PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Arttu Nieminen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zdeno Chara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zdeno Chara will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Nieminen
vs
Chara

182 cm
19
183 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
23
185 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Arttu Nieminen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zdeno Chara!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nieminen gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Chara to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Chara wants to stand and escape but instead Nieminen has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Nieminen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Nieminen preventing the sweep.
Nieminen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Chara is keeping the position for now.
Nieminen wants to control from the top but Chara keeps moving.
Chara tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Chara preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nieminen won't allow Chara to sweep him here.
Chara manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nieminen is wriggling around trying to escape.
Chara looking to control but Nieminen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nieminen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Chara tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Nieminen is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Nieminen tries to hold on but Chara postures up.

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.
Chara controlling from the full mount.
Chara trying to control but Nieminen is having none of it.
Chara looking to ground and pound but Nieminen is blocking nicely.
Nieminen working to try and regain half guard.
Nieminen is squirming around, avoiding Chara's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Chara lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Nieminen hang on?
Nieminen knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Chara on the ground.
Chara trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nieminen is working to get back to half guard.
Chara is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Chara throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Chara is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Nieminen has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Nieminen!
Chara looks gassed!
Nieminen stopping the sweep attempt from Chara.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Chara seems keen to control Nieminen's posture.
Nieminen stopping the sweep attempt from Chara.
Nieminen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Chara controls Nieminen momentarily but Nieminen frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zdeno Chara dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nieminen throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Chara misses with a takedown attempt - Nieminen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Arttu Nieminen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Chara circles away from the clinch attempt.
No luck for Chara with that takedown attempt.

Nieminen looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Nieminen trying to control but Chara is working from the bottom.
Nieminen passes Chara's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Chara is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nieminen tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Chara.

Nieminen is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Chara is just riding it out for now. Nieminen eventually gives up the hold.
Nieminen wants to advance to full mount but Chara doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Nieminen looking to pass the guard.

That's two 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.
Chara being controlled here, momentarily.
Nieminen preventing the sweep.
Nieminen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Chara works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Chara wants to stand up but Nieminen is controlling him.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Nieminen darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nieminen trying to control the pace.
Nieminen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Chara is looking for a sweep. Nieminen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nieminen seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Chara tries to roll over but Nieminen keeps him under control.
Nieminen is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Nieminen working for a submission but Chara is keeping him at bay.
Nieminen trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arttu Nieminen dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Nieminen tries to clinch but Chara is having none of it.
A punch combination from Nieminen misses.

Chara tries to keep at a distance but Nieminen has taken the fight into the clinch.
Chara misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nieminen.
Chara has had enough of the clinch but Nieminen keeps him there for the moment.
Chara lands an elbow inside that Nieminen shrugs off.
Chara working hard to break the clinch.
Nieminen prevents Chara from breaking the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chara wants a takedown.
Chara tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Chara is pressed up against the cage. Nieminen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Chara down to the mat. Chara avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Chara tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Left hook, right uppercut from Nieminen.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nieminen looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Chara wants to clinch but Nieminen slips to the side

so Nieminen counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Nieminen trying to control the position from guard on top but Chara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nieminen wants to stand but Chara is controlling his posture from full guard.

Chara is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nieminen defends well.
Arttu Nieminen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nieminen wants to stand but Chara has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chara manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nieminen manages to get himself to full guard.
Nieminen keeping moving, preventing Chara from controlling successfully.
Chara tries to free his leg and advance position but Nieminen is retaining full guard.
Chara is fighting to break Nieminen's control of his arms but Nieminen is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Nieminen wants to get back to his feet but Chara is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chara wants to stand but Nieminen is controlling his posture from full guard.
Chara trying to control the position from guard on top but Nieminen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chara looking to pass the guard.
Chara is looking to work some ground and pound but Nieminen has wrist control.

That's four 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Nieminen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Nieminen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Nieminen looking to control but Chara is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Chara is trying to escape the mount.
Chara is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Nieminen controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arttu Nieminen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nieminen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arttu Nieminen!