PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steve Buscemi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Olli Kuhta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Buscemi might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Sopranos Theme. The crowd seem to be enjoying Kuhta's choice of entrance music: Break Out. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Buscemi
vs
Kuhta

165 cm
22
159 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
21
160 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Natural Nutrition

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Steve Buscemi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Olli Kuhta!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Buscemi tries to clinch but Kuhta moves out of range.
Kuhta tries to clinch up.
Buscemi wants to clinch but Kuhta slips to the side
and Kuhta counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Buscemi shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kuhta napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Buscemi working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kuhta gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Kuhta is not content to let Buscemi control the position.
Buscemi has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Kuhta works to full guard.
Kuhta is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buscemi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kuhta pulls Buscemi in close to prevent any damage.
Kuhta keeping moving, preventing Buscemi from controlling successfully.
Buscemi looking to pass the guard.
Kuhta pulls Buscemi in close to prevent any damage.

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.
Buscemi wants to control from the top but Kuhta keeps moving.

Buscemi stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Kuhta wants to clinch.
Buscemi could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Kuhta has managed to clinch.
Buscemi landing knees to the body.
Buscemi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kuhta wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Buscemi has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buscemi blocks an elbow strike.
Kuhta tries to circle away but Buscemi has him pinned against the cage.
Buscemi misses with a knee to the head.
Kuhta tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Buscemi avoids it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Buscemi as Kuhta tries to tie him up.
Buscemi stops a takedown attempt from Kuhta.
Buscemi tries a knee to the head but Kuhta blocks it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Buscemi. Kuhta does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kuhta lands with a nice body punch.
Kuhta tries to clinch but Buscemi moves away

and Buscemi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Buscemi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Buscemi is keen to just control but Kuhta is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuhta moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kuhta is pulling down on Buscemi's head. It's preventing any offense from Buscemi, at least for the moment.
Buscemi trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuhta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Buscemi is really struggling to control Kuhta but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Buscemi throwing strikes from guard but Kuhta blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Buscemi dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Buscemi clinches with his opponent.
Kuhta pressing his opponent against the cage.
Buscemi landing knees to the body.
Kuhta lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Kuhta blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Buscemi landing knees to the body.
Kuhta tries to break free but Buscemi pushes him back against the cage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Buscemi. Kuhta does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kuhta lands a nice shot to the body.
Steve Buscemi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Buscemi has his takedown stuffed
and Kuhta connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Buscemi takes a swing at Kuhta's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuhta blocks a head kick by Buscemi.
Buscemi shoots in but Kuhta avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Buscemi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Buscemi throws a knee to the head but misses.
Buscemi lands a knee to the body.
Buscemi tries to land knees in the clinch but Kuhta avoids the damage to the body.

Kuhta escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kuhta swinging wilding here.
Kuhta fails with an attempt to 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.
Buscemi fails with the takedown

and Kuhta counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Buscemi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kuhta wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Buscemi trying to land knees to the body.
Buscemi tries to work over Kuhta's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Buscemi using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kuhta has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Buscemi misses with the head strike.
Buscemi tries a knee to the head but Kuhta blocks it.
Kuhta is pressed up against the cage. Buscemi has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Kuhta down to the mat. Kuhta avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Kuhta throws a right and a left that Buscemi avoids nicely.
Buscemi misses with a takedown attempt

and Kuhta counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Buscemi is in trouble now - Kuhta has advanced to mount!
Buscemi tries to control Kuhta's body but Kuhta pushes him off. Buscemi squirms to his side and now Kuhta has his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuhta wants to control but Buscemi is keeping busy.
Buscemi is trying to get back to his feet but Kuhta has full control of the position and if anything, Buscemi has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Kuhta is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Buscemi knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Buscemi for a finish.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.

Kuhta is looking for a choke. Buscemi gets to his feet with his opponent on his back and slams him to the mat. Buscemi manages to squirm out of the attempted choke and turns into his opponent's guard.
Kuhta is breathing heavily.
Buscemi wants to pass the guard but Kuhta is keeping the position.
Buscemi passes Kuhta's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Buscemi wants to stand up but Kuhta is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Olli Kuhta showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Buscemi tries for a takedown but Kuhta circles away easily

and Kuhta counters by clinching up.
Buscemi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kuhta holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Buscemi landing knees to the body.
Buscemi is stalling here.
Buscemi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kuhta using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Buscemi has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kuhta.
Buscemi is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kuhta is defending well for now.
A knee to the head by Buscemi.
Buscemi looking to slow down the pace here.
Kuhta changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Buscemi fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuhta throws a sloppy head kick

so Buscemi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Buscemi stops Kuhta from standing up.
Kuhta takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Buscemi sitting in guard here, content to control.
Buscemi wants to pass the guard but Kuhta is keeping the position.
Buscemi stands and throws Kuhta's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Buscemi taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuhta tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Buscemi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kuhta is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Buscemi trying to control the action but Kuhta is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Buscemi feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Buscemi sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kuhta's guard.
Buscemi is trying to control. Kuhta wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buscemi seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Buscemi is keen to just control but Kuhta is a slippery customer.
Buscemi controlling the pace.
Kuhta won't allow Buscemi to pass to mount.

Buscemi is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Kuhta defends it well.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kuhta is looking to clinch but Buscemi is avoiding it.

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

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Buscemi!