PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kennu Kekkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan McNeil (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.

Kekkonen
vs
McNeil

185 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

197 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

9mm Semtex Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kennu Kekkonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dan McNeil!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from McNeil. No joy for Kekkonen on that attempt.

Kekkonen closes the distance and clinches.
McNeil is trying to break the clinch but Kekkonen is controlling him.

Kekkonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kekkonen is looking to land body kicks.
McNeil is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
McNeil shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Kekkonen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Kekkonen rushes McNeil and presses him up against the cage.
Kekkonen lands with a short shot to the head.
Kekkonen using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Kekkonen looking for a takedown.
McNeil tries to pull guard but Kekkonen won't allow it.
McNeil fails to pull guard.
Kennu Kekkonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan McNeil.

Kekkonen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
McNeil tries to clinch up but Kekkonen circles away and keeps his distance.
McNeil shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Kekkonen counters by clinching up.
Kekkonen is looking to control McNeil's arms but McNeil gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kekkonen has his back to the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kekkonen fails to pull guard.

Kekkonen manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Kekkonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kekkonen wants to stand and escape but McNeil is having none of it.
McNeil looking to pass the guard.
McNeil trying to control the position from guard on top but Kekkonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kekkonen has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
McNeil wants to control from the top but Kekkonen keeps moving.

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.
Kekkonen wants to sweep here but McNeil controlling him for the moment.
McNeil is looking to stand up but Kekkonen won't let him.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kekkonen closes the distance but McNeil moves to the side
and McNeil counters with a nice body shot.
Kekkonen looks for a takedown but McNeil sprawls well.

McNeil gets a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McNeil gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

McNeil wants to work for an arm triangle but Kekkonen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kekkonen is trying to stand back up but McNeil is controlling him
McNeil wants to stand up but Kekkonen is controlling the position.
McNeil looks gassed!

McNeil wants to work for an arm triangle but Kekkonen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Kekkonen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Kekkonen is trying to stand up here but McNeil is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
McNeil is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Kekkonen manages to get to full guard.
Kekkonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
and Kekkonen counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kekkonen.
Kekkonen tries to stall but McNeil uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kennu Kekkonen will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kekkonen throws a right and a left that McNeil avoids nicely.
McNeil throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

It looks like Kennu Kekkonen has been cut.

Kekkonen moves into the clinch.
McNeil wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kekkonen trying to control the position but instead, McNeil has worked for underhooks and has pushed Kekkonen into the cage.

Kekkonen pulls guard.

McNeil content to sit in guard, stalling... Great. Oh but he could get punished here because Kekkonen has locked up a guillotine! Kekkonen's face is contorted as he sqeezes tight on the submission attempt - will he finish? McNeil is holding on here and Kekkonen must be using up a lot of energy. McNeil has gone limp! He's out! He's out cold! Kekkonen gets to his feet, tossing aside his stricken foe. Arms raised, he milks the applause from the crowd. Great submission!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Kennu Kekkonen!