PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jari Korpela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlo Gambino (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Carlo Gambino is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Korpela
vs
Gambino

160 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
20
140 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jari Korpela!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Carlo Gambino!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gambino tries to clinch there but Korpela circles away.
Gambino is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Korpela tries to clinch up.

Korpela rushes Gambino and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gambino wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Korpela throws an elbow but misses.
Korpela lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Korpela has Gambino pressed against the cage, preventing Gambino from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A head punch on the inside from Korpela fails to land.
Gambino can't break the clinch.
Nice elbow from Korpela.
Korpela misses with an elbow strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Korpela just misses with a elbow thrown towards Gambino's brow.
Gambino wants to break the clinch but can't.
Korpela misses with an elbow strike.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Korpela lands an elbow that stopped Gambino in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Carlo Gambino has been cut.

Gambino's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Korpela tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Korpela tries to clinch there but Gambino circles away.
Korpela wants to clinch.
Carlo Gambino seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gambino swats away the attempt to clinch by Korpela.
Gambino tries to clinch up

and Korpela counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gambino tries to circle away but Korpela has him pinned against the cage.
Gambino tries to break free but Korpela pushes him back against the cage.
Gambino looks gassed!
Korpela throws an elbow but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gambino is trying to break the clinch but Korpela is controlling him.
Korpela is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Korpela misses with an elbow strike.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gambino looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Korpela manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Gambino blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Korpela.
Gambino is looking to break free of the clinch but Korpela has double underhooks.
Korpela lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Korpela breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gambino circles away from the clinch attempt.

Korpela clinches with his opponent.
Korpela landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Gambino is looking to break free of the clinch but Korpela has double underhooks.
Gambino avoiding damage as Korpela throws knees to the body.
Gambino avoids a wild elbow strike from Korpela.
Knees in the clinch landing for Korpela.

Korpela breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Korpela tries to clinch but Gambino is having none of it.

Korpela moves into the clinch.
Gambino wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Korpela has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Korpela.
Gambino being controlled against the cage.
Korpela throws an elbow that misses.
Korpela looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Korpela missing with knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Korpela.
Korpela lands a nice elbow.
Gambino tries to circle away but Korpela has him pinned against the cage.
Gambino working hard to break the clinch.
Nice elbow from Korpela.
Korpela throws an elbow that misses.
Korpela comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Korpela creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gambino's defenses.
Gambino wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Korpela throws an elbow that misses.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Korpela lands an elbow that stopped Gambino in his tracks for a moment.
Gambino avoids a wild elbow strike from Korpela.
Korpela throws an elbow but it's blocked.
A short right from Korpela on the inside.
Korpela comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Korpela gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Gambino blocks an elbow strike.
Korpela tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gambino avoids it.
Korpela throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Gambinos head.
Korpela creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Korpela lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Korpela misses with an elbow over the top.
Gambino looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Korpela lands a damaging elbow.
Korpela throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Korpela is trying to maintain a safe position but Gambino gets an underhook and turns Korpela into the cage.
Korpela lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Gambino breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gambino avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gambino wants to clinch

and Korpela moves into the clinch.
Gambino tries to break the clinch but Korpela is controlling the position.
Korpela keeps control of Gambino as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Korpela throws an elbow that misses.
Korpela lands an elbow inside that Gambino shrugs off.
With the fighters up against the cage, Korpela throws an elbow but misses.
Gambino looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gambino can't break the clinch.
Korpela trying to land knees to the body.
Korpela misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gambino.
Korpela throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Korpela misses with an elbow strike.
Korpela throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Korpela lands an elbow inside.

That's four 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.
Gambino tries to break free but Korpela pushes him back against the cage.
Gambino is trying to break the clinch but Korpela is controlling him.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Gambino as Korpela tries to tie him up.

Korpela breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Korpela doesn't manage to clinch there - Gambino circles away.
Korpela is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Korpela tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gambino swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Korpela avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Korpela gets a clinch.
Gambino dodges an elbow strike from Korpela.
Korpela is trying to break the clinch but Gambino has him pressed against the cage.
Korpela misses with an elbow over the top.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch but Korpela keeps him there for the moment.
Gambino is trying to break the clinch but Korpela has him pressed against the cage.
Gambino blocks the elbow strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gambino avoids the elbow strike from Korpela, against the cage.
Gambino dodges an elbow strike from Korpela.

Korpela's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gambino darts in trying to clinch

and Korpela counters by clinching up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jari Korpela dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Carlo Gambino's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gambino tries to clinch up

and Korpela counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Korpela tries to land a knee to the head but Gambino blocks with his arms.
Korpela creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gambino's defenses.

Gambino escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Korpela has closed the distance and engaged Gambino in a clinch.
Korpela is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Gambino is keeping busy.
Gambino is trying to force a seperation but Korpela has the dominant position.
Korpela looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Korpela misses with an elbow over the top.
Korpela lands an elbow just above Gambino 's eye.
Korpela pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Gambino breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gambino tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Korpela moves into the clinch.
Gambino blocks an elbow strike.
Korpela trying to land knees to the body.

Gambino's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gambino keeps the fight on the outside.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gambino clinches but Korpela breaks the clinch

and Korpela counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Korpela.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Korpela.
Korpela has Gambino pressed against the cage, preventing Gambino from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Korpela misses with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gambino blocks an elbow strike from Korpela.
Nice elbow from Korpela.
Korpela tries to land a knee to the head but Gambino blocks with his arms.
Gambino wants to break free but Korpela has control.
Gambino is looking to break free of the clinch but Korpela has double underhooks.
Gambino wants to get back to striking at distance but Korpela won't allow it.
Gambino can't break the clinch.

Gambino's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Korpela tries to clinch up.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Gambino tries to clinch up

and Korpela moves into the clinch.
Korpela displaying some good clinch control by pressing Gambino up against the cage.

Gambino manages to break the clinch.
Gambino tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Korpela counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Korpela gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Gambino wants to break free but Korpela has control.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Gambino wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Korpela has him pressed against the cage.
Korpela throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Gambino tries to break free but Korpela pushes him back against the cage.
Gambino wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

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.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Maybe Korpela would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Gambino is trying to break the clinch but Korpela has him pressed against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Korpela.
Korpela keeps control of Gambino as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Korpela just misses with a elbow thrown towards Gambino's brow.
Korpela misses with an elbow strike.

Gambino pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gambino wants to clinch but Korpela slips to the side

and Korpela holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Gambino is trying to break the clinch but Korpela has him pressed against the cage.
Gambino tries to circle away but Korpela has him pinned against the cage.
Korpela pushes off an throws an elbow but Gambino leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Gambino can't break the clinch.
Gambino is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gambino dodges an elbow strike from Korpela.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Korpela pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gambino tries to clinch but Korpela moves away

and Korpela counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gambino takes an elbow to the temple.
Gambino blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Gambino on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Korpela misses with an elbow strike.
Gambino wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Gambino is trying to force a seperation but Korpela has the dominant position.
Gambino tries to break the clinch but Korpela is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Korpela throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Korpela misses with an elbow strike.
Gambino tries to circle away but Korpela has him pinned against the cage.
Korpela creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Gambino is trying to break the clinch but Korpela is controlling him.
Gambino is trying to force a seperation but Korpela has the dominant position.
Korpela looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Korpela misses with an elbow strike.
Gambino is trying to break the clinch but Korpela is controlling him.
Korpela misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gambino.
Korpela using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Gambino avoids the elbow strike from Korpela, against the cage.
Korpela working aggressively here.
Korpela misses with an elbow over the top.
Korpela misses with an elbow over the top.
Korpela looking to stall.
Gambino tries to circle away but Korpela has him pinned against the cage.
Gambino blocks an elbow strike from Korpela.
Korpela lands with a light punch inside.
Gambino is trying to break free.

Gambino breaks the clinch.
Korpela tries to close the distance and clinch but Gambino swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Korpela fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gambino, pushing him back against the cage.
Gambino dodges an elbow strike from Korpela.
Korpela is trying to break the clinch but Gambino has him pressed against the cage.

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.
Gambino tries to circle away but Korpela has him pinned against the cage.
Korpela keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gambino's efforts to push away.
Korpela is trying to stall.
Korpela keeps control of Gambino as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Korpela.
Gambino tries to break free but Korpela pushes him back against the cage.
Gambino takes an elbow to the forehead.

Gambino's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gambino darts in trying to clinch

and Korpela counters by clinching up.
Gambino is trying to break the clinch but Korpela has him pressed against the cage.
Korpela comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A frustrated look appears on Gambino's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gambino blocks an elbow strike from Korpela.
Korpela with a knee to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Korpela with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gambino is trying to force a seperation but Korpela has the dominant position.
Korpela unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Gambino wants to break the clinch but can't.
Korpela is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Gambino tries to break the clinch but Korpela is controlling the position.
Korpela throws an elbow but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jari Korpela dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Carlo Gambino's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Gambino looks to clinch

and Korpela counters by clinching up.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gambino wants to break the clinch but can't.
Korpela looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Gambino is trying to break free.
Korpela's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Korpela with a knee to the head.
Gambino blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Gambino blocks the elbow strike.
Korpela with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Korpela comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Gambino is trying to break the clinch but Korpela is controlling him.
Korpela throws an elbow that misses.
Korpela throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Korpela prevents Gambino from breaking the clinch.
Korpela pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gambino takes an elbow to the forehead.
Gambino blocks an elbow strike from Korpela.
Gambino dodges an elbow strike from Korpela.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Korpela misses with some punches.
Gambino takes an elbow to the temple.

Gambino pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gambino tries to clinch up

and Korpela counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gambino wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Korpela has him pressed against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Korpela creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Korpela keeps control of Gambino as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Korpela misses with the head strike.
Gambino wants to get back to striking at distance but Korpela won't allow it.
Gambino takes an elbow to the forehead.
Gambino is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Korpela creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gambino's defenses.
Gambino wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Korpela has him pressed against the cage.
Korpela working aggressively here.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Korpela is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gambino is defending well for now.
Korpela lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Gambino wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Gambino dodges an elbow strike from Korpela.
Gambino tries to break free but Korpela pushes him back against the cage.
Gambino is trying to break the clinch but Korpela has him pressed against the cage.
Korpela lands a knee to the head.
Gambino tries to break the clinch but Korpela is controlling the position.

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

Korpela clinches with his opponent.

Gambino breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Korpela swats away the attempt to clinch by Gambino.
Korpela wants to clinch up but Gambino keeps it at a distance.

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.
Korpela is looking to clinch.

Korpela gets a clinch.
Korpela pressing his opponent against the cage.

Gambino manages to break the clinch.
Korpela wants to clinch up but Gambino keeps it at a distance.
Gambino tries to clinch there but Korpela circles away.
Gambino is looking to clinch but Korpela is avoiding it.
Gambino is looking to clinch.
Gambino tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Korpela moves into the clinch.
Gambino tries to break free but Korpela pushes him back against the cage.
Korpela prevents Gambino from breaking the clinch.
Korpela is looking to control Gambino's arms but Gambino gets an underhook and turns him. Now Korpela has his back to the cage.
Gambino is trying to force a seperation but Korpela has the dominant position.
Korpela prevents Gambino from breaking the clinch.
Korpela lands an elbow inside.
Korpela tries to land a knee to the head but Gambino blocks with his arms.
Korpela pushes off an throws an elbow but Gambino leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Gambino breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Korpela wants to clinch.
Korpela is looking to clinch but Gambino is avoiding it.
Gambino wants to clinch up but Korpela keeps it at a distance.

Gambino takes the fight into the clinch.

Gambino manages to break the clinch.

Korpela forces Gambino back against the cage and clinches.
Gambino dodges an elbow strike from Korpela.
Gambino looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Korpela misses with an elbow over the top.
Korpela pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Korpela lands an elbow inside that Gambino shrugs off.
Korpela slows down the pace here.
Gambino wants to break the clinch but can't.
Korpela pushes off an throws an elbow but Gambino leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Korpela misses with some punches.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch but Korpela keeps him there for the moment.
Gambino is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Korpela pushes Gambino back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch but Korpela keeps him there for the moment.

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.
Korpela leaning his opponent against the cage.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch but Korpela keeps him there for the moment.
Gambino looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Korpela has Gambino pressed against the cage, preventing Gambino from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gambino looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gambino wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Korpela lands an elbow that stopped Gambino in his tracks for a moment.
Gambino working hard to break the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Korpela obliges.
Gambino is trying to break free.
Korpela looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Gambino managing to block the knees to the body from Korpela.
Korpela has Gambino pressed against the cage, preventing Gambino from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Jari Korpela is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gambino is trying to break free.
Korpela tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gambino avoids it.
Gambino is looking to break free of the clinch but Korpela has double underhooks.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Korpela prevents Gambino from breaking the clinch.
Gambino is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gambino has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gambino is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Korpela tries a knee to the head but Gambino blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jari Korpela showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Korpela, 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jari Korpela!