PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between henri syrjala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alberts Ilisko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ilisko has chosen Remix - Dzeltenas Kurpes as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. henri syrjala has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

syrjala
vs
Ilisko

186 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, henri syrjala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alberts Ilisko!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from syrjala as Ilisko shoots in.
Ilisko swats away the attempt to clinch by syrjala.
syrjala shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ilisko defends it nicely.
Alberts Ilisko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
syrjala shoots in for a double leg but Ilisko sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ilisko stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for henri syrjala. That's going to take a lot out of him.
syrjala fails with the takedown.

syrjala clinches up with Ilisko and pushes him back against the cage.
Ilisko tries to circle away but syrjala has him pinned against the cage.
Ilisko tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

syrjala breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ilisko throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
syrjala throws a sloppy head kick
and Ilisko counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

syrjala shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Ilisko is trying to defend but syrjala finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
syrjala throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
syrjala performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
syrjala wants to get back to his feet.
Ilisko is looking to escape.
Ilisko looks gassed!
syrjala working over Ilisko with some ground and pound. Ilisko looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
syrjala slips a nice elbow through Ilisko's hands, connecting with Ilisko's forehead.
Ilisko looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ilisko blocking the ground and pound attempt from syrjala.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
syrjala shoots for a takedown but Ilisko saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
syrjala tries for a takedown but Ilisko sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's two 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.
Ilisko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but syrjala paws at him with a jab and circles away.
syrjala tries to clinch there but Ilisko circles away.
A solid body kick from Ilisko.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
syrjala tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ilisko avoids it.
Ilisko can't break the clinch.

Ilisko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ilisko fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice body kick from Ilisko.
syrjala closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Ilisko takes the fight into the clinch.

Ilisko pulls guard.
syrjala trying to control the position from guard on top but Ilisko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
syrjala prevents Ilisko from getting back to his feet.
syrjala trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
syrjala throwing strikes but missing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ilisko tries a head kick but it misses.
syrjala throws a nice outside leg kick.

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.
Ilisko misses with a head kick.
Ilisko misses with a series of wild punches.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ilisko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
syrjala throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ilisko's waist but Ilisko gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing syrjala off to one side.

Ilisko clinches.

syrjala wants the takedown. Ilisko is fighting it off but syrjala persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Ilisko's guard against the cage.

Ilisko wriggles free and stands up.
syrjala feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ilisko's calf.
syrjala doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ilisko counters with a solid body kick.
syrjala closes the distance but Ilisko moves to the side
and Ilisko counters with a flying knee. Nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alberts Ilisko will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ilisko throws a right and a left that both miss.
syrjala rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ilisko moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
henri syrjala is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ilisko stuffs the takedown.
Ilisko lands with a slapping head kick.
syrjala has a takedown stuffed.
syrjala avoids the head kick by Ilisko.

Ilisko closes the distance and pushes syrjala back into the cage.
Ilisko keeps the fight in the clinch, despite syrjala's efforts to push away.

syrjala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice sprawl there from syrjala as Ilisko shoots in.
An inside leg kick lands from syrjala.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from syrjala.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for henri syrjala. That's going to take a lot out of him.

syrjala tries to keep at a distance but Ilisko has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilisko tries to circle away but syrjala has him pinned against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Ilisko tries to score a body lock takedown but syrjala shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
syrjala is working for takedown but Ilisko is calmly controlling the position for now.
syrjala digs a right hand into Ilisko's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Ilisko's gas tank.
Ilisko jumps guard but syrjala stands there with Ilisko around his waist. Ilisko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
syrjala tries to score a body lock takedown but Ilisko shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ilisko has had enough of the clinch but syrjala keeps him there for the moment.

syrjala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
syrjala shoots in but Ilisko avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ilisko misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ilisko shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and syrjala counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
syrjala is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Ilisko!
Ilisko tries to buck syrjala off but he can't manage it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ilisko has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
Ilisko is trying to get back to his feet but syrjala has full control of the position and if anything, Ilisko has just worked his way into a worse spot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
syrjala lands a shot to the body.
Ilisko is trying to stand back up.
syrjala scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ilisko holding both syrjala 's hands and preventing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
syrjala wants to control but Ilisko is keeping busy.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards syrjala.
syrjala struggling to keep hold of the position.
Ilisko looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

henri syrjala dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

syrjala throws a one two combo.
syrjala tries to clinch up but Ilisko circles away and keeps his distance.
Ilisko misses with an attempted mid kick.
syrjala throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Ilisko throws a sloppy head kick and syrjala moves out of range easily.
Ilisko wants to clinch up but syrjala keeps it at a distance.
syrjala shoots for a double leg takedown but Ilisko sprawls well. He's pushed syrjala's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
syrjala misses with a takedown attempt - Ilisko sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ilisko throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ilisko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but syrjala paws at him with a jab and circles away.
syrjala throws a head kick that misses

and Ilisko moves into the clinch.
syrjala is pushing Ilisko up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Ilisko is trying to drag syrjala to the mat but syrjala just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilisko tries to pull guard but syrjala holds him up against the cage and eventually Ilisko drops back down to his feet.
syrjala displaying some good clinch control by pressing Ilisko up against the cage.
syrjala prevents Ilisko from breaking the clinch.
Ilisko tries to pull guard but syrjala won't allow it.
henri syrjala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alberts Ilisko.
Ilisko missing with knees to the body.

Ilisko successfully pulls guard.
syrjala postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
syrjala trying to control but Ilisko is working from the bottom.
Ilisko is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst syrjala is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
syrjala not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ilisko is looking to stand up but syrjala isn't so interested in that idea.

Ilisko scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Ilisko closes the distance and clinches.

syrjala has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Ilisko uses from the top position.
syrjala is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ilisko wanted to stand there but syrjala had control of the position.
Ilisko working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of syrjala's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
syrjala is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ilisko would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Ilisko postures up in syrjala's guard and throws a big left but syrjala blocks it.
Ilisko would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
syrjala trying to keep a closed guard but Ilisko is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
syrjala tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ilisko sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten syrjala somewhat.
syrjala closes the distance and clinches up with Ilisko, looking for a takedown. syrjala pushes Ilisko against the cage but Ilisko circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

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.
syrjala shoots for a takedown but Ilisko saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ilisko displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Ilisko throws a sloppy head kick and syrjala moves out of range easily.

syrjala takes the fight into the clinch.
syrjala tries for a takedown but Ilisko manages to get underhooks.
Ilisko stalling in the clinch but syrjala improves position.
syrjala has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ilisko is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

syrjala breaks the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from syrjala.
syrjala tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ilisko counters with a two punch combo.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ilisko pulls out of a head kick attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alberts Ilisko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ilisko 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alberts Ilisko!