PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Bieksa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marku Koski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marku Koski has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Kevin Bieksa's chin.

Bieksa
vs
Koski

195 cm
18
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

205 cm
18
280 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
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 Montreal, Kevin Bieksa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Marku Koski!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Trevor Gratis and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bieksa forces Koski back against the cage and clinches.
Bieksa slows down the pace here.
Bieksa works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Bieksa lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Koski dodges an elbow strike from Bieksa.
Bieksa lands a body shot.
Bieksa could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Koski tries for a takedown but Bieksa manages to get underhooks.
Bieksa is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Koski fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Koski keeps control of Bieksa as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Koski has Bieksa pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Koski pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Bieksa tumbling to the mat - Koski dives into Bieksa's guard.
Koski slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Bieksa seems a little lost for a moment, as Koski dominates the positioning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bieksa is looking for a sweep.
Koski advances nicely into full mount.
Bieksa is trying to stand.
Koski tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

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.
Koski wants to take Bieksa's back but he can't do it this time.
Bieksa is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Koski looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bieksa is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Koski sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Koski manages to capitalize on a mistake by Bieksa to take his back!
Bieksa wants to escape the position.

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.
What can Bieksa do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

Despite being in the dominant position, Marku Koski just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bieksa wants to clinch.
Bieksa swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bieksa displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Koski.
Kevin Bieksa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marku Koski.
Bieksa darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bieksa clinches.
Good body shot from Bieksa.
Bieksa can't break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marku Koski dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Marku Koski's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Bieksa fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bieksa tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Koski paws at him with a jab and circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Koski drops down looking for an ankle pick but Bieksa pulls his leg out and moves away.
Kevin Bieksa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Koski tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Bieksa counters by moving into the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Bieksa.
Bieksa tries to break the clinch but Koski is controlling the position.
Bieksa prevents a takedown attempt there.
Bieksa throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Koski blocks it with crossed arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koski can't get the takedown.
Kevin Bieksa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marku Koski.
A right hand to the body from Bieksa.
Bieksa lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Koski backwards.
Koski is breathing heavily.
Bieksa gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Koski.
Bieksa throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Koskis head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koski changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bieksa fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Kevin Bieksa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bieksa wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nice body punch from Bieksa.
Bieksa closes the distance but Koski moves to the side

and Koski counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bieksa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bieksa wants to sweep here but Koski controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Koski got a little sloppy there for a moment and Bieksa has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Koski has managed to get both his arms back between Bieksa's legs - danger averted.
Koski trying to control the position from guard on top but Bieksa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bieksa is looking to stand up but Koski isn't so interested in that idea.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Bieksa tries to clinch but Koski is having none of it.
Bieksa lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Koski shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bieksa sprawls well. Bieksa wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Koski gets slowly back to his feet.

Bieksa fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Koski, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bieksa is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Bieksa.
Bieksa stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Come on Bieksa - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Bieksa is trying to force a seperation but Koski has the dominant position.
Koski has Bieksa pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bieksa manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Bieksa tries to break free but Koski pushes him back against the cage.
Koski on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Bieksa looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bieksa scores with a hook to the body.
Bieksa makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Koski blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

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.
Koski can't get the takedown.
Koski is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bieksa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
A frustrated look appears on Bieksa's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bieksa scores with a shoulder strike.
Bieksa is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Koski is defending well for now.
Bieksa lands a left hand.
Bieksa digs a right hand into Koski's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Koski's gas tank.
Bieksa misses with an elbow over the top.
Bieksa is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Bieksa leaning his opponent against the cage.
Bieksa is trying to break the clinch but Koski has him pressed against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Bieksa.
A shot in the inside from Bieksa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Bieksa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Marku Koski's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Koski fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Bieksa gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The referee calls for Bieksa to work.
Bieksa makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Bieksa stops a takedown attempt from Koski.
Bieksa is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Bieksa has had enough of the clinch but Koski keeps him there for the moment.
Koski takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bieksa lands a shot to the body.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A short uppercut from Bieksa.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bieksa working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Bieksa missing with knees to the body.
Koski goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bieksa prevents it.
Kevin Bieksa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marku Koski.
Bieksa is trying to break the clinch but Koski is controlling him.
Stalling in the clinch from Bieksa.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bieksa.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Bieksa.
Bieksa wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Nice body punch from Bieksa.
Bieksa lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Koski has Bieksa pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bieksa manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Koski on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Bieksa working hard to break the clinch.

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.
Koski keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Bieksa's efforts to push away.
Koski has Bieksa pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bieksa manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Nice body punch from Bieksa.
Bieksa lands with a light punch inside.
Bieksa stalling in the clinch.
Bieksa pushes Koski back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Bieksa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bieksa is looking to clinch.
Bieksa tries to clinch but Koski moves out of range.

Bieksa closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Bieksa tries to break free but Koski pushes him back against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Bieksa.
Koski has Bieksa pressed against the cage, preventing Bieksa from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A bit of stalling here from Bieksa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bieksa softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Bieksa wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bieksa works on Koski's body with a couple of short punches.
Koski is working for takedown but Bieksa is calmly controlling the position for now.
Koski is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bieksa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
A right hand to the body from Bieksa.
Bieksa is looking to break free of the clinch but Koski has double underhooks.
Bieksa is leaning against Koski and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Bieksa lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Bieksa throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Bieksa displaying some good clinch control by pressing Koski up against the cage.
Bieksa lands a right hand that snaps the head of Koski backwards.
Bieksa tries to break free but Koski pushes him back against the cage.

That's four 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.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Bieksa misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Koski.
Koski tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Bieksa smiles and moves away.
Bieksa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Koski swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bieksa throws a series of strikes that have Koski backpedaling.
Koski circles away from the clinch attempt.

Bieksa instigates a clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Koski prevents Bieksa from breaking the clinch.
Bieksa digs a right hand into Koski's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Koski's gas tank.
Bieksa stalling in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kevin Bieksa showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bieksa 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kevin Bieksa!