PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jared Krantar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lillen Eklund (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Krantar's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Lil Wayne - Lollipop. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Krantar
vs
Eklund

176 cm
18
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jared Krantar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lillen Eklund!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Krantar keeps the fight on the outside.

Krantar closes the distance and pushes Eklund back into the cage.
Krantar tries for a takedown. No joy.
Eklund on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Krantar has Eklund pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Eklund manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Krantar changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Eklund fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jared Krantar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Eklund looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Eklund dives in and grabs Krantar's left leg, looking for a takedown. Krantar pushes down on Eklund's head and hops out.
Eklund tries to close the distance and clinch but Krantar swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Krantar blocks a head kick by Eklund.
A combination from Eklund does no damage.
Krantar shoots in for a takedown but Eklund shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Krantar swats away the attempt to clinch by Eklund.
Krantar is trying hard to land a takedown here. Eklund sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krantar plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Krantar looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Eklund throws a sloppy head kick and Krantar moves out of range easily.
An inside leg kick lands from Eklund.
Eklund shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Krantar sprawls well. Krantar wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Eklund gets slowly back to his feet.
Lillen Eklund seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Krantar lands a head kick. Eklund smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Eklund wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Eklund feints and then cracks Krantar's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Krantar down.
Krantar is breathing heavily.
Krantar stuffs the takedown attempt from Eklund. Eklund gets slowly back to his feet.
Krantar just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Eklund tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Krantar counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Eklund is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Eklund is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Krantar is fighting to break Eklund's control of his arms but Eklund is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Krantar drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Eklund manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Krantar has Eklund in his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krantar looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Eklund stopping the sweep attempt from Krantar.
Eklund stays in close to Krantar's body and controls the position.

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.
Eklund pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Krantar is keeping the position for now.
Krantar tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Eklund tries to free his leg and advance position but Krantar is retaining full guard.
Eklund would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Eklund won't allow Krantar to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Krantar shoots in for a takedown but Eklund shows good takedown defense.
Krantar checks the leg kick nicely there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lillen Eklund will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Eklund tries to work over Krantar's front leg with a kick but Krantar checks it.
Eklund wants to clinch

and Krantar counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Krantar.
Eklund wants to sweep but no luck.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Eklund can do anything to dispel that myth.
Krantar trying to control the position from guard on top but Eklund is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Krantar postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Eklund is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Krantar, into his guard.
Eklund pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Krantar is keeping the position for now.

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.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Krantar is on top in guard.
Krantar stopping the sweep attempt from Eklund.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eklund has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Krantar drops back, looking for a kneebar! Eklund looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Eklund looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Eklund!

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.
Krantar tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Krantar sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Eklund blocks the strikes from Krantar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jared Krantar dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Eklund throws a front kick aimed at Krantar's knee but Krantar avoids it well.
Krantar takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Eklund swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A big right from Krantar misses.
Eklund lands a right hook to the body.
Jab, jab by Eklund - just one landing.
No joy there for Eklund, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Left hook, right uppercut from Eklund.
Jared Krantar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Eklund looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Krantar is fending him off so far but Eklund persists. Nope, Krantar circles away and we're back to standing.
Eklund leaves Krantar with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Eklund tries to clinch up
and Krantar counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krantar takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Eklund tries to clinch up

and Krantar counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Krantar.

Eklund is trying to stand and escape. In the scramble, Krantar has locked hold of an arm and he's managed to lock on an armbar - Eklund taps out instantly and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jared Krantar!