PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Lynch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sebastian Saari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lynch
vs
Saari

172 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

167 cm
18
147 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kevin Lynch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sebastian Saari!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saari wants to clinch up but Lynch keeps it at a distance.
Saari shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lynch misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A solid leg kick lands there for Lynch.

Lynch shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Saari napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Saari struggling a bit here.
Saari really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lynch. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Lynch scoring with punches from side control.
Lynch lands a few punches from side control.
Lynch sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Saari is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Lynch lands an elbow.

Lynch decides to stand back up. Lynch steps back and let's Saari get back to his feet.
Saari throws a push kick but Lynch slaps the foot to one side.

Lynch shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Saari napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Lynch moves into full mount!
Saari tries to reverse the position but Lynch maintains control.
Lynch landing punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saari can't escape the position.
Lynch trying to control but Saari is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A nice elbow there by Lynch.
Lynch in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Saari is working to get back to half guard.
Lynch blocks Saari's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Lynch tries to control but Saari wriggling away.

Lynch looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Lynch is breathing heavily.
Saari is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

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.
Saari is looking to get to half guard.
Lynch in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Lynch 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.
Saari keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Lynch lands a big shot there that rocks Saari but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Saari wants to control but Lynch is having none of it.
The referee warns Saari that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
You get the feeling that Saari really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Saari wants to control but Lynch is having none of it.
Saari is bucking up trying to escape but Lynch cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lynch is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Saari can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Lynch lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Lynch landing strikes, looking to finish!
Saari is in all sorts of trouble here.
Lynch takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Lynch looking to control but Saari is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Lynch working away from the top, dropping strikes.
A nice elbow there by Lynch.
Saari regains half guard.
Lynch not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lynch tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Saari has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lynch is working away from the top position though.
Lynch missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Saari is looking for a sweep. Lynch is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Lynch is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Saari defends it well.
Saari is trying to stand up here but Lynch is controlling him well.
Saari is looking to control Lynch's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Saari avoid being mounted?

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Saari tries to close the distance and clinch but Lynch swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Lynch dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Saari tries for a takedown but Lynch sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Saari fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lynch has a takedown stuffed.
Saari doesn't manage to clinch there - Lynch circles away.
Saari misses with a takedown

and Lynch counters with a single leg into guard. Saari didn't expect that.
Kevin Lynch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sebastian Saari.

Lynch stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Horrible takedown by Saari or perhaps it was just good defense by Lynch which made him look bad.
Saari throws a leg kick

and Lynch counters with a shoot takedown. Saari fights it but they end up in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Lynch stands up and waves to Saari to follow him.
Saari tries to clinch up

and Lynch decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Saari's guard.
Lynch preventing the sweep.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Lynch's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Lynch drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lynch jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Lynch working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lynch postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lynch wanted to stand there but Saari had control of the position.
Saari working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lynch.
Saari wants to stand but Lynch is controlling the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lynch dives in and grabs Saari's left leg, looking for a takedown. Saari pushes down on Lynch's head and hops out.
Saari wants to clinch but Lynch slips to the side

and Lynch counters with a takedown into side control.
Lynch working the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saari is trying to control Lynch's posture but Lynch avoids it.
Lynch tries to move into full mount but can't pass Saari's legs.
Saari is looking to regain half guard here but Lynch keeps moving and retains side control.
Saari can't do much from the bottom here.
Lynch grinds an elbow into Saari's temple.
Lynch working the head and body with strikes.
Saari is looking for a sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lynch throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saari throws a sloppy head kick and Lynch moves out of range easily.
Lynch throws a series of punches but Saari moves out of range.
Saari shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lynch sprawls well. Lynch wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Saari gets slowly back to his feet.
Lynch tries to score a power double leg takedown but Saari sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Lynch somewhat.
Saari connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Lynch shoots in looking for a takedown. Saari tries to sprawl out of it but Lynch keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Saari manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Saari shoots in but no luck this time.
Saari fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Lynch.
Lynch looks up at the clock and then as Saari takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Lynch smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Saari takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Saari is pushing Lynch's head away, looking to escape. Lynch manages to hold on to the position though.

Lynch has an Americana. Saari didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Lynch is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Lynch hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:47 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Kevin Lynch!