PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andro Babic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aki Aromaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Babic kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Boom - P.O.D.. Aki Aromaa is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Babic
vs
Aromaa

188 cm
19
220 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

187 cm
21
212 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Andro Babic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aki Aromaa!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Babic wants to clinch.
A head kick misses from Babic.
Babic tries to clinch but Aromaa is having none of it.
Babic looks to land a combination but Aromaa avoids it well.
Babic throws a shot to the body.
Babic throws a head kick but Aromaa moves out of range.
Aromaa swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Babic counters with a nice double leg into side control. Aromaa won't be happy with that.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Aromaa can do anything to dispel that myth.
Babic throws a strike aimed at the side of Aromaa's head but Aromaa avoids it well.
Aromaa manages to get back to half guard.

Babic wants to work for an arm triangle but Aromaa is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Babic is trying to control the action in half guard but Aromaa is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Aromaa is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Babic is looking to advance position but Aromaa won't allow it.
Aromaa is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Babic's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Babic's back!
Babic rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Babic is trying to control but can't.

Babic looking for subs from the bottom but Aromaa mounts him!
Aromaa avoids the attempt from Babic to control.
Babic is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aromaa scoring with strikes but Babic is staying in there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aromaa looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Aromaa avoids the attempt from Babic to control.
Babic regains half guard.
Aromaa lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Aromaa scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Aromaa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Babic does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Babic is looking to improve his position.

Aromaa gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Aromaa thuds a left hand into Babic's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aromaa misses with a kick to the body

and Babic counters by clinching up.
Babic wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Babic creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Aromaa avoiding damage as Babic throws knees to the body.
Aromaa gets underhooks to prevent Babic's takedown attempt.
Babic with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Aromaa on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Aromaa tries for a takedown but Babic manages to get underhooks.

Aromaa gets control of Babic's arms and successfully pulls guard. Aromaa will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Babic decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Aromaa scores with a three punch combo!
Babic is breathing heavily.
Aromaa throws a jab but it's blocked by Babic.
Aromaa throws a right hand that Babic ducks under and follows up with a left that Babic also avoids with ease.

Babic forces Aromaa back against the cage and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aromaa prevents Babic from breaking the clinch.
Babic wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Aromaa has him pressed against the cage.
Aromaa prevents the takedown attempt.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Babic scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Aromaa avoiding damage as Babic throws knees to the body.
Babic misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Aromaa.
Babic gets underhooks to prevent Aromaa's takedown attempt.

Babic has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Aromaa uses from the top position.
Aromaa trying to control but Babic is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Aromaa content to stall in guard here.

Babic escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Aromaa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Aki Aromaa will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Aromaa throws a right hand that Babic ducks under and follows up with a left that Babic also avoids with ease.
Babic fails in his attempt to clinch.
A head kick by Aromaa misses
and Babic counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Aromaa lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Aromaa swats away the attempt to clinch by Babic.
Babic throws a right hand that Aromaa ducks under and follows up with a left that Aromaa also avoids with ease.
Babic displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Aromaa.
Babic throws a head kick but Aromaa moves out of range.
Aromaa doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Aromaa is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Babic.
A lazy body kick from Aromaa

and Babic decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Aromaa's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Babic wants to stand and escape but instead Aromaa has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Babic is looking for a triangle here but Aromaa uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Babic is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Aromaa's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Aromaa wants to take a breather but Babic is having none of it.
Aromaa prevents Babic from standing back up.
Babic is looking to improve his position.

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.
Aromaa keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Andro Babic overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Babic gets full guard.

Babic has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Aromaa can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Babic manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Babic thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Babic is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Aromaa can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Babic swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Aromaa is now in Babic's guard. A big mistake from Babic there, giving up the dominant position!
Aromaa trying to control but Babic is working from the bottom.

Babic escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Aromaa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Babic looking for subs off his back but Aromaa has passed one foot through into half guard.

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.
Aromaa is looking to advance position but Babic won't allow it.
Babic makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Babic.

Babic is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Babic escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Aromaa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Aromaa makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andro Babic dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Aromaa misses with a combination

and Babic decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Aromaa's guard.
Aromaa wants to sweep but no luck.
Babic stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Aromaa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Aromaa looking to hit a scissor sweep but Babic is one step ahead there.

Babic postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Aromaa is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Babic, into his guard.
Aromaa must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Aromaa scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Babic wants to stand up but Aromaa is controlling him.
Aromaa controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Let's hope that Aromaa has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Aromaa cracks Babic with a solid left hand.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Aromaa's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Aromaa trying to control but Babic is working from the bottom.

Babic looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Babic has his foot on Aromaa's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Aromaa works his way back into a safe position though.

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.
Babic is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Aromaa dives into side control.
Babic sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Babic trying to control here.
Babic won't allow Aromaa to pass to mount.
Babic wants to get back to full guard but Aromaa has passed into side control.
Babic takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Aromaa looking for a guillotine from mount but Babic is having none of it.
Babic is looking to improve his position but Aromaa isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Babic manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Babic has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Aromaa is working away from the top position though.

Babic looking for submissions off his back.

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.
Aromaa perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Babic is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Aromaa jumps into side control!
Babic bucks up and tries to throw Aromaa off but instead Aromaa has got his back!
Babic trying to control but not successfully.
Aromaa lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Aromaa throwing damaging strikes from the back! Babic could be in trouble here!
What can Babic do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Andro Babic.
I think Babic 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight for Andro Babic!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Andro Babic!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Andro Babic!

Andro Babic wins by unanimous decision!