PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauri Saarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Gracie
vs
Saarinen

193 cm
19
221 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

190 cm
23
219 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Fight Club Clothing
Takomo

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mauricio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mauri Saarinen!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gracie throws a leg kick but Saarinen moved away.

Saarinen clinches.
Gracie pushes off an throws an elbow but Saarinen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Gracie leaning against his opponent.
Saarinen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Saarinen is working for takedown but Gracie is calmly controlling the position for now.
Gracie pushes off an throws an elbow but Saarinen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Gracie using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Saarinen managing to block the knees to the body from Gracie.
Saarinen has Gracie pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gracie manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Gracie lands an elbow inside.

Saarinen wants the takedown. Gracie is fighting it off but Saarinen persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Gracie's guard against the cage.
Gracie pulls Saarinen in close to prevent any damage.
Saarinen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Gracie has his foot on Saarinen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Saarinen works his way back into a safe position though.
Gracie wants to stand up but Saarinen is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saarinen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Saarinen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarinen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Saarinen is proving a slippery customer.
Saarinen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Gracie has his foot on Saarinen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Saarinen works his way back into a safe position though.
Gracie is adopting a defensive guard.
Gracie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Saarinen.
Saarinen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Saarinen postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gracie lands with a kick to the temple. Saarinen shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Gracie tries to clinch

and Saarinen counters with a single leg into guard. Gracie didn't expect that.
Gracie looking to control.
Saarinen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Saarinen scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Saarinen is looking to work some ground and pound but Gracie has wrist control.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gracie looking to control.
Gracie is really struggling to control Saarinen but he's trying to hold on to the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gracie lands a head kick!
A nice leg kick lands there from Gracie.
Saarinen shoots in looking for a takedown. Gracie tries to sprawl out of it but Saarinen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Gracie manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mauricio Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauri Saarinen.
Saarinen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Gracie defends it nicely.
Saarinen looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a body punch but Saarinen moves out of range.
Gracie tries to clinch up

and Saarinen decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Gracie's guard.
Gracie looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Saarinen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Saarinen scoring with some ground and pound.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Saarinen from controlling successfully.
Saarinen is in close to Gracie's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Saarinen postures up.
Saarinen is looking to work some ground and pound but Gracie has wrist control.
Gracie is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Saarinen is controlling him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saarinen distracts Gracie with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Saarinen passes into half guard.
Gracie is trying to maintain the position but Saarinen is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauri Saarinen dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Saarinen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gracie pinned against the cage. Gracie gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gracie misses with a low kick.
Saarinen moves out of range of the leg kick from Gracie.
Saarinen takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Saarinen checks a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Horrible takedown by Saarinen or perhaps it was just good defense by Gracie which made him look bad.
Gracie chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie wants to land a leg kick but Saarinen is out of range.
Saarinen takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Gracie throws a chopping leg kick but Saarinen manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Mauricio Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Saarinen.
Mauricio Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauri Saarinen.
Gracie misses with a kick to the body.
Gracie clinches but Saarinen breaks the clinch

and Saarinen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Saarinen.
Saarinen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.

Gracie working for submissions but it's allowed Saarinen to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Gracie is trying to control but can't.
Gracie keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Gracie wants to control but Saarinen is keeping busy.

Saarinen is looking for a kimura here.
Saarinen is breathing heavily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Saarinen shoots in for a double leg but Gracie sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Gracie tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Saarinen counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Gracie's guard now.
Saarinen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Gracie is trying to keep Saarinen in close.
Saarinen is pushing down on Gracie's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gracie is fighting to maintain full guard but Saarinen has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gracie looks like he's trying to stand up.

Saarinen is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Saarinen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gracie defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Saarinen is working away from the top position though.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gracie fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Saarinen checks it well.
Gracie throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Gracie feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Saarinen's calf.
Gracie wants to clinch but Saarinen slips to the side

and Saarinen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie wants to stand up but Saarinen is controlling him.
Gracie seems keen to control Saarinen's posture.
Saarinen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Saarinen is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauri Saarinen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gracie throws a leg kick but Saarinen moved away.
Saarinen blocks a low kick nicely.

Saarinen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Gracie tries to hold on but Saarinen pushes him away.
Gracie is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Mauri Saarinen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracie wants to try and get back to his feet.
Gracie wants to control but Saarinen is having none of it.
Saarinen working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saarinen cracks Gracie with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Saarinen punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarinen won't let Gracie get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Saarinen lands a heavy elbow.
Saarinen working Gracie over with strikes here.
Saarinen is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Gracie tries to reverse the position but Saarinen maintains control.
Saarinen cracks Gracie with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mauri Saarinen!