PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Les Grossman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hannu Niinivaara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Grossman comes into the arena with Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur... blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Grossman
vs
Niinivaara

190 cm
19
217 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

198 cm
22
213 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Natural Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Les Grossman!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hannu Niinivaara!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Niinivaara takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Niinivaara throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Grossman closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Niinivaara tries to get to full guard but Grossman has control of the leg.
Niinivaara wants to control but Grossman is keeping busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Grossman working the head and body with strikes.
Grossman not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Grossman trying to control from half guard but Niinivaara is working away.
Niinivaara wants to control but Grossman is keeping busy.
Grossman trying to pass the guard but Niinivaara defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niinivaara is looking for a sweep. Grossman is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Niinivaara manages to get to full guard.
Niinivaara trying to keep a closed guard but Grossman is proving a slippery customer.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Niinivaara looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Niinivaara swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Grossman lands a nice shot that snaps Niinivaara's head back.
Niinivaara is looking to clinch but Grossman is avoiding it.

Grossman scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Niinivaara parries the strikes from Grossman easily there. Grossman is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Niinivaara to escape.
Grossman has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Niinivaara prevents Grossman from improving position.
Niinivaara is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grossman throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Niinivaara struggling a bit here.
You can see the frustration on Niinivaara's face as Grossman controls the position.
Niinivaara struggling a bit here.
Niinivaara tries to improve position but can't.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Niinivaara throws a looping overhand right but Grossman ducks down to avoid it.
Niinivaara throws a right and a left that Grossman avoids nicely.
Niinivaara throws an overhand right that lands on Grossman's shoulder, as Grossman tries to avoid the shot.
A combination from Niinivaara does no damage.
Niinivaara fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Grossman manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grossman looks to score with a jab to the body but Niinivaara is just out of range.
Niinivaara wants to clinch.
Niinivaara wants to slow Grossman down by chopping away at his legs.
Niinivaara throws a right hand that Grossman ducks under and follows up with a left that Grossman also avoids with ease.
Niinivaara takes a swing at Grossman's ribcage but misses.
Niinivaara misses with a shot to the body

and Grossman counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Niinivaara won't allow Grossman to pass to mount.
Grossman seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Grossman working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Grossman lands strikes from half guard.
Grossman is thwarting Niinivaara's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niinivaara has hold of Grossman's hands but Grossman slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Grossman trying to mount his opponent but Niinivaara defends it.
Grossman throwing shots but Niinivaara is blocking nicely.
Niinivaara wants to control but Grossman is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Grossman lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Grossman not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Grossman thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Niinivaara to regain full guard.
Niinivaara wants to sweep but no luck.
Grossman pushing down on Niinivaara's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Grossman throwing shots but Niinivaara is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Les Grossman dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Niinivaara throws a hook but Grossman blocks it.
Niinivaara wants to clinch but Grossman slips to the side

and Grossman counters with a takedown into side control.
Niinivaara tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Grossman wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Niinivaara seems a little lost for a moment, as Grossman dominates the positioning.
Grossman wants to control but Niinivaara is keeping him busy.
The ground and pound from Grossman seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Grossman looks up at the clock and then as Niinivaara takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Grossman smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Niinivaara is looking for a sweep.
Grossman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Niinivaara keeps working.
Grossman throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Check out the look on Grossman's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Grossman misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Niinivaara is looking for a sweep.
Grossman is staying tight to Niinivaara's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Grossman lands a few punches from side control.
Grossman trying to control the action but Niinivaara is working from the bottom.
Niinivaara stops Grossman from passing to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Niinivaara tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Grossman wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grossman throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Niinivaara is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Niinivaara's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Les Grossman overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Niinivaara tries to get back to half guard but can't.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Grossman shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Grossman trying to mount his opponent but Niinivaara defends it.
Niinivaara on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grossman with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Niinivaara is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Grossman is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Grossman throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Grossman stops Niinivaara from getting back to his feet.
Niinivaara is looking for a sweep. Grossman is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Niinivaara keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Niinivaara is looking for a sweep. Grossman is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Grossman connects with a jab.
Grossman scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Niinivaara doesn't seem bothered though.
Niinivaara lunges at Grossman with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Grossman's hand.
Niinivaara connects with the punch.
A telegraphed right hand from Niinivaara misses the target.
Niinivaara tries to clinch up

and Grossman counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Niinivaara is staying active underneath Grossman, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Niinivaara can do anything to dispel that myth.
Grossman thows a huge punch but Niinivaara dodges it nicely.
Niinivaara wants to get back to full guard.
Grossman is controlling the pace.
Grossman working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Les Grossman dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Niinivaara looks to clinch
and Grossman counters with a stiff right hand.
Hannu Niinivaara is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Grossman shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Niinivaara as he jumps to the side.
Niinivaara darts in trying to clinch

and Grossman decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Niinivaara's guard.
Grossman looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Grossman trying to control but Niinivaara is working from the bottom.
Grossman landing some decent shots from guard.
Niinivaara trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niinivaara wants to sweep here but Grossman controlling him for the moment.
Niinivaara being controlled here, momentarily.
Grossman working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Niinivaara wants to stand but Grossman is controlling the position.
Niinivaara bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Grossman's guard.
Niinivaara wants to control from the top but Grossman keeps moving.
Niinivaara in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

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.
Grossman looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Niinivaara throwing strikes but missing.
Niinivaara works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Grossman is looking to improve his position.
Niinivaara slips a nice elbow through Grossman's hands, connecting with Grossman's forehead.
Grossman keeping hold of Niinivaara's head, controlling as best he can.
Niinivaara trying to control the action but Grossman is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grossman blocking the ground and pound attempt from Niinivaara.
Grossman is trying to maintain the position but Niinivaara is very close to passing his half guard.
Nice strikes from Niinivaara there.
Grossman is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Niinivaara is looking to advance position but Grossman won't allow it.
Niinivaara thows a huge punch but Grossman dodges it nicely.
Grossman is trying to maintain the position but Niinivaara is very close to passing his half guard.
Niinivaara prevents Grossman from improving his position.

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.
Niinivaara trying to control from half guard but Grossman is working away.
Grossman moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Grossman is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Grossman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Grossman looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Niinivaara working a defensive guard but Grossman passes into half guard.
Niinivaara is refusing to be controlled, as Grossman sits in half guard.
Niinivaara wants to control but Grossman is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Les Grossman clearly takes that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Niinivaara wants to clinch but Grossman slips to the side

and Grossman counters with a takedown into side control.
Niinivaara tries to buck Grossman off but Grossman is having none of it.
Check out the look on Grossman's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Grossman lands a nice forearm strike.
Niinivaara tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Grossman wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Grossman cracks Niinivaara with a big right hand but Niinivaara just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Niinivaara is looking for a sweep.
Grossman creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Niinivaara sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Niinivaara is looking for a sweep.
Grossman scoring with punches from side control.
Grossman working the head with strikes.
Niinivaara is letting Grossman control him for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niinivaara struggling a bit here.
Niinivaara is looking to reverse the position.
Niinivaara is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
Niinivaara gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Nice strikes from Grossman there.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Grossman connects with a nice short shot to Niinivaara's temple.
Niinivaara wants to control but Grossman is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Grossman trying to control the action but Niinivaara is working from the bottom.
Niinivaara is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

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.
Niinivaara slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Niinivaara is on top in guard.
Niinivaara postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Niinivaara wants to control from the top but Grossman keeps moving.
Grossman lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Niinivaara!
Grossman lands a heavy elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grossman working Niinivaara over with strikes here.
Niinivaara tries to hold on but Grossman postures up.
Grossman postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Niinivaara bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Grossman and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:33 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Les Grossman!
Les Grossman retains his light heavyweight title!