PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ashley Moreau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and janpeter kurkela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). kurkela has chosen Korpiklaani:Wood pint as his entrance music. janpeter kurkela has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Moreau
vs
kurkela

170 cm
22
153 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

182 cm
20
147 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ashley Moreau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, janpeter kurkela!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from kurkela misses.
Nice shot lands for Moreau.

Moreau rushes kurkela and presses him up against the cage.

Moreau breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
kurkela tries to clinch but Moreau moves out of range.
kurkela shoots in for a takedown but Moreau shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
kurkela is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Moreau will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
kurkela throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
kurkela moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Moreau is rocked!
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

kurkela has closed the distance and engaged Moreau in a clinch.
Oh Moreau is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

kurkela decides to pull guard.
Moreau seems to have got his legs back now.
This has been an exciting period of action!
kurkela utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
kurkela is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
kurkela is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Moreau might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Moreau scoring with punches to the head and body.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

kurkela looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moreau lands a couple of elbows.
Moreau landing some decent shots from guard.

kurkela looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
kurkela looks gassed!
Moreau stops kurkela from standing up.
Moreau scoring with some ground and pound.
Moreau distracts kurkela with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Moreau won't allow kurkela to sweep him here.
kurkela can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Moreau controls the pace.
Moreau is looking to stand up but kurkela won't let him.

Moreau stands up from kurkela's guard - Moreau perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moreau works over kurkela's head and body with a nice combination.
kurkela wants to clinch.
kurkela shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Moreau drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Moreau working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
kurkela can't do much from the bottom here.
kurkela tries to buck Moreau off but Moreau is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moreau prevents kurkela from escaping the position.
Moreau tries to advance to mount but can't.
Moreau working away.

Moreau decides to stand up, so the ref orders kurkela to his feet.
kurkela has a takedown stuffed.
Ashley Moreau has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of janpeter kurkela.
Moreau throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Moreau gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows kurkela to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Moreau trying to keep a closed guard but kurkela is proving a slippery customer.
kurkela passes Moreau's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moreau wants to sweep but kurkela has passed to side control!
Moreau seems a little lost for a moment, as kurkela dominates the positioning.
Moreau is trying to improve his position.
Moreau is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
kurkela working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
kurkela trying to control the action but Moreau is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ashley Moreau dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

kurkela moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Moreau looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
kurkela not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Moreau postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
kurkela is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Moreau got a little sloppy there for a moment and kurkela has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Moreau has managed to get both his arms back between kurkela's legs - danger averted.
Moreau trying to control the position from guard on top but kurkela is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
kurkela striking off his back but it's not causing Moreau any problems.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moreau trying to control but kurkela is working from the bottom.

kurkela manages to escape and get back to his feet.

kurkela scores a takedown into full mount!
kurkela has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Moreau's face.
kurkela tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Moreau is wriggling around trying to escape.
kurkela controlling the pace for now.
kurkela blocks Moreau's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
kurkela breaks from Moreau's wrist control and lands an elbow.
kurkela with the ground and pound from mount.
kurkela trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ashley Moreau overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
kurkela unloading with bombs!
Moreau tries to reverse the position but kurkela maintains control.
Moreau wants to hold on but kurkela pushes him away.

kurkela working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
kurkela raining down shots from the mount!
kurkela lands with some strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
kurkela can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Moreau is looking to escape.
Moreau is working to get back to half guard.
kurkela lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
kurkela working Moreau over with strikes here.
kurkela putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
kurkela with shots to the head and body - Moreau looks very uncomfortable down there.
Moreau is desperately trying to improve his position but kurkela has a good base and remains in mount.
kurkela pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Moreau is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
kurkela punishing his opponent with strikes.
kurkela putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Moreau on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Moreau tries to get out of the position.
Moreau is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
kurkela landing punches.
Moreau in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Moreau is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Moreau is trying to stand.
kurkela can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Moreau is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

janpeter kurkela showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Moreau with a poor takedown

and kurkela counters with a single leg into guard. Moreau didn't expect that.

kurkela stands up from Moreau's guard - kurkela perhaps looking for a knockout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by kurkela.
Moreau is trying to control kurkela's posture but kurkela avoids it.
kurkela has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

kurkela decides to stand back up.
Moreau shoots for a takedown but kurkela saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

kurkela darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Moreau wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

kurkela decides to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
kurkela tries to bum rush Moreau with a series of wild strikes but Moreau uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Moreau moves in looking to clinch but kurkela pushes him off.
Moreau takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Moreau lands with a kick to the temple. kurkela shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Moreau fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ashley Moreau. That's going to take a lot out of him.

kurkela closes the distance and clinches.

kurkela breaks the clinch.
Moreau fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
kurkela throws a sloppy head kick and Moreau moves out of range easily.
Moreau throws a series of punches but kurkela avoids them all with ease.
kurkela looks to land a combination. Moreau sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
kurkela throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Moreau.
Moreau closes the distance and clinches up with kurkela, looking for a takedown. Moreau pushes kurkela against the cage but kurkela circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

kurkela has managed to clinch.
Moreau tries for a takedown. No joy.
kurkela lands a body punch.
Moreau is looking to break free of the clinch but kurkela has double underhooks.

kurkela's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Moreau drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Moreau cracks kurkela with a solid left hand.
kurkela is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Moreau is controlling him.
Moreau trying to stand up but can't free himself from kurkela's guard.

kurkela is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

kurkela is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
kurkela looking for a sweep. Not yet kurkela, not yet.

kurkela is working an open guard so Moreau takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ashley Moreau is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
kurkela with a lazy takedown attempt

and Moreau counters by clinching up.
kurkela landing knees to the body.
kurkela is looking to control Moreau's arms but Moreau gets an underhook and turns him. Now kurkela has his back to the cage.
Moreau looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Moreau has had enough of the clinch but kurkela keeps him there for the moment.

kurkela's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Moreau misses with a few strikes there.
kurkela tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

kurkela shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than kurkela was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Moreau is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
kurkela wants to control the pace but Moreau is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
kurkela blocks Moreau's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
kurkela looking to finish Moreau with some ground and pound. This is bad for Moreau!
kurkela wants to control but Moreau has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
kurkela prevents Moreau from standing back up.
Moreau is trying to control but can't.

kurkela gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Moreau closes this distance looking for a takedown but kurkela circles away.
kurkela tries to clinch but Moreau moves out of range.

Moreau gets a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
janpeter kurkela comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well kurkela has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... janpeter kurkela!