PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ham Xu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reijo Laamanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Xu
vs
Laamanen

180 cm
25
215 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

207 cm
24
217 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Granite chin

Cobra Kai Nutrition (St. Pete's Best)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ham Xu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Reijo Laamanen!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Illya Tyunina and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Xu scores with a leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Xu.
Xu dodges the punch combination from Laamanen.
Laamanen looks to land a combination but Xu avoids it well.
No joy there for Laamanen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Laamanen blocks a head kick by Xu.
Laamanen avoids the head kick by Xu.
Laamanen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Xu manages to avoid it.
Laamanen uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Xu.
Xu lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Laamanen circles away quickly and effectively.

Xu shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Laamanen wants to get back to his feet.
Xu wants to free his trapped foot but Laamanen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Laamanen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Laamanen is refusing to be controlled, as Xu sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laamanen is trying to stand back up but Xu is controlling him
Xu seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Xu missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Laamanen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Xu.
Laamanen pushes Xu off looking to stand but Xu dives back in and keeps control.
Xu slips a nice elbow through Laamanen's hands, connecting with Laamanen's forehead.

Laamanen has one foot on Xu's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Xu throws a head kick that misses.
Reijo Laamanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Xu comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Laamanen looks gassed!
Laamanen blocks a head kick by Xu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen misses with a two punch combination.
Laamanen throws a jab but it's blocked by Xu.
Laamanen looks to throw the jab but Xu is out of range.
Xu throws a head kick that misses.
Xu connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Laamanen's hands.

It looks like Reijo Laamanen has been cut.
Xu blocks a head kick by Laamanen.
Xu walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Xu throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Laamanen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Laamanen throws a leg kick that is checked

and Xu counters with a nice double leg into side control. Laamanen won't be happy with that.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Xu tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Xu scoring with punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xu tries to move into full mount but can't pass Laamanen's legs.
Laamanen is trying to buck Xu off.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Xu is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Laamanen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Laamanen is looking to get back to his feet here but Xu is keeping cool and he's managed to take Laamanen's back.
Xu missing with strikes from the back.

That's four 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.
Xu throwing sloppy strikes.
Laamanen is trying to get back to his feet but Xu has full control of the position and if anything, Laamanen has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Laamanen finds himself mounted whilst avoiding strikes.
Xu sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Laamanen is trying to stand up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laamanen blocking the ground and pound.
Laamanen is in a horrible position here. Xu smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ham Xu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Reijo Laamanen'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.

Laamanen throws an overhand right that lands on Xu's shoulder, as Xu tries to avoid the shot.
Xu takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Laamanen moves out of range of the strikes.
Xu tries a head kick but it misses.

Xu scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Laamanen tries to kick Xu off but Xu keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Xu wants to take a breather but Laamanen is having none of it.
Xu prevents Laamanen from standing back up.

Xu is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Laamanen is breathing heavily.
Xu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Laamanen keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laamanen is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Xu scores with a couple of nice shots.
Xu drops an elbow to the side of Laamanen's head.
Xu wants to take a breather but Laamanen is having none of it.
Xu 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.
Xu thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Xu seems to be looking for submissions.
Xu not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Laamanen pushes Xu off looking to stand but Xu dives back in and keeps control.
Xu thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Laamanen's head.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Xu misses with a looping left.
Laamanen throws a head kick that misses
and Xu counters with a thumping low kick.
Laamanen misses with an uppercut.

Xu is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Laamanen's half guard.
Laamanen is trying to stand.

Laamanen is kicking away at Xu from the bottom - trying to push off and stand up. Xu grabs hold of a leg and drops back for a hell hook! The two fighters roll across the mat, with Laamanen trying to push Xu off... Laamanen taps! He's tapped! This one is all over! A throwback to the old Pancrase there with an infrequently seen submission hold! Nice work.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:02 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Heel Hook). Ham Xu!