PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Seppo Hovi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maynard Keenan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Keenan is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Rusty Cage by SOUNDGARDEN. The key to victory for Seppo Hovi has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Hovi
vs
Keenan

195 cm
25
220 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

188 cm
24
210 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Seppo Hovi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Maynard Keenan!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Danga de danga de dang - Hovi scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Maynard Keenan has been cut.
Hovi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Keenan has Hovi up against the cage in a clinch.
Keenan throws a knee to the head but misses.
Keenan tries to land knees in the clinch but Hovi avoids the damage to the body.

Keenan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Keenan is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hovi sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hovi misses with a wild combination.
Hovi misses with a series of wild punches.
Hovi fails to land with a series of punches.
Keenan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Seppo Hovi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Keenan slips a jab and a cross from Hovi.
Keenan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Keenan darts in and clinches Hovi up against the cage.

Keenan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Keenan moves into the clinch successfully.
Keenan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hovi just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hovi wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hovi looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Keenan jumps guard and drags Hovi to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Keenan working for a triangle but Hovi defends it easily.

Keenan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Keenan controls Hovi momentarily but Hovi frees himself.
Hovi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Hovi avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Keenan had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Hovi is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Keenan Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Hovi's back instead.
Hovi is taking damage to the body and head.
Hovi tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Keenan avoids the attempt from Hovi to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keenan punching from mount but Hovi doing a good job of avoiding damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Keenan thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Hovi wants to control but Keenan is having none of it.
Hovi is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Keenan is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Hovi can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

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.
Hovi tries to reverse the position but Keenan maintains control.

Keenan goes for an armbar but Hovi turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Hovi.
Hovi wants to control from the top but Keenan keeps moving.
Hovi wants to stand but Keenan has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Hovi gets to his feet - Keenan follows without any prompting.
A nice combination there by Hovi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Hovi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Maynard Keenan's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Keenan dodges the punch combination from Hovi.
Hovi looks to land a combination but Keenan avoids it well.

Keenan rushes Hovi and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hovi managing to block the knees to the body from Keenan.
Keenan with a knee to the head.
Keenan missing with knees to the body.

Keenan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Keenan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Keenan walks into a jab.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hovi!
Hovi scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Hovi.
Keenan fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hovi connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hovi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Hovi throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hovi lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Keenan backs up against the cage.

That has opened up Maynard Keenan's cut even more.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keenan dodges the punch combination from Hovi.

Keenan clinches up against the cage.

Keenan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Seppo Hovi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Keenan shoots in and drives through. Hovi sprawls well.
Hovi scores with the left hand. Keenan knows he should have avoided that one.
Hovi connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Hovi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Keenan has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hovi finds it's way round the side to connect with Keenan's head.
Hovi fails to land with a series of punches.

Keenan clinches.
Hovi avoids the elbow strike from Keenan, against the cage.

Keenan drags the fight down to the ground.
Hovi pushing down on Keenan's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Hovi is looking for a kimura here.

Keenan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hovi tries to stand but can't do so whilst Keenan controls his leg.

Keenan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Hovi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Keenan's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keenan throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Hovi works his way into full mount!
Keenan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Keenan is trying to reverse the position but instead Hovi has taken his back - oops!
Keenan trying to control the hands but Hovi breaks the grip.
Hovi is trying to control but Keenan is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Hovi wants to control the pace but Keenan is squirming around nicely.

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.

Hovi looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Keenan tries to lock up and control but Hovi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Keenan is in all sorts of trouble here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hovi trying to control but Keenan is having none of it.

Hovi gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keenan has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Keenan there as he acknowledges the shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Hovi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Maynard Keenan's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hovi thows a body shot but no joy.

Keenan has managed to clinch.
Keenan putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hovi in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Keenan breaks from the clinch.
Danga de danga de dang - Hovi scores with a four punch combination!

Keenan takes the fight into the clinch.
Keenan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Keenan jumps guard and drags Hovi to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Keenan working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Hovi has passed into half guard!

Keenan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Keenan throws a strike from the bottom but Hovi passes into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keenan manages to work his way to half guard, despite Hovi's best efforts.
Hovi trying to control from half guard but Keenan is working away.
Keenan trying to control here.
Keenan tries to roll over but Hovi keeps him under control.
Hovi wants to control but Keenan is keeping him busy.

That's two 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.
Keenan trying to control but Hovi postures up.
Keenan tries to roll over but Hovi keeps him under control.

Hovi is working for a submission of some sort.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hovi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hovi stuns Keenan with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Keenan.
Keenan drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hovi throws a series of punches but Keenan avoids them all with ease.
Hovi tries to bum rush Keenan with a series of wild strikes but Keenan uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hovi is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Keenan tries to close the distance and clinch but Hovi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Keenan shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Hovi napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Keenan has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Hovi!
Keenan landing punches.
Keenan throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Keenan looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hovi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Keenan dominating with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keenan raining down shots from the mount!
Hovi regains half guard.

Keenan seems to be looking for submissions.

Keenan decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Maynard Keenan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Seppo Hovi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Seppo Hovi is winning the standup battle so far.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Keenan is defended easily by Hovi.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maynard Keenan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hovi 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Seppo Hovi!