PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mark Pace (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eino Kivi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Eino Kivi was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Pace
vs
Kivi

196 cm
28
255 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

200 cm
23
284 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

Hell's Balls Recovery

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Pace!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Eino Kivi!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Cecil Peabody and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pace shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Pace showed some decent athleticism there.
Pace looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Kivi works his way to full guard. Good work.

Pace postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kivi is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Pace, into his guard.
Kivi preventing the sweep.
Pace is working hard here to advance position.

Pace throws his legs up looking for a submission but Kivi uses it to pass to side control.
Pace is looking to reverse the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pace is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Kivi is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Kivi controlling the pace for now.
Pace tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Pace manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Pace is looking for a sweep. Kivi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Pace looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Pace wants to get back to full guard but Kivi has mounted him!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pace working to try and regain half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kivi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pace can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kivi is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Kivi misses with a looping right.
Kivi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A shot to the liver by Kivi. Beautiful body shot.
Pace fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kivi avoids it really well and circles away.
Kivi stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Pace. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pace is breathing heavily.
Kivi lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kivi uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pace.
Nice takedown defense from Kivi. No joy for Pace on that attempt.
Kivi works over Pace's head and body with a nice combination.
Pace gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Kivi.
Kivi scores with a crisp jab that stopped Pace in his tracks.
Eino Kivi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Pace shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Kivi manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Kivi, under a barage of strikes from Pace.
Pace lands with a punch from half guard.
Kivi is looking to improve his position.
Pace wants to control but Kivi is keeping him busy.
Kivi is trying to maintain the position but Pace is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pace looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kivi is concentrating on defense, preventing Pace from advancing position.
Pace wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kivi keeps working.
Pace working the head and body with strikes.
Pace thows a huge punch but Kivi dodges it nicely.
Kivi is not content to let Pace control the position.
Pace thows a huge punch but Kivi dodges it nicely.
Kivi looks like he's trying to stand up.
Pace with the ground and pound but Kivi uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pace thows a big elbow that misses.
Kivi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Pace trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Pace shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Pace is trying to control. Kivi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Pace throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Pace thows a huge punch but Kivi dodges it nicely.
Pace lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Pace stops Kivi from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pace missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pace not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Pace thows a huge punch but Kivi dodges it nicely.

Pace is trying to work for a kimura but Kivi is defending well.
Pace is stalling here. Kivi is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Pace seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Kivi has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Pace manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Pace wants to improve his position but Kivi is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pace is pressing down on Kivi's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Kivi preventing the sweep.

Pace is looking for a triangle here but Kivi uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Pace sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pace is looking for a sweep. Kivi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kivi not doing much here.
Kivi tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pace slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Pace working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Kivi has passed into half guard!
Pace wants to improve his position but Kivi is controlling well.
Kivi seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Pace tries to roll over but Kivi keeps him under control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Pace dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Kivi lands with a good body shot.
Pace ducks under a wild hook from Kivi.

Kivi gets a clinch.

Kivi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kivi tries to clinch there but Pace circles away.
Pace slips under a jab from Kivi.

Pace gets a takedown into half guard.
Pace thows a huge punch but Kivi dodges it nicely.
Kivi is looking to improve his position.
Pace looks to land a strike but Kivi avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Pace throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kivi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kivi pushes Pace off and gets back to his feet.

Kivi gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Pace to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Pace stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kivi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kivi keeping moving, preventing Pace from controlling successfully.
Pace has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Pace throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pace drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kivi dives on top into guard.

Pace is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kivi is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kivi won't allow Pace to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Pace working for submissions but it's allowed Kivi to get to half guard.
Pace wants to sweep but Kivi has passed to side control!
Pace is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kivi in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Pace is trying to get back to half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kivi lands with a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kivi stuffs the takedown.
Kivi lands a lovely overhand right.
Pace fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Eino Kivi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Pace looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Pace is looking to pass Kivi's guard but actually Kivi recovers to full guard.

Kivi uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Kivi with a jab.
No joy there for Kivi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kivi stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kivi wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Pace. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pace shoots in for a double leg but Kivi sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eino Kivi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kivi 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eino Kivi!