PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rex Foley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vincent Koivu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Foley comes to the cage accompanied by Motorhead - Ace of Spades. Koivu has chosen Welcome Home - Coheed and Cambria as his entrance music. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Foley
vs
Koivu

178 cm
19
183 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
184 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rex Foley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vincent Koivu!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Foley will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Foley lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Koivu circles away quickly and effectively.
Foley looks to land a combination. Koivu sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Koivu checks a leg kick.
A jab from Koivu misses.
Foley throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Foley throws a front kick aimed at Koivu's knee but Koivu avoids it well.
A left lands for Koivu.
Good work by Koivu as he checks the leg kick.
Foley takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Foley tries to keep at a distance but Koivu has taken the fight into the clinch.
Koivu displaying some good clinch control by pressing Foley up against the cage.
Koivu prevents the takedown attempt.
Koivu stalling.
Foley tries for a takedown. No joy.
Stalling in the clinch from Koivu.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Vincent Koivu.
Foley throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Foley shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Koivu slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Koivu managing to control the position.

Foley drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Koivu manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Foley has Koivu in his guard.
Koivu throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koivu scoring with punches to the head and body.

Foley is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Koivu is looking to work some ground and pound but Foley has wrist control.
Foley keeping moving, preventing Koivu from controlling successfully.
Koivu postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Koivu not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Koivu looking to sit in guard and control but Foley gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Foley is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Koivu is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Koivu has escaped and now he's on top!
Koivu wants to control from the top but Foley keeps moving.
Foley being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Koivu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Koivu is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Foley is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Foley has escaped and now he's on top!
Koivu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Foley is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Koivu is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Koivu has escaped and now he's on top!
Koivu throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vincent Koivu dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A bone on bone clash there as Koivu blocks the leg kick.
Foley walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Foley throws a series of punches but Koivu moves out of range.
Koivu tries to land a leg kick but Foley saw it coming and moves away.
Koivu misses with a body shot.
Koivu throws a wild body kick that Foley sees coming a mile off.
Foley misses with a head kick.
Koivu throws a leg kick
and Foley counters with a low kick, right behind Koivu 's knee.
Koivu stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Koivu wants it to stay on the feet.
Foley fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Foley will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters circling a little - Koivu finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Koivu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Foley takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Foley tries for a takedown but Koivu sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rex Foley. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koivu jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Foley looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Foley fails to land with a series of punches.

Koivu clinches up against the cage.
Koivu stalling in the clinch.
Koivu prevents a takedown attempt there.
Koivu has Foley pushed against the cage.
The crowd are getting on Koivu's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Vincent Koivu.
Koivu delivers a nice body kick.
Koivu blocks a leg kick.
Koivu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Foley manages to avoid it.
Koivu stuffs the takedown.
Koivu thuds a left hand into Foley's body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Koivu scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koivu checks a leg kick.
Koivu scores with a sloppy right hand. Foley should have avoided that one.
Foley slips under a jab from Koivu.
Foley finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

Foley bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Koivu manages to get back to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Foley is thwarting Koivu's attempts to control the position.
Foley wants to pass to mount but Koivu is defending the position.
Koivu preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koivu trying to hold on to Foley's head to control him but Foley postures up.

Foley is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Koivu trying to control but Foley postures up.
Foley trying to control from half guard but Koivu is working away.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Koivu misses with a two punch combination.
Koivu uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

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.
Foley moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Koivu moves into the clinch.
Koivu controlling the action here for a moment.
Koivu lands a nice knee to the body.
Foley takes an elbow to the forehead.
Koivu is struggling to control the position.
Good body shot from Koivu.

Foley has clasped his hands together around Koivu's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Foley tries for a kimura but Koivu is defending well.
Koivu manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Foley blocking the ground and pound attempt from Koivu.
Koivu thows a huge punch but Foley dodges it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vincent Koivu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Foley's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Foley takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Foley misses with a takedown attempt - Koivu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rex Foley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Foley avoids the body shot from Koivu.
Foley avoids the head kick by Koivu.

Foley shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Koivu manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Koivu pulls Foley in close to prevent any damage.

Koivu escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Foley gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Koivu keeping full guard, as Foley tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Foley is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Koivu is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Koivu has escaped and now he's on top!
Koivu trying to control the position from guard on top but Foley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Koivu works over Foley with some ground and pound from guard.
Koivu is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two 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.
Koivu passes Foley's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Koivu slips a nice elbow through Foley's hands, connecting with Foley's forehead.
Koivu with the ground and pound but Foley uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Koivu is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Koivu thows a big elbow that misses.
Koivu scoring with some ground and pound.

Koivu drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Foley manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Koivu has Foley in his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Foley drops back, looking for a kneebar! Koivu looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Koivu looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Koivu!
Foley is working to avoid the ground and pound but Koivu connects with a decent elbow.
Koivu landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Foley tries to get back to half guard but can't.

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.
Koivu lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Foley down.
Foley is looking to reverse the position.
Koivu slows the pace down.
Koivu creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Foley sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Koivu tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Koivu has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Koivu laying and praying for a moment but Foley takes advantage and regains half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vincent Koivu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Koivu has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vincent Koivu!