PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between LJ Whitaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Huora (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). LJ Whitaker has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Whitaker
vs
Huora

200 cm
24
275 lbs
4 - 3 - 1

225 cm
22
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, LJ Whitaker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ricky Huora!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Huora lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Whitaker circles away quickly and effectively.
Whitaker looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Whitaker tries to close the distance and clinch up but Huora swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Whitaker fails with an attempt to clinch.
Whitaker doesn't manage to clinch there - Huora circles away.

Huora lands a left and a right that send Whitaker crashing to the mat, dazed. Huora thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

It looks like LJ Whitaker has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Huora throws a right hand that Whitaker ducks under and follows up with a left that Whitaker also avoids with ease.
Huora throws a right and a left that Whitaker avoids nicely.
Some wild striking there from Huora.
No joy there for Huora, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Huora throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Whitaker.
Huora misses with a two punch combination.
Huora rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Whitaker moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Huora rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Whitaker moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Whitaker avoids a punch combination nicely.
Whitaker avoids a punch combination nicely.
Huora looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Huora looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Whitaker has managed to clinch.
Huora is trying to force a seperation but Whitaker has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huora is trying to break the clinch but Whitaker has him pressed against the cage.

Whitaker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Huora swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Huora throws a right and a left that both miss.
Huora fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A punch combination from Huora misses.

Whitaker pushes Huora up against the cage in a clinch.

Whitaker breaks the clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Whitaker slips a jab and a cross from Huora.

Whitaker clinches with his opponent.
Whitaker scores a nice knee to the body.
Whitaker prevents Huora from breaking the clinch.

That's two 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.
Huora blocks an elbow strike from Whitaker.
Whitaker with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Whitaker struggles to land a body shot inside as Huora controls his hands.
Huora blocks an uppercut.
Huora wants to break free but Whitaker has control.
Whitaker misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Huora.
Huora wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Whitaker lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Whitaker breaks the clinch.
Huora lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Whitaker circles away quickly and effectively.
Whitaker tries to clinch but Huora is having none of it.
Huora throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Whitaker rushes Huora and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Whitaker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Huora scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Huora fails to land with a series of punches.
A nice leg kick lands there from Whitaker.
Huora misses with a few strikes there.
Huora throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Whitaker throws a head kick but Huora moves out of range.
Huora slips a jab and a cross from Whitaker.
Ricky Huora seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Huora swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Whitaker counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Huora throws a left and a right that both miss

and Whitaker counters by moving into the clinch.
Whitaker throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker is trying to drag Huora to the mat but Huora just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Whitaker has a couple of punches blocked by Huora.
Huora tries to break free but Whitaker pushes him back against the cage.

Whitaker manages to break the clinch.
Huora misses with a combination

and Whitaker moves into the clinch.

Whitaker manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Huora dominated that round.
The cut man is working on LJ Whitaker's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Huora throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Huora fails to land with a series of punches.
Whitaker delivers a nice body kick.
Huora tries to bum rush Whitaker with a series of wild strikes but Whitaker uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Huora defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Whitaker.
Huora misses with a double jab

and Whitaker counters by moving into the clinch.
Huora prevents a takedown attempt there.
Whitaker has Huora pressed against the cage, preventing Huora from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Huora tries to break free but Whitaker pushes him back against the cage.
Huora is trying to break the clinch but Whitaker has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A frustrated look appears on Huora's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huora tries to break free but Whitaker pushes him back against the cage.
Huora tries to circle away but Whitaker has him pinned against the cage.

Whitaker manages to break the clinch.
Huora falls off balance throwing a combination
and Whitaker counters with an inside leg kick.

Whitaker clinches up with Huora and pushes him back against the cage.
Whitaker tries for a takedown but Huora manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for LJ Whitaker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Huora stops a takedown attempt from Whitaker.

Whitaker escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Huora swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Whitaker counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Whitaker.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Whitaker obliges.
Huora can't break the clinch.
A knee to the head by Whitaker.
Huora blocks an uppercut.
Whitaker tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Whitaker prevents Huora from breaking the clinch.
Huora wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Whitaker goes for a takedown in the clinch but Huora prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huora avoiding damage as Whitaker throws knees to the body.

Whitaker manages to break the clinch.
Huora tries to bum rush Whitaker with a series of wild strikes but Whitaker uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A combination from Whitaker does no damage.
Whitaker is looking to clinch but Huora is avoiding it.
Huora falls off balance throwing a combination
and Whitaker counters with a series of strikes. Huora will be more careful next time no doubt.

Whitaker moves into the clinch.
Huora is trying to force a seperation but Whitaker has the dominant position.
Huora is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Whitaker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

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.
Huora swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Huora throws a series of punches but Whitaker avoids them all with ease.
Whitaker lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Huora circles away quickly and effectively.

Whitaker moves into the clinch.
Huora wants to break free but Whitaker has control.
Whitaker pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Huora in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Whitaker tries a knee to the head but Huora blocks it.

Whitaker breaks the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Whitaker throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Huora.
Whitaker is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Whitaker rushes Huora and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

LJ Whitaker dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on LJ Whitaker's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

A punch combination from Huora misses.
Some wild striking there from Huora.

Whitaker instigates a clinch.
Huora dodges an elbow strike from Whitaker.
Whitaker fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Huora wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Huora has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitaker stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Huora wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitaker drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Huora gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A frustrated look appears on Huora's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Whitaker escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Huora misses with a combination
and Whitaker counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Whitaker misses with a series of wild punches.
Whitaker tries to clinch up.
Ricky Huora is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Huora avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

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.
Huora misses with a combination
and Whitaker counters with a one-two to the body.
Whitaker looks to land a body kick but Huora moved away.
Huora looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Whitaker dodges the punch combination from Huora.
Huora misses with a double jab.
Huora throws a combination that misses
and Whitaker counters with a right hand to the body.
Huora throws a left and a right that both miss

and Whitaker counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Whitaker with a flurry of punches that miss.

Huora kicks Whitaker off and gets to his feet.
Huora misses with a double jab

and Whitaker counters by clinching up.
Whitaker using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker tries for a takedown. No joy.
Huora on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Whitaker with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Whitaker goes for a takedown attempt but Huora pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for LJ Whitaker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Whitaker tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Huora paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Huora falls off balance throwing a combination

and Whitaker counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Whitaker.
Whitaker landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Huora avoids a wild elbow strike from Whitaker.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Whitaker is working for takedown but Huora is calmly controlling the position for now.
Whitaker using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Huora has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Whitaker throws an elbow that misses.

Whitaker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Whitaker misses with a double jab.
Huora lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Huora.
Whitaker fails with an attempt to clinch.
Whitaker is trying hard to land a takedown here. Huora sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Whitaker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Huora throws a combination that misses
and Whitaker counters with a series of strikes. Huora will be more careful next time no doubt.
Huora leaves Whitaker with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Whitaker tries to clinch up.

And that's the end of the fight!
LJ Whitaker showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Whitaker 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... LJ Whitaker!