PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Miikka Kumpulainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny McCash (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Kumpulainen
vs
McCash

177 cm
22
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
18
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Miikka Kumpulainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Johnny McCash!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Sergei Dronov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCash shoots in but no luck this time.
A head kick misses from Kumpulainen.
Kumpulainen avoids the head kick by McCash.

Kumpulainen darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
McCash has a hand on Kumpulainen's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Kumpulainen takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Kumpulainen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as McCash is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kumpulainen prevents McCash from getting the reversal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Kumpulainen.
BOOM! Kumpulainen connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Kumpulainen dominating with strikes here.
Kumpulainen tries to control but McCash wriggling away.
McCash really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
McCash looks gassed!
McCash tries to hold on but Kumpulainen pushes him away.

Kumpulainen is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Kumpulainen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A shot to de liver by McCash. Beautiful body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kumpulainen shoots in for a takedown but McCash shows good takedown defense.
Kumpulainen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and McCash decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kumpulainen's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

McCash decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Kumpulainen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miikka Kumpulainen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kumpulainen fails to land with a series of punches.

Kumpulainen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming McCash to the mat! McCash manages to get full guard.
McCash wants to stand up but Kumpulainen is controlling him.
Kumpulainen content to stall in guard here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if McCash can do anything to dispel that myth.
McCash trying to keep a closed guard but Kumpulainen is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kumpulainen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
McCash has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Kumpulainen has passed into side control.
McCash wants to control but Kumpulainen postures up.
McCash tries to bench press Kumpulainen off him but Kumpulainen keeps the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
You can see the frustration on McCash's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kumpulainen shoots and misses
and McCash connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kumpulainen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and McCash counters with a single leg into guard. Kumpulainen didn't expect that.
Kumpulainen keeping moving, preventing McCash from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kumpulainen seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

McCash avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Kumpulainen looking to hit a scissor sweep but McCash is one step ahead there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
McCash trying to control but Kumpulainen is working from the bottom.
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 Miikka Kumpulainen will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

A solid body kick from Kumpulainen.
Miikka Kumpulainen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McCash avoids the head kick by Kumpulainen.
Kumpulainen throws a combination that misses
and McCash counters with a head kick.

Kumpulainen feints and as McCash raises his hands in defense, Kumpulainen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kumpulainen wants to control from the top but McCash keeps moving.

Kumpulainen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
McCash seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Kumpulainen passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Kumpulainen decides to stand back up. Kumpulainen steps back and let's McCash get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - McCash looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kumpulainen misses with a takedown attempt
and McCash counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Kumpulainen is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Kumpulainen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kumpulainen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
McCash keeping moving, preventing Kumpulainen from controlling successfully.
McCash trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

McCash throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Kumpulainen escapes and throws McCash's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Kumpulainen happy to just control the position for now.
Kumpulainen looking to control but instead McCash has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCash keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
McCash slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
McCash trying to control the position here.

McCash looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Kumpulainen controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCash is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kumpulainen trying to control but McCash is working from the bottom.
McCash looking for a sweep. Not yet McCash, not yet.
McCash doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
McCash looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kumpulainen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

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.
McCash shoots and misses

and Kumpulainen counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kumpulainen.
McCash tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kumpulainen jumps guard but McCash stands there with Kumpulainen around his waist. Kumpulainen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miikka Kumpulainen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kumpulainen breaks the clinch.
McCash stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Kumpulainen.
Kumpulainen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. McCash tries to avoid it but Kumpulainen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag McCash to the ground. McCash escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Horrible takedown by Kumpulainen or perhaps it was just good defense by McCash which made him look bad.
Kumpulainen shoots in and drives through. McCash sprawls well.
McCash is looking to clinch.
McCash lands a lovely overhand right.

McCash changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kumpulainen looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
McCash trying to control the action but Kumpulainen is working from the bottom.

McCash is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kumpulainen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miikka Kumpulainen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

McCash moves into range and clinches up with Kumpulainen.
Kumpulainen drops to a knee looking for a takedown but McCash gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kumpulainen tries to pull guard but McCash holds him up against the cage and eventually Kumpulainen drops back down to his feet.
Kumpulainen unloads a knee to the mid-section. McCash lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
McCash tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Kumpulainen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Kumpulainen moves into the clinch.
McCash can't break the clinch.
Kumpulainen tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miikka Kumpulainen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kumpulainen pulls guard effortlessly.
Kumpulainen lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for McCash!
McCash is in all sorts of trouble here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCash tries to improve his position but instead Kumpulainen has taken his back!
McCash tries to escape but Kumpulainen has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
McCash is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Kumpulainen.
Kumpulainen is hanging on to McCash's back as he tries to escape.
Kumpulainen not allowing McCash to control his hands.
Kumpulainen trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
You can see the frustration on McCash's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kumpulainen has good solid back control here.
McCash avoids the strikes from Kumpulainen.

McCash is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
McCash is in bad spot here.
Kumpulainen cracks McCash with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing McCash from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
McCash can't escape the position.
Kumpulainen just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Kumpulainen doesn't have the hooks in and McCash manages to turn into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCash content to stall in guard here.
McCashis looking to pass into half guard but Kumpulainen pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Kumpulainen is in guard.

McCash has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kumpulainen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kumpulainen won't allow McCash to sweep him here.
Kumpulainen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

McCash has his foot on Kumpulainen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kumpulainen works his way back into a safe position though.

Kumpulainen stands and steps away. McCash gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Kumpulainen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling McCash to score with a decent uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kumpulainen connects with a good right hand that stumbles McCash. McCash circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Kumpulainen fails with the takedown
and McCash counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Kumpulainen pushes McCash away with a front kick.
Kumpulainen throws a sloppy head kick
and McCash counters with a three punch combo that has Kumpulainen backing up. Kumpulainen nods at McCash to acknowledge the strikes.
Kumpulainen doesn't manage to clinch there - McCash circles away.
McCash scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Kumpulainen misses with a takedown attempt
and McCash counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kumpulainen thinking.

McCash shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than McCash was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
McCash lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kumpulainen hang on?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kumpulainen is in all sorts of trouble here.
Miikka Kumpulainen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kumpulainen sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Kumpulainen manages to escape and get back to his feet!

And that's the end of the fight!
Miikka Kumpulainen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kumpulainen, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Miikka Kumpulainen!