PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nikko Puhakka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Kurosessou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kurosessou is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: The Slam. Ben Kurosessou has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Puhakka
vs
Kurosessou

177 cm
18
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
158 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nikko Puhakka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ben Kurosessou!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puhakka looks to land a combination but Kurosessou avoids it well.

Puhakka clinches.
Puhakka prevents a takedown attempt there.

Puhakka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Kurosessou closes the distance and clinches.
Kurosessou drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Puhakka changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Kurosessou fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Puhakka looks to clinch

and Kurosessou moves into the clinch.
Puhakka fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Puhakka jumps guard and drags Kurosessou to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Puhakka looking for a sweep. Not yet Puhakka, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Puhakka throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Kurosessou with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurosessou working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Puhakka looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Puhakka is working hard here to advance position.

Puhakka is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kurosessou postures up in Puhakka's guard and throws a big left but Puhakka blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kurosessou trying to control but Puhakka is working from the bottom.
Kurosessou looks gassed!
Puhakka controls Kurosessou momentarily but Kurosessou frees himself.
Kurosessou thows a big elbow that misses.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Puhakka throws a head kick that misses.

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.
Puhakka tries to clinch
and Puhakka takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Puhakka looks to clinch

and Kurosessou holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Kurosessou has Puhakka pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Kurosessou pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Puhakka tumbling to the mat - Kurosessou dives into Puhakka's guard.
Kurosessou trying to control but Puhakka is working from the bottom.

Puhakka looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Kurosessou in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Puhakka is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kurosessou throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Puhakka wants to sweep here but Kurosessou controlling him for the moment.
Kurosessou throws a strike but Puhakka rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Kurosessou looking for a sweep. Not yet Kurosessou, not yet.
Puhakka postures up.
Kurosessou wants to control but Puhakka passes easily into half guard.
Kurosessou wants to control but Puhakka is keeping busy.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Puhakka throws a sloppy head kick

and Kurosessou holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Kurosessou prevents Puhakka from breaking the clinch.

That's four 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.
Puhakka tries to break the clinch but Kurosessou is controlling the position.
Puhakka fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nikko Puhakka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Puhakka has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kurosessou avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Puhakka prevents the takedown attempt.

Puhakka jumps guard and drags Kurosessou to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Kurosessou postures up and lands a big shot to Puhakka's brow.
Kurosessou has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kurosessou postures up.
Kurosessou stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Puhakka swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kurosessou working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Puhakka trying to control the position.
Kurosessou trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Kurosessou dominated that round.
That's time! Puhakka's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Puhakka tries to clinch up but Kurosessou circles away and keeps his distance.
Kurosessou swats away the attempt to clinch by Puhakka.
Puhakka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kurosessou paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Puhakka misses with a head kick.

Kurosessou shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Puhakka is trying to control but can't.
Kurosessou is keen to just control but Puhakka is a slippery customer.
Puhakka wants to improve his position but Kurosessou is controlling well.
Puhakka avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kurosessou.
Kurosessou missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puhakka wants to control but Kurosessou is keeping busy.
Puhakka is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kurosessou's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kurosessou's back!
Kurosessou is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
A lull in the action here.
Kurosessou trying to control but not successfully.
Puhakka tries to get the hooks in deep but Kurosessou pushed the leg off.
Kurosessou rolls, trying to escape but Puhakka keeps control of the position.

Puhakka has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Kurosessou looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

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.
Kurosessou looking very determined here, making life difficult for Puhakka.
Puhakka not allowing Kurosessou to control his hands.
Puhakka is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurosessou just trying to survive but Puhakka is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Kurosessou can't escape the position.
Puhakka gets his hands free as Kurosessou looks to control.
Kurosessou is in bad spot here.
Kurosessou trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Puhakka throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Kurosessou!

Kurosessou fending off the submission attempt from Puhakka.
Kurosessou looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Puhakka doesn't have the hooks in and Kurosessou manages to turn into his guard.
Kurosessou trying to control the position from guard on top but Puhakka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Puhakka tries to strike from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Puhakka looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kurosessou is one step ahead there.
Kurosessou passes Puhakka's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nikko Puhakka will probably get the nod.
That's time! Puhakka's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Puhakka tries to clinch but Kurosessou moves out of range.
Nikko Puhakka is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Some wild striking there from Puhakka.
Puhakka tries a head kick but it misses.

Kurosessou rushes Puhakka and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Puhakka missing with knees to the body.

Kurosessou has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Puhakka is trying to keep an underhook but Kurosessou manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Kurosessou prevents Puhakka from improving his position.
Kurosessou looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Puhakka manages to get to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kurosessou working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurosessou thows a big elbow that misses.
Puhakka wants to sweep here but Kurosessou controlling him for the moment.
Kurosessou's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Kurosessou throws a strike but Puhakka rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Puhakka wants to control from the top but Kurosessou keeps moving.
Kurosessou wants to sweep here but Puhakka controlling him for the moment.

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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Puhakka misses with a head kick.
Kurosessou tries to clinch but Puhakka is having none of it.
Puhakka tries to clinch

and Kurosessou counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ben Kurosessou has got the better of the ground game so far.

Puhakka is defending against the submission attempts here by Kurosessou.

Kurosessou has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Puhakka defend it? Kurosessou steps over the head and cranks it - Puhakka is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Kurosessou!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ben Kurosessou!