PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Keijo Kala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antti Isotalo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antti Isotalo is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Kala
vs
Isotalo

205 cm
21
280 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

200 cm
23
250 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

FinnFighters Nutrition
FinnFighters Nutrition

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Keijo Kala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antti Isotalo!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Kala or perhaps it was just good defense by Isotalo which made him look bad.
Kala looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Kala shoots in and bounces Isotalo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Kala wants to control from the top but Isotalo keeps moving.
Isotalo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Isotalo wants to stand and escape but Kala is having none of it.
Kala trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Isotalo wants to improve his position but instead Kala has moved into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kala throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kala is working for a submission of some sort.
Isotalo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kala fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keijo Kala. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kala closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Isotalo did well to prevent Kala getting side control.
Isotalo keeping control of the position.
Kala prevents Isotalo from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kala missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kala with the ground and pound but Isotalo uses the opportunity to regain guard.

Isotalo has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Kala off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Kala has closed the distance and engaged Isotalo in a clinch.
Isotalo changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Kala fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Isotalo fails with the takedown

and Kala counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Isotalo's guard now.
Isotalo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kala takes a decent strike to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Isotalo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Isotalo keeping full guard, as Kala tries to pass.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Isotalo can do anything to dispel that myth.
Isotalo keeping moving, preventing Kala from controlling successfully.
Kala looking to pass the guard.
Kala trying to control the position from guard on top but Isotalo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Isotalo has momentary wrist control but Kala slips an elbow through the middle.
Kala throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Isotalo is trying to keep Kala in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kala tries to clinch but Isotalo is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kala misses with a takedown attempt

so Isotalo counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Isotalo is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Kala wants to get back to his feet but Isotalo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Isotalo wants to control from the top but Kala keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keijo Kala dominated that 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.

Kala throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Isotalo wants to clinch but Kala slips to the side

and Kala decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Isotalo's guard.
Kala has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Isotalo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kala wants to stand but Isotalo is controlling his posture from full guard.
Kala with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kala throws and elbow that misses. Isotalo uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Kala's guard. Nice move by Isotalo!
Isotalo postures up.
Kala bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Isotalo's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kala is looking to work some ground and pound but Isotalo has wrist control.
Kala is looking to work some ground and pound but Isotalo has wrist control.
Isotalo has Kala pulled in close to control his posture.
Isotalo wants to sweep but no luck.
Isotalo is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Kala preventing the sweep.
Isotalo will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

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

Isotalo shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Kala is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Isotalo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Kala is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Isotalo scores with a couple of nice shots.

Isotalo is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Isotalo is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Isotalo wants to free his trapped foot but Kala is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Isotalo sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kala defending well though.

Isotalo is working for an americana but Kala has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Isotalo was thinking about the submission.
Isotalo stops Kala from standing up.
Isotalo is working Kala over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Isotalo thows a big elbow that misses.
Isotalo wants to control from the top but Kala keeps moving.

That's four 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.
Isotalo scoring with some ground and pound.
Isotalo postures up and lands a big shot to Kala's brow.
Isotalo scoring with punches to the head and body.
Isotalo is looking to work some ground and pound but Kala has wrist control.

Kala pushes Isotalo off and scrambles back to his feet.
Isotalo dives in and grabs Kala's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kala pushes down on Isotalo's head and hops out.

Isotalo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kala napping and manages to drive through into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antti Isotalo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kala tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Isotalo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kala shoots and misses

so Isotalo counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Isotalo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Isotalo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Isotalo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Isotalo stands up from Kala's guard - Isotalo perhaps looking for a knockout.
Kala shoots and misses

and Isotalo counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Kala's guard now.
Kala avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kala utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Isotalo postures up in Kala's guard and throws a big left but Kala blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Isotalo advances position into side control!
Isotalo landing a few strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kala is trying to control Isotalo's posture but Isotalo avoids it.
Kala is looking for a sweep.
Isotalo lands a decent elbow from side control.
Kala takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Isotalo thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Isotalo throwing strikes but Kala manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Isotalo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Isotalo dodges the ground and pound from Kala.
Isotalo looking for a sweep but Kala has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Isotalo is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kala with the ground and pound from mount.
Isotalo avoids a series of strikes thrown by Kala.
Kala lands a big shot there that rocks Isotalo but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Isotalo wants to hold on but Kala pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kala misses with a head shot.
Isotalo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kala is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Isotalo can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Kala is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Isotalo has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Isotalo!
Kala wants to stand but Isotalo is controlling the position.

Isotalo decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Kala, up you get!
Kala shoots and misses

and Isotalo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Isotalo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keijo Kala. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Isotalo wants to control from the top but Kala keeps moving.
Kala can't keep his opponent in guard - Isotalo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Isotalo lands strikes from half guard.
Isotalo lands with a punch from half guard.
Isotalo lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Isotalo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kala is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Isotalo scores with a couple of nice shots.

Isotalo is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Kala sees it coming and defends easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antti Isotalo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Isotalo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antti Isotalo!