PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joao Goulart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikael Koskinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Goulart's entrance music is Shaggy - Mr. Boombastic. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Goulart
vs
Koskinen

168 cm
23
165 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

170 cm
22
162 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joao Goulart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikael Koskinen!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koskinen throws a lazy right hand but Goulart sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Koskinen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Koskinen punishes Goulart's body with a nice straight punch.
Koskinen looks to score with a jab to the body but Goulart is just out of range.
A combination from Koskinen does no damage.
Koskinen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Goulart instigates a clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Goulart.
Goulart tries to land knees in the clinch but Koskinen avoids the damage to the body.
Koskinen blocks an uppercut.
Goulart missing with knees to the body.
Koskinen jumps guard but Goulart stands there with Koskinen around his waist. Koskinen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Goulart crunches a lovely knee into Koskinen's ribcage.
Koskinen wants a takedown.
Goulart displaying some good clinch control by pressing Koskinen up against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Goulart.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Koskinen ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Koskinen no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Goulart trying to control the position from guard on top but Koskinen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Koskinen is trying to control the position but Goulart postures up.

Koskinen is looking for a triangle but Goulart pushes his legs off easily.

Koskinen had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Goulart is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Koskinen Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Goulart's back instead.
Goulart turns into Koskinen and is now in his guard.
Koskinen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Goulart looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goulart is working hard here to advance position.

Koskinen has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Goulart is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Koskinen.
Koskinen looks gassed!
Goulart wants to control but Koskinen is keeping him busy.
Koskinen sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Goulart seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Koskinen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Koskinen won't allow Goulart to pass to mount.
Koskinen wants to control but Goulart is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Koskinen keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Goulart controlling the pace.
Koskinen is refusing to be controlled, as Goulart sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koskinen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Goulart stays in close to Koskinen's body and controls the position.
Goulart won't allow Koskinen to sweep him here.
Goulart has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Koskinen is looking for a triangle but Goulart pushes his legs off easily.
Goulart wants to pass the guard but Koskinen is keeping the position.
Koskinen striking off his back but it's not causing Goulart any problems.
Koskinen trying to control the position.
Koskinen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four 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.
Koskinen looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Goulart looking to sit in guard and control but Koskinen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Goulart looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Koskinen works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Goulart looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Goulart won't allow Koskinen to pass to mount.
Koskinen is trying to control. Goulart wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Koskinen is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Goulart is just riding it out for now. Koskinen eventually gives up the hold.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikael Koskinen dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Koskinen tries for a takedown but Goulart sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Koskinen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Goulart pinned against the cage. Goulart gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Goulart misses with a head kick.
Goulart takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koskinen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Goulart is looking to clinch.

Goulart clinches with his opponent.
Koskinen fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Joao Goulart has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikael Koskinen.
Goulart working aggressively here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koskinen blocks the elbow strike.
Koskinen is breathing heavily.
Koskinen managing to block the knees to the body from Goulart.

Goulart escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Goulart is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Goulart takes the fight into the clinch.
Goulart lands a left hand.
Koskinen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Goulart's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Koskinen fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Koskinen tries to pull guard but Goulart won't allow it.
Koskinen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Goulart has a couple of punches blocked by Koskinen.

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.
Koskinen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Koskinen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Goulart gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Koskinen.
Koskinen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Koskinen breaks from the clinch.
Koskinen waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Goulart.

Goulart has taken the fight to the clinch.
Koskinen jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Goulart walks away with a smile on his face. Koskinen gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Koskinen keeps the fight on the outside.
A punch combination from Koskinen misses.
Koskinen waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Goulart.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goulart is trying hard to land a takedown here. Koskinen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Koskinen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Goulart circles away quickly and effectively.
Joao Goulart is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Koskinen just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice jab there from Koskinen.
Mikael Koskinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Koskinen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Goulart decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Koskinen's guard.
Goulart pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Koskinen is keeping the position for now.

Koskinen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Goulart looking to pass the guard.
Goulart trying to control but Koskinen is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Goulart wants to pass the guard but Koskinen is keeping the position.

Koskinen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Goulart can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Goulart scoring with punches to the head and body.
Koskinen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Goulart moves away from the strike by Koskinen.
A telegraphed right hand from Goulart misses the target.
Goulart is looking to clinch but Koskinen is avoiding it.

Goulart has managed to clinch.
Goulart swings wildly with an uppercut but Koskinen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Goulart just leaning against Koskinen, taking a breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joao Goulart dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Goulart rushes Koskinen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Koskinen jumps guard but Goulart stands there with Koskinen around his waist. Koskinen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Goulart throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Goulart presses Koskinen against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Koskinen is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Goulart breaks the clinch.
Koskinen cracks Goulart with a right hand to the side of the head.
Koskinen bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Goulart's head backwards.

Goulart gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Koskinen to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Koskinen stopping the sweep attempt from Goulart.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koskinen wants to control from the top but Goulart keeps moving.
Goulart is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Goulart is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Koskinen is just riding it out for now. Goulart eventually gives up the hold.

Goulart is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two 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.
Koskinen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Koskinen.

Koskinen working for a triangle but Goulart defends it easily.
Koskinen trying to control the position here.
Goulart is stalling in the full guard.
Koskinen trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Goulart drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Goulart jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Koskinen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Goulart is aware though and is defending well.

Goulart drops back looking for a leg! Koskinen is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Koskinen manages to kick Goulart off! Goulart jumps back into Koskinen's guard.
Koskinen is trying to control the position but Goulart postures up.
Koskinen looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Koskinen is looking for a triangle but Goulart pushes his legs off easily.

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.
Goulart slips nicely into half guard.
Koskinen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Goulart is looking to take a break and control but Koskinen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Koskinen wants to control but Goulart is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Goulart is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Koskinen wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikael Koskinen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Koskinen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikael Koskinen!