PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Keke Ikonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Waldemar Silvia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ikonen's entrance music is Conan the Barbarian. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ikonen
vs
Silvia

180 cm
24
195 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

175 cm
26
195 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Red Light Clothing ► Amsterdam!

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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Keke Ikonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Waldemar Silvia!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ikonen does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Keke Ikonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silvia stuffs the takedown.

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

Ikonen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Silvia is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silvia dodges the ground and pound from Ikonen.
Ikonen throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Silvia works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Silvia blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ikonen.

Ikonen seems to be looking for submissions.
Silvia is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ikonen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ikonen's back!

Ikonen is having to fend off submission attempts from Silvia, who is looking to sink in the choke. Silvia doesn't have the hooks in though and Ikonen manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
Ikonen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silvia is keeping the position for now.
Silvia keeping moving, preventing Ikonen from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silvia throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Ikonen postures up in Silvia's guard and throws a big left but Silvia blocks it.
Silvia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Ikonen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

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

Silvia shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Silvia showed some decent athleticism there.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Silvia is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ikonen sees it coming and defends easily.
Ikonen is looking to control Silvia's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ikonen avoid being mounted?
Ikonen 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.
Silvia throws a strike but Ikonen avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silvia tries to free his leg and advance position but Ikonen is retaining full guard.

Silvia gets to his feet - Ikonen follows without any prompting.
Silvia looks gassed!
Nice takedown defense from Silvia. No joy for Ikonen on that attempt.
Ikonen fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keke Ikonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silvia keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Silvia is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ikonen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ikonen misses with a takedown attempt

and Silvia holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Silvia goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ikonen prevents it.
Ikonen has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Silvia avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Silvia is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ikonen pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Silvia fails to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silvia drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ikonen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ikonen goes for a takedown in the clinch but Silvia prevents it.
Ikonen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Silvia fails to pull guard.

Ikonen has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Silvia clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Ikonen is persistently looking for the submission but Silvia is defending it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ikonen trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Silvia doesn't escape.

Ikonen working for a choke but Silvia is defending well.
Silvia rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ikonen is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Silvia doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ikonen.

Ikonen is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Silvia has managed to free his arm - good work.
Ikonen thows a huge punch but Silvia dodges it nicely.
Silvia slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ikonen throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keke Ikonen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Silvia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ikonen paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Silvia forces Ikonen back against the cage and clinches.
Silvia is trying to drag Ikonen to the mat but Ikonen just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Silvia tries to pull guard but Ikonen won't allow it.
Ikonen drops down looking for an ankle pick but Silvia pulls his leg out and moves away.
A combination from Ikonen does no damage.
Ikonen with a poor takedown

and Silvia decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ikonen's guard.
Silvia trying to control but Ikonen is working from the bottom.
Ikonen wants to sweep here but Silvia controlling him for the moment.
Silvia postures up in Ikonen's guard and throws a big left but Ikonen blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ikonen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Silvia.
Silvia is breathing heavily.

Ikonen uses the cage to get back to his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Silvia.
Keke Ikonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Waldemar Silvia.

Ikonen shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Silvia's guard.
Ikonen trying to control but Silvia is working from the bottom.
Ikonen chips away with some ground and pound.

Ikonen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Ikonen is pushing down on Silvia's leg trying to pass to half guard. Silvia is fighting to maintain full guard but Ikonen has managed to sneak the leg through.
Ikonen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Ikonen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ikonen slips a nice elbow through Silvia's hands, connecting with Silvia's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ikonen is trying to work for a kimura but Silvia is defending well.
Ikonen is trying to control the action in half guard but Silvia is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Silvia wants to improve his position but Ikonen is controlling well.
Ikonen is keen to just control but Silvia is a slippery customer.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Silvia can't get the takedown.
Ikonen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Ikonen pulls Silvia into guard.
Silvia looking to pass the guard.
Silvia is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ikonen wants to stand but Silvia is controlling the position.
Silvia is looking to stand up but Ikonen won't let him.
Keke Ikonen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ikonen is on top in guard.
Ikonen with a nice head shot there.
Silvia wants to sweep here but Ikonen controlling him for the moment.

Ikonen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ikonen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ikonen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Silvia's head.

That's four 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.
Ikonen works over Silvia with some ground and pound from guard.
Silvia is trying to control the position but Ikonen postures up.
Ikonen forces his way into half guard.
Ikonen controlling the action here.

Ikonen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Ikonen is working for a submission of some sort.

Ikonen is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keke Ikonen dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Silvia scores a takedown into full mount!
Silvia misses with a head shot.
Ikonen is working to get back to half guard.
Silvia has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Ikonen's face.
Ikonen is trying desperately to improve position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ikonen trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silvia goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Ikonen turns into him and now he's in Silvia's guard.

Ikonen decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ikonen.
Silvia leaves Ikonen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ikonen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Silvia counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keke Ikonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silvia wants a takedown but no success here.
Ikonen gets underhooks to prevent Silvia's takedown attempt.
Ikonen wants to break free but Silvia has control.
Ikonen wants a takedown but no success here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ikonen has Silvia pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Silvia manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Silvia tries for a takedown but Ikonen manages to get underhooks.

Ikonen has Silvia pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Ikonen pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Silvia tumbling to the mat - Ikonen dives into Silvia's guard.
Ikonen looking to pass the guard.
Ikonen is working hard here to advance position.
Ikonen cracks Silvia with a solid left hand.
Ikonen stopping the sweep attempt from Silvia.
Ikonen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Silvia is proving hard to escape from.

Silvia looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ikonen pushing down on Silvia's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Silvia trying to hold on to Ikonen's head to control him but Ikonen postures up.
Silvia is not content to let Ikonen control the position.

Silvia is defending against the submission attempts here by Ikonen.
Silvia wants to improve his position but Ikonen is controlling well.
Keke Ikonen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nice strikes from Ikonen there.

Ikonen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Silvia defends it well.
Ikonen lands with a punch from half guard.
Waldemar Silvia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.

Silvia is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ikonen pulls his head out easily.
Ground and pound from Ikonen.
Silvia is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Ikonen is working for a kimura but Silvia is defending it quite comfortably.
Ikonen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Silvia wants to improve his position but Ikonen is controlling well.

Ikonen is working for a submission of some sort.
Ikonen is trying to control. Silvia wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Keke Ikonen.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ikonen, 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keke Ikonen!