goes for a takedown in the clinch but Janjaum prevents it.
Janjaum landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Koivuranta is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Janjaum prevents a takedown attempt there.
Koivuranta takes a knee right on the jaw!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joao Janjaum showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Koivuranta's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Janjaum fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Koivuranta.
Koivuranta is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Janjaum throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Koivuranta tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Janjaum misses with a head kick.

Janjaum rushes Koivuranta and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Janjaum creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Koivuranta is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Janjaum can't fight it off and eventually Koivuranta manages to take the fight to the floor. Janjaum looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Janjaum wants to stand but Koivuranta is controlling the position.
Koivuranta working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Janjaum working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Koivuranta.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koivuranta missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Koivuranta thows a big elbow that misses.
Koivuranta has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Koivuranta is looking to work some ground and pound but Janjaum has wrist control.
Janjaum wants to get back to his feet but Koivuranta is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Koivuranta connects with a couple of short punches.
Koivuranta thows a big elbow that misses.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A clash of legs there as Koivuranta blocks the low kick.
Koivuranta fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Janjaum is looking to clinch but Koivuranta is avoiding it.
Janjaum is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Koivuranta rather than just go for the knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Crunch! Janjaum slams his shin into Koivuranta's torso.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Koivuranta.
Janjaum tries to clinch but Koivuranta moves out of range.
Janjaum is looking to clinch but Koivuranta is avoiding it.
Nice shot lands for Janjaum.
Janjaum tries to score with a low kick but Koivuranta moves his leg out of the way.
Koivuranta tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Janjaum swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anssi Koivuranta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice body punch from Janjaum.
Koivuranta swats away the attempt to clinch by Janjaum.
Janjaum tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Janjaum scores with a spinning back kick!
Janjaum throws a nice outside leg kick.
Koivuranta shoots in looking for a takedown. Janjaum tries to sprawl out of it but Koivuranta keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Janjaum manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Janjaum lands a nice shot to the body.
Joao Janjaum is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Janjaum keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Janjaum throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Koivuranta chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Janjaum can pounce on him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Koivuranta takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Koivuranta fails with the takedown.
Joao Janjaum is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Janjaum goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Janjaum scores with a push kick.
Janjaum scores with a nice body kick.
Janjaum lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Koivuranta avoids the body shot from Janjaum.
Koivuranta on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Koivuranta moves out of range of the body kick from Janjaum.
Janjaum fails in his attempt to clinch.
Anssi Koivuranta has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Janjaum swings and misses with a hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joao Janjaum comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Janjaum winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joao Janjaum!