PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chaka Zula (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilmo kolho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). kolho has chosen AC/DC: Hells Bells as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Zula
vs
kolho

225 cm
22
300 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

191 cm
23
267 lbs
2 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Chaka Zula!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ilmo kolho!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

kolho looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Zula on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Zula tries to get out of the position.
Zula is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst kolho is controlling him.
kolho trying to control the position from guard on top but Zula is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
kolho with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zula keeping moving, preventing kolho from controlling successfully.
Zula will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

kolho gets to his feet - Zula follows without any prompting.
kolho dodges the punch combination from Zula.
The fight stays on the outside here - kolho looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

kolho looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Zula!
kolho throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
kolho throws some wild stikes that Zula manages to avoid easily.
Zula wants to try and get back to his feet.
kolho throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
kolho looking to ground and pound but Zula is blocking nicely.
kolho trying to control but he's not successful this time.
kolho lands with some strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
kolho throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Zula holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as kolho tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
kolho has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
kolho trying to control but Zula is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
kolho is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Zula is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
kolho looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Zula blocking the ground and pound.
You get the feeling that Zula really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
kolho wants to control the pace but Zula is squirming around nicely.
kolho punching from mount but Zula doing a good job of avoiding damage.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
kolho can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zula is looking to escape.
Zula avoids a series of strikes thrown by kolho.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
kolho controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilmo kolho dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zula takes the fight into the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Zula's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A short uppercut from kolho.
kolho prevents Zula from breaking the clinch.
kolho keeps control of Zula as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
kolho works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
kolho has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Zula is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
kolho prevents Zula from breaking the clinch.
Zula gets underhooks to prevent kolho's takedown attempt.
kolho taking a breather.
Zula tries to break the clinch but kolho is controlling the position.
Zula tries to break the clinch but kolho is controlling the position.
A frustrated look appears on Zula's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Zula can't break the clinch.
Zula can't break the clinch.

kolho pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zula looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
kolho tries to clinch but Zula moves out of range.
kolho shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zula pinned against the cage. Zula gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Chaka Zula has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ilmo kolho.
kolho buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Chaka Zula is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.

kolho moves into the clinch successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
kolho tries to pull guard but Zula holds him up against the cage and eventually kolho drops back down to his feet.
Zula wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

kolho breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zula misses with a series of wild punches.
kolho tries to close the distance and clinch but Zula swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Zula as kolho shoots in.
kolho tries to clinch up.
kolho tries to score a power double leg takedown but Zula sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten kolho somewhat.
kolho shoots for a takedown but Zula saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Some wild striking there from Zula.
kolho tries to clinch up but Zula circles away and keeps his distance.
kolho avoids a punch combination nicely.

Zula drives through and clinches with kolho against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zula wants to break the clinch but can't.
Zula has had enough of the clinch but kolho keeps him there for the moment.
Zula wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

kolho gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
kolho is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
kolho wants to control but Zula is keeping him busy.
Zula avoiding damage under a succession of punches from kolho.
kolho with the ground and pound but Zula uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zula keeping moving, preventing kolho from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Zula wants to clinch

and kolho counters with a takedown into side control.
Zula avoids any damage from the ground and pound of kolho.
kolho is looking to take a break and control but Zula is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
kolho sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Zula is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
kolho trying to control the action but Zula is working from the bottom.
Zula is being controlled here.
Ilmo kolho has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zula wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilmo kolho showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

kolho circles away from the clinch attempt

and kolho counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Zula is refusing to be controlled, as kolho sits in half guard.
kolho thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
kolho seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Zula does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
kolho thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Zula's head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zula keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
kolho is trying to control the action in half guard but Zula is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
kolho might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Zula kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Zula misses with a series of wild punches.

kolho shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
kolho trying to control but Zula is working from the bottom.
kolho postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Chaka Zula has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
kolho trying to control the position from guard on top but Zula is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
kolho is looking to work some ground and pound but Zula has wrist control.
Zula is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst kolho is controlling him.
Zula working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from kolho.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
kolho won't allow Zula to get back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
kolho shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Zula as he avoids it easily.
Zula throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and kolho counters with a good, hard body kick but Zula shrugs it off.

kolho moves into the clinch successfully.
kolho has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Zula is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Nice elbow from kolho.
Zula is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
kolho is trying to drag Zula to the mat but Zula just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Chaka Zula has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ilmo kolho.
Zula lands a body punch in the clinch.
Zula is trying to force a seperation but kolho has the dominant position.
kolho changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Zula fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Zula throws a nice looking combination but kolho bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

kolho has managed to clinch.
Zula is trying to break the clinch but kolho is controlling him.
kolho is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Zula gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zula working hard to break the clinch.
Zula wants to get back to striking at distance but kolho won't allow it.
Zula tries to break the clinch but kolho is controlling the position.
kolho wants a takedown but no success here.
Zula prevents the takedown attempt.
Zula tries to circle away but kolho has him pinned against the cage.
kolho tries for a takedown but Zula manages to get underhooks.
Zula wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
kolho prevents Zula from breaking the clinch.
Zula is trying to force a seperation but kolho has the dominant position.
kolho throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Zulas head.
Zula gets underhooks to prevent kolho's takedown attempt.
Zula is looking to break free of the clinch but kolho has double underhooks.
Zula working hard to break the clinch.
kolho wants a takedown but no success here.
Zula working hard to break the clinch.

kolho manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Ilmo kolho is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Zula wants to get up but he can't break kolho's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zula wants to stand and escape but instead kolho has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ilmo kolho comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got kolho winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilmo kolho!