PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tero Nuppi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Foley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Foley has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! Tero Nuppi has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Nuppi
vs
Foley

205 cm
19
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
20
257 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tero Nuppi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Frank Foley!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Tarja Halkonen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nuppi scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Foley looks gassed!
Nuppi working the strikes but Foley uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Nuppi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nuppi slips a nice elbow through Foley's hands, connecting with Foley's forehead.
Foley is trying to stand.
Nuppi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nuppi is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Nuppi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nuppi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Foley keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Foley avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nuppi.
Nuppi is keen to just control but Foley is a slippery customer.
Nuppi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Foley. No joy for Nuppi on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nuppi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Foley tries to avoid it but Nuppi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Foley to the ground. Foley escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nuppi fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tero Nuppi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nuppi shoots for a takedown but Foley saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nuppi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Foley tries to avoid it but Nuppi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Foley to the ground. Foley escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nuppi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Foley scores with a three punch combo!
Nuppi fails with the takedown.
Foley moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Nuppi walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Foley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Foley gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Nuppi to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Foley has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Nuppi off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nuppi shoots in looking for a takedown. Foley tries to sprawl out of it but Nuppi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Foley manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Frank Foley is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nuppi takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Jab from Foley.
Nuppi on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Nuppi defending well as Foley loads up on a big left hand.
Foley keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Foley looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Foley darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Nuppi fails in his attempt to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nuppi.
Foley lands a two punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nuppi shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Foley but Foley pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nuppi shoots in but Foley avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Foley lands with a nice combination. Nuppi backs away looking to recover.
Foley misses with a few strikes there.
Foley defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nuppi.
Foley moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Foley connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Foley swats away the attempt to clinch by Nuppi.
Foley stuffs the takedown.
Nuppi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Foley misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four 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.
A left lands for Foley.

Nuppi feints and as Foley raises his hands in defense, Nuppi changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nuppi stops Foley from standing up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nuppi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Foley wants to stand up but Nuppi is controlling him.
Nuppi chips away with some ground and pound.
Nuppi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nuppi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tero Nuppi dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nuppi fails with the takedown.
Nuppi shoots in looking for a takedown. Foley tries to sprawl out of it but Nuppi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Foley manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Nuppi shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Foley manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Foley avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Foley manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Nuppi squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Nuppi is squirming around, avoiding Foley's attempts to control the action.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nuppi is working to get back to half guard.
Foley controlling the pace for now.
You get the feeling that Nuppi really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Foley controlling the position easily from mount.
Nuppi is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nuppi swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Nuppi wants to try and get back to his feet.
Foley wants to control the pace but Nuppi is squirming around nicely.
Nuppi tries to buck Foley off but he can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nuppi is wriggling around trying to escape.
Nuppi tries to hold on but Foley pushes him away.
Nuppi is looking to improve his position but Foley isn't that keen on the idea.
Foley controlling his opponent.
Foley trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nuppi really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

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.
Nuppi is working hard here to advance position.
Foley tries to control but Nuppi wriggling away.
Nuppi is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Nuppi is in all sorts of trouble here.
Foley trying to control but Nuppi is having none of it.
Nuppi keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tero Nuppi will probably get the nod.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Nuppi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Foley fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A telegraphed right hand from Foley misses the target.
Foley goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Nuppi shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Foley as he avoids it easily.
The fighters circling - Foley throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nuppi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Foley's waist but Foley gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Nuppi off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tero Nuppi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nuppi tries for a takedown but Foley sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Foley, as that shot connected.
Foley swats away the attempt to clinch by Nuppi.
Foley moves into range and connects with a jab.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Foley scores with the left hand. Nuppi knows he should have avoided that one.
Nice sprawl there from Foley as Nuppi shoots in.
Foley swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Foley lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Nuppi circles away quickly and effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foley catches Nuppi with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
No luck for Nuppi with that takedown attempt.

Nuppi closes the distance and pushes Foley back into the cage.
Foley wants to break the clinch but can't.

Nuppi gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Foley regains guard.
Nuppi stopping the sweep attempt from Foley.
Foley wants to stand but Nuppi is controlling the position.
Nuppi keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Foley's head.
Nuppi throws and elbow that misses. Foley uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Nuppi's guard. Nice move by Foley!
Frank Foley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nuppi on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Nuppi tries to get out of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foley prevents Nuppi from getting back to his feet.
Nuppi trying to strike off his back.
Nuppi is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Foley is controlling him.
Foley trying to control the position from guard on top but Nuppi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nuppi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Foley throws a series of punches but Nuppi avoids them all with ease.
Nice cross by Foley.
Nuppi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Foley tries to avoid it but Nuppi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Foley to the ground. Foley escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Nuppi closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Nuppi lands in his opponent's guard.
Nuppi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nuppi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nuppi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Foley swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nuppi throws a strike but Foley rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Foley won't allow Nuppi to get back to his feet.
Foley showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

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.

Foley gets to his feet - Nuppi follows without any prompting.
Foley lands a lovely overhand right.
Nuppi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Foley pinned against the cage. Foley gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Foley bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Nuppi shoots in but Foley avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nuppi looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Nuppi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nuppi wants to clinch up but Foley keeps it at a distance.
Tero Nuppi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Foley might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Foley darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Foley waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Nuppi.

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 Tero Nuppi.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nuppi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!