PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Matti Nykanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zvonimir Asanovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nykanen comes to the cage accompanied by Elama on laiffii. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nykanen
vs
Asanovic

183 cm
20
167 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

189 cm
23
161 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matti Nykanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zvonimir Asanovic!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nykanen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Nykanen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nykanen scores with a kick to the body.
Nykanen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Nykanen looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Asanovic fails with a takedown attempt.
Nykanen scores with a leg kick.
Asanovic tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A slapping leg kick lands for Nykanen.
Asanovic shoots for a takedown but Nykanen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Horrible takedown by Asanovic or perhaps it was just good defense by Nykanen which made him look bad.
Matti Nykanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zvonimir Asanovic.
Nykanen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Nykanen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nykanen lands a good knee to the midsection. Asanovic won't want to take too many of those.
Asanovic looks gassed!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nykanen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Zvonimir Asanovic has been cut.
Asanovic is trying to break the clinch but Nykanen has him pressed against the cage.
Nykanen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Asanovic.
Asanovic just leaning against Nykanen, taking a breather.

Nykanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Asanovic takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Asanovic tries to keep at a distance but Nykanen has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nykanen prevents a takedown attempt there.
Nykanen landing knees to the body.
A hook to the body from Nykanen.
Nykanen has Asanovic pushed against the cage.

Nykanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Good leg kick by Nykanen there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Asanovic darts in trying to clinch
and Nykanen counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Nykanen moves into the clinch.
Nykanen lands a damaging elbow.
Asanovic on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nykanen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Asanovic is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Nykanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Matti Nykanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Asanovic takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

Nykanen clinches up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Asanovic's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asanovic on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Asanovic blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Nykanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nykanen scoring well with a low kick there.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Asanovic crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Nykanen - the referee stops the clock and Asanovic gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Nykanen. Asanovic manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

Nykanen closes the distance and pushes Asanovic back into the cage.

Nykanen breaks the clinch.
Asanovic ducks under a wild hook from Nykanen.
Nykanen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Asanovic.
Asanovic scores with a three punch combo!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nykanen lets loose with a powerful body kick. Asanovic will feel that in the morning.
Nykanen scores with a head kick.
Nykanen throws a nice head kick!
Matti Nykanen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Asanovic takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Asanovic pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Nykanen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Asanovic's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A chopping leg kick lands by Nykanen.

Nykanen closes the distance and clinches.
Asanovic tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen lands a knee to the body.
Nice elbow from Nykanen.
Asanovic blocks an elbow strike.

Nykanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Asanovic wants to clinch up but Nykanen keeps it at a distance.
Nykanen keeps Asanovic at a distance using the push kick.
Nykanen tests Asanovic's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nykanen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nykanen loads up on a big right hand but Asanovic slips the punch.
Nykanen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Nykanen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Asanovic.
Nykanen throws a nice head kick!
Nykanen throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Nykanen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Nykanen throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Nykanen misses with a body shot.
Asanovic fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Nykanen avoids it really well and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Asanovic takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Nykanen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Asanovic has Nykanen up against the cage in a clinch.
Nykanen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Asanovic blocks it with crossed arms.
Asanovic is trying desperately to land a takedown but Nykanen is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Asanovic.
Nykanen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Asanovic tries to break the clinch but Nykanen is controlling the position.
Asanovic tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Nykanen smiles and moves away.
Nykanen is looking to slow Asanovic down with leg kicks.
Asanovic has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Nykanen.
Nykanen thows a body kick. Asanovic tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Asanovic tries to clinch
and Nykanen counters with an outside leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Nykanen takes the fight into the clinch.

Nykanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nykanen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nykanen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zvonimir Asanovic's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Asanovic tries for a takedown but Nykanen circles away easily
and Nykanen counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Asanovic thinking.
Nykanen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Asanovic's sensitive parts.
Asanovic tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Asanovic will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nykanen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Asanovic.
Asanovic takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Zvonimir Asanovic is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Nykanen moves into the clinch successfully.

Nykanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Asanovic shoots in but no luck this time.
Matti Nykanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zvonimir Asanovic.
Nykanen misses with a series of wild punches.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Nykanen tries to work over Asanovic's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nykanen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nykanen lands a nice elbow.
Nykanen is leaning against Asanovic and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Asanovic blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Nykanen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nykanen lands an elbow that stopped Asanovic in his tracks for a moment.

That has opened up Zvonimir Asanovic's cut even more.
Asanovic managing to block the knees to the body from Nykanen.
Asanovic managing to block the knees to the body from Nykanen.

Nykanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nykanen lands a head kick. Asanovic smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Nykanen avoids the head kick by Asanovic.
Asanovic fails with a takedown attempt.
Asanovic is breathing heavily.
Nykanen throws a head kick that Asanovic semi-blocks.
Asanovic takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Asanovic avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Asanovic misses with a takedown attempt - Nykanen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Nykanen instigates a clinch.
Nykanen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Asanovic.
Asanovic pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Asanovic avoiding damage as Nykanen throws knees to the body.
Nykanen utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Nykanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A good leg kick by Nykanen.
Nykanen moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Nykanen feints and then cracks Asanovic's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Asanovic down.
Nykanen thuds his shin into the meat of Asanovic's side.
Asanovic takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
A decent looking body kick lands there for Nykanen.

Nykanen drives through and clinches with Asanovic against the cage.

Nykanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nykanen throws a head kick that misses.
Asanovic is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Nykanen looks to land a left hand but Asanovic moved out of range nicely.
Nykanen throws a quick inside leg kick.
Asanovic shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Asanovic misses with a takedown attempt
and Nykanen counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Matti Nykanen is winning the standup battle so far.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Nykanen - that will leave a mark!
Nykanen throws a shot to the body.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Nykanen.
Asanovic walks forward, straight into a front kick from Nykanen.
Nykanen cracks the inside of Asanovic's front leg.
A solid leg kick lands there for Nykanen.
Nykanen lands a head kick. Asanovic smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
No luck for Nykanen with that takedown attempt.

Nykanen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nice elbow from Nykanen.
Nykanen tries to land knees in the clinch but Asanovic avoids the damage to the body.
Asanovic avoiding damage as Nykanen throws knees to the body.

Nykanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nykanen throws a head kick that misses.
Asanovic will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Asanovic on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Nykanen. Nykanen obviously looking to wear him down.
Nykanen doesn't manage to clinch there - Asanovic circles away.
Asanovic tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nykanen sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Asanovic somewhat.
Asanovic slips a jab and a cross from Nykanen.
Asanovic fails with a takedown attempt.
Nykanen looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Nykanen.
Both fighters circling a little - Nykanen finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Nykanen dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Asanovic. That did some damage!
Nykanen throws a nice outside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Nykanen forces Asanovic back against the cage and clinches.
The referee calls for Nykanen to work.
Nykanen lands a hook that snaps the head of Asanovic backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nykanen dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Zvonimir Asanovic's cut.
That's time! Nykanen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Nykanen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Nykanen misses with a punch on the inside.
Asanovic tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Nykanen smiles and moves away.
Asanovic shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nykanen but Nykanen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Asanovic shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Nykanen defends it nicely.
Matti Nykanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zvonimir Asanovic.
Asanovic is looking to clinch but Nykanen is avoiding it.

Nykanen closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nykanen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Asanovic is defending well for now.

Nykanen breaks from the clinch.
Nykanen looks for the body kick but Asanovic saw that one coming.

Nykanen rushes Asanovic and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Asanovic takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nykanen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Nykanen trying to land knees to the body.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asanovic tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Good leg kick by Nykanen there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Asanovic fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A good leg kick by Nykanen.
Nykanen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Asanovic cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Asanovic fails with the takedown.
Nykanen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Nykanen has managed to clinch.
Nykanen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Matti Nykanen has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Nykanen lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Asanovic or not.
Nykanen using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Nykanen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A nice inside leg kick there by Nykanen. That's going to slow Asanovic down.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Asanovic.
Nykanen thumps Asanovic with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Nykanen is looking to clinch but Asanovic is avoiding it.

Nykanen clinches with his opponent.
Nykanen lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Nykanen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Asanovic's elbow.
Nykanen dodges an elbow strike from Asanovic.
Nykanen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Asanovic drops down looking for an ankle pick but Nykanen pulls his leg out and moves away.
A solid leg kick lands there for Nykanen.
Nykanen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Asanovic.
Nykanen lands a body shot.
Nykanen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Asanovic takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
A thudding body kick lands there by Nykanen!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nykanen pushes Asanovic up against the cage in a clinch.
Nykanen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Nykanen is pushing Asanovic up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Nykanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A slapping leg kick lands for Nykanen.
Asanovic looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
An inside leg kick lands from Nykanen.

Nykanen clinches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nykanen.
Nykanen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Asanovic is defending well for now.
Nykanen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nykanen prevents a takedown attempt there.
Nykanen cracks Asanovic with a nice body shot.
Nykanen lands an elbow inside that Asanovic shrugs off.
Nykanen putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Asanovic in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

The cut above Zvonimir Asanovic's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

Nykanen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nykanen is looking to wear down Asanovic with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Nykanen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
An inside leg kick lands from Nykanen.
Matti Nykanen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Asanovic on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Nykanen. Nykanen obviously looking to wear him down.
A head kick from Nykanen lands but Asanovic takes it in his stride.
Nykanen looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Nykanen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Asanovic's sensitive parts.
Nykanen cracks the inside of Asanovic's front leg.
Asanovic changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nykanen tries to avoid it but Asanovic manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nykanen to the ground. Nykanen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Nykanen instigates a clinch.
Asanovic takes an elbow to the forehead.
Asanovic on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nykanen lands a body punch.
Nykanen lands with a left to the head.
Zvonimir Asanovic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Asanovic looking to throw knees to the head but Nykanen is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matti Nykanen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nykanen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:25
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:25
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matti Nykanen!