PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Timo Stara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pekka Polakka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stara
vs
Polakka

188 cm
23
180 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

185 cm
21
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Timo Stara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Pekka Polakka!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Polakka misses with a straight right.
Polakka tries to clinch but Stara is having none of it.
Stara throws a series of strikes that have Polakka backpedaling.
Stara swats away the attempt to clinch by Polakka.
Stara throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Stara buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Polakka swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Stara is trying hard to land a takedown here. Polakka sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Timo Stara seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Polakka leaves Stara with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Stara closes the distance and clinches up with Polakka, looking for a takedown. Stara pushes Polakka against the cage but Polakka circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Timo Stara. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stara shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Polakka but Polakka pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Stara tries to clinch but Polakka moves out of range.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Polakka.
Polakka taking a break here but Stara is having none of it and regains half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polakka is pressing down on Stara's thigh, looking to free his foot. Stara is holding on for now.
Polakka wants to take a breather but Stara is having none of it.
Polakka trying to mount his opponent but Stara defends it.
Polakka is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Stara is looking to control Polakka's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Stara avoid being mounted?

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.
Stara is pressing down on Polakka's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Polakka wants to pass the guard but Stara is keeping the position.
Stara is looking to stand up but Polakka isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Polakka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Polakka punishes Stara's body with a nice straight punch.
Polakka misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polakka fails with a takedown attempt.
Polakka slips a jab and a cross from Stara.
Stara slips under a jab from Polakka.
Stara is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Polakka.
Stara misses with a takedown attempt

and Polakka counters with a crisp one two that drops Stara! Polakka thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Stara to his feet! Stara is in big trouble!

Stara is rocked!
Stara is breathing heavily.
Polakka showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stara.
Oh Stara is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Polakka slips a jab and a cross from Stara.
Stara has a takedown stuffed.
Stara seems to have got his legs back now.
Polakka scores with a shot to the body.
Polakka takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Polakka gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stara gets underhooks to prevent Polakka's takedown attempt.
Stara tries to pull guard but Polakka holds him up against the cage and eventually Stara drops back down to his feet.
Stara tries to break free but Polakka pushes him back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Stara tries to work over Polakka's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Polakka keeps control of Stara as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Stara swings wildly with an uppercut but Polakka uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stara keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Polakka's efforts to push away.

Stara jumps guard.
Polakka pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stara is keeping the position for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Polakka showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pekka Polakka dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A combination from Polakka does no damage.
Stara comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Stara swinging wildly here.
Timo Stara is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stara slips a jab and a cross from Polakka.
Polakka throws a jab but it's blocked by Stara.
Stara shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Polakka as he jumps to the side.
Stara misses with the combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Polakka throws a shot from downtown. Stara moves away and avoids it.
Polakka swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Polakka misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polakka looks to score with a jab to the body but Stara is just out of range.
Nice shot by Polakka.
No luck for Polakka with that takedown attempt.
Polakka displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Stara.
Polakka swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Polakka is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Stara rather than just go for the knockout.
Polakka fails with the takedown.
Polakka is breathing heavily.
Stara misses with a takedown attempt
and Polakka counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Timo Stara. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Stara.
Stara fails to land the takedown.
Stara fails to land the takedown.
Stara changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Polakka tries to avoid it but Stara manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Polakka to the ground. Polakka escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Polakka paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Polakka scores with a jab to the body.
Polakka throws a series of punches but Stara moves out of range.

Polakka looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Polakka content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polakka trying to control but Stara is working from the bottom.
Polakka tries to stand but Stara is controlling from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Polakka working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stara lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Polakka!
Polakka avoids a series of strikes thrown by Stara.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Polakka is trying to escape the mount.
Polakka tries to lock up and control but Stara gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Stara looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Stara avoids the attempt from Polakka to control.
Polakka working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pekka Polakka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Stara misses with a combination

and Polakka decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Stara's guard.
Polakka trying to control the position from guard on top but Stara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Polakka is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Polakka wants to get up but he can't break Stara's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Stara working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polakka pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stara is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Polakka wants to control from the top but Stara keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Stara circles away from the clinch attempt.
Stara is looking to clinch but Polakka is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Polakka throws a left and a right that both miss
and Stara finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Polakka looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Stara!
Stara manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Stara is trying to get back to full guard.
Stara is staying active underneath Polakka, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Stara tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polakka slows the pace down in half guard.
Polakka wants to stand but Stara has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Stara tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Stara is refusing to be controlled, as Polakka sits in half guard.

Polakka is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Stara is just riding it out for now. Polakka eventually gives up the hold.
Timo Stara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Polakka rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Stara moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Polakka takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Stara is trying hard to land a takedown here. Polakka sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A punch lands to the side of Stara 's head but he takes it in his stride.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Stara.

Polakka closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Pekka Polakka is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Still in the clinch, Stara scores with a nice short uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pekka Polakka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Polakka 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pekka Polakka!