PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jorma Nikka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jarppi Virne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jarppi Virne told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Nikka
vs
Virne

192 cm
22
235 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

187 cm
21
262 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jorma Nikka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jarppi Virne!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Virne closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Virne lands in his opponent's guard.

Nikka has his feet on Virne's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Nikka shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Nikka controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Virne is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Nikka wants to stand and escape but instead Virne has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikka throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Virne trying to control but Nikka is working from the bottom.

Nikka pushes Virne off and scrambles back to his feet.
Nikka has his takedown stuffed

and Virne counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Virne trying to control from half guard but Nikka is working away.
Nikka looks like he's trying to stand up.
Nikka tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Virne wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Virne trying to mount his opponent but Nikka defends it.
Nikka keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Nikka wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Virne tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nikka connects with a nice looking jab.

Virne closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nikka is trying to break the clinch but Virne is controlling him.

Virne breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A head kick by Nikka misses
and Virne counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikka misses with a series of wild punches.
Virne dodges the punch combination from Nikka.
Nikka is breathing heavily.
Virne fails with the takedown
and Nikka counters with a body kick.
Virne swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Nikka gets the takedown into side control.
Virne can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Virne tries to buck Nikka off but Nikka is having none of it.
Virne takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Virne gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Nikka missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nikka missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nikka lands with a punch from half guard.
Nikka not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Nikka decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nikka tries for a takedown but Virne circles away easily

so Virne counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nikka is looking to stand up but Virne isn't so interested in that idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jarppi Virne will probably get the nod.
That's time! Nikka's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Virne closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Nikka to the mat! Nikka manages to get full guard.
Virne trying to control but Nikka is working from the bottom.
Nikka lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Virne!
Nikka throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Virne is breathing heavily.
Virne tries to reverse the position but Nikka maintains control.
Poor strikes thrown by Nikka there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikka controlling the pace for now.
Nikka looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Nikka lands a big elbow.
Nikka can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Virne is looking to escape.
Nikka is landing with some decent strikes but Virne is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Virne is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by Nikka.
Nikka controlling the position easily from mount.
Nikka can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Virne is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikka raining down shots from the mount!
Jorma Nikka overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Virne is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Nikka fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Nikka lands a nice shot to the head.
Nikka looking to ground and pound but Virne is blocking nicely.
A nice elbow there by Nikka.
Nikka tries to control but Virne wriggling away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Virne blocking the ground and pound.
Virne has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Nikka's lack of action.
Nikka tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Virne.
Nikka sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Virne defending well though.
Nikka throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Virne is looking for a sweep. Nikka is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jorma Nikka dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Virne takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Nikka on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Nikka throws a body kick that misses.
A combination from Nikka does no damage.

Virne shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Nikka's guard.
Nikka bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Virne's guard.
Virne is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nikka is controlling him.
Virne trying to control the position.
Nikka passes Virne's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Virne takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Virne avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nikka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Virne is trying to maintain the position but Nikka is very close to passing his half guard.
Nikka is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Virne is not content to let Nikka control the position.
Nikka lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Virne is refusing to be controlled, as Nikka sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Nikka seems to be looking for submissions.
Virne is trying to get back to full guard.
Nikka is nestled in close to Virne, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Nikka 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.
Virne is not content to let Nikka control the position.

Nikka stands up and beckons Virne to join him on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Virne throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Nikka's waist but Nikka gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Virne off to one side.
Virne takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Jarppi Virne has been cut.
Nikka wants to clinch

so Virne counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Nikka has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Virne off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Virne fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nikka ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Virne moves away.
Nikka throws a right and a left that Virne avoids nicely.
Nikka lands a high kick!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Virne tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Nikka counters with a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikka pushes Virne away with a front kick.
No joy there for Nikka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nikka has a takedown stuffed.
Virne fails with an attempt to clinch.
Virne tries to clinch up.
Virne tries to clinch up but Nikka circles away and keeps his distance.
Virne throws a hook but Nikka blocks it.
Nikka throws a quick inside leg kick.

Nikka clinches up against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Nikka drags the fight down to the ground.
Virne in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Virne avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jorma Nikka showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nikka has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jorma Nikka!