PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jorma Kovanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luiz Fernando Gonzalez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luiz Fernando Gonzalez acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Kovanen
vs
Fernando Gonzalez

182 cm
26
180 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

183 cm
23
177 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
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 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jorma Kovanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Luiz Fernando Gonzalez!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kovanen tries to close the distance and clinch but Gonzalez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gonzalez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kovanen throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Kovanen will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Gonzalez tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gonzalez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kovanen.
Kovanen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kovanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gonzalez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kovanen fails to land with a series of punches.
Jorma Kovanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kovanen throws a leg kick but Gonzalez checks it.
Kovanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gonzalez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kovanen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kovanen moves in looking to clinch but Gonzalez pushes him off.
Gonzalez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kovanen.
Gonzalez swings for the body but Kovanen moves out of range.
Kovanen tries to clinch up.
Kovanen tries to land a leg kick but Gonzalez saw it coming and moves away.
Kovanen tries to clinch there but Gonzalez circles away.
Gonzalez keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovanen tries to close the distance and clinch but Gonzalez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gonzalez swats away the attempt to clinch by Kovanen.
Gonzalez throws a predictable looking body shot

and Kovanen counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kovanen.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gonzalez.
Kovanen misses with a knee to the head.
Gonzalez is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Kovanen landing knees to the head.
Kovanen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kovanen connects with a knee to the head.
Kovanen tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gonzalez avoids it.
Kovanen trying to land knees to the body.
Gonzalez trying to control the position but instead, Kovanen has worked for underhooks and has pushed Gonzalez into the cage.

Kovanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kovanen tries to clinch but Gonzalez moves out of range.

Gonzalez scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Kovanen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gonzalez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovanen gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Gonzalez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Kovanen wants to get back to his feet.
Kovanen wants to stand back up but Gonzalez manages to pass into side control.
Kovanen is trying to buck Gonzalez off.
Gonzalez cracks Kovanen with a big elbow.
Kovanen is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Gonzalez is controlling him well.
Gonzalez is putting a hurting on Kovanen here, landing some big shots from side control.
Gonzalez working away.
Gonzalez scoring with punches and elbows.
Kovanen is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovanen on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Gonzalez is working Kovanen over with some ground and pound from side control.
Gonzalez wants to control but Kovanen is keeping him busy.

Gonzalez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kovanen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Kovanen is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Gonzalez has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Gonzalez lands a few punches from side control.
Gonzalez is putting a hurting on Kovanen here, landing some big shots from side control.
Kovanen wants to get back to his feet but Gonzalez drags him back down.
Gonzalez controls the position.
Kovanen tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kovanen is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Gonzalez is controlling him well.
Gonzalez grinds an elbow into Kovanen's temple.
Gonzalez in side control lands a decent elbow.
Kovanen taking a bit of punishment here - Gonzalez scoring with strikes.
Gonzalez staying calm.
Gonzalez tries to advance to mount but Kovanen denies him.
Gonzalez wants to control but Kovanen is keeping him busy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gonzalez passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Kovanen!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Luiz Fernando Gonzalez will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gonzalez avoids a punch combination nicely.

Gonzalez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Kovanen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gonzalez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kovanen wants to hold on but Gonzalez pushes him away.
Gonzalez with good strikes from the mount here!
Gonzalez looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Kovanen is bucking up trying to escape but Gonzalez cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Gonzalez landing strikes from the mount.
Kovanen squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Gonzalez landing strikes from the mount and Kovanen is in trouble!
Kovanen is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gonzalez won't let Kovanen get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Gonzalez is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Kovanen bucks up and throws Gonzalez to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonzalez thuds a left hand into Kovanen's body.
Kovanen tries to clinch up but Gonzalez circles away and keeps his distance.
Gonzalez digs a good body shot into Kovanen's ribs.
Gonzalez misses with a wild body shot.
Kovanen tried to score with a low kick but Gonzalez checks it.
Gonzalez scores with a crisp jab that stopped Kovanen in his tracks.
Gonzalez takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gonzalez just misses with a punch to the body.
Kovanen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gonzalez.
Gonzalez scores with a hook to the body. Kovanen takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Kovanen walks into a stiff left hand from Gonzalez.
Kovanen throws a head kick that Gonzalez semi-blocks.
Kovanen misses with a shot to the body
and Gonzalez counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gonzalez moves out of range of the leg kick from Kovanen.
Gonzalez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kovanen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gonzalez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovanen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Gonzalez comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Kovanen throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Kovanen throws a head kick but Gonzalez moves out of range.
Kovanen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Gonzalez counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kovanen thinking.
Gonzalez digs a good body shot into Kovanen's ribs.
Kovanen darts in trying to clinch
and Gonzalez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kovanen looks to clinch
and Gonzalez counters with a right hand to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gonzalez connects with a right hand. Kovanen shakes it off.
Kovanen looks to clinch
and Gonzalez counters with a nice body shot.

Gonzalez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kovanen napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Gonzalez advances to full mount.
Gonzalez cracks Kovanen with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Gonzalez lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Kovanen takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Gonzalez working for a guillotine from mount but Kovanen is in no mood to give up.
Gonzalez is landing with some decent strikes but Kovanen is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Gonzalez lands with some strikes.
Gonzalez cracks Kovanen with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Gonzalez punishing his opponent with strikes.
Kovanen wants to control but Gonzalez is having none of it.
Kovanen is looking to improve his position but Gonzalez isn't that keen on the idea.
Gonzalez controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Kovanen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Kovanen is in a horrible position here. Gonzalez smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gonzalez is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Kovanen can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gonzalez looking to finish Kovanen with some ground and pound. This is bad for Kovanen!
Gonzalez lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kovanen tries to reverse the position but Gonzalez maintains control.
Gonzalez takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
A nice elbow there by Gonzalez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Fernando Gonzalez 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Good exchange - Gonzalez coming out on top.
Luiz Fernando Gonzalez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gonzalez slips a jab from Kovanen.

Gonzalez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kovanen napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Gonzalez in side control lands a decent elbow.
Kovanen is trying to get back to his feet.

Gonzalez tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gonzalez has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Gonzalez tries to move into full mount but can't pass Kovanen's legs.
Gonzalez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gonzalez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kovanen keeps working.
Kovanen is trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovanen can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gonzalez lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Kovanen down.
Gonzalez wants to control but Kovanen is keeping him busy.
Kovanen can't do much from the bottom here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kovanen tries to clinch up

and Gonzalez counters with a takedown into side control.
Kovanen tries to bench press Gonzalez off him but Gonzalez keeps the position.
Gonzalez tries to advance to mount but Kovanen denies him.
Kovanen tries to bench press Gonzalez off him but Gonzalez keeps the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Kovanen to see if he's OK.
Kovanen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Gonzalez working the head with strikes.
Kovanen tries to buck Gonzalez off but Gonzalez is having none of it.
Kovanen takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Gonzalez trying to control the position but Kovanen is working away.
Kovanen wants to get back to his feet but Gonzalez drags him back down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gonzalez working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Gonzalez controlling the position from side mount.

Gonzalez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gonzalez scoring with punches from side control.
Gonzalez wants to control but Kovanen is keeping him busy.
Gonzalez is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Luiz Fernando Gonzalez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Gonzalez in side control, just content to control the action for now.
You can see the frustration on Kovanen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Jorma Kovanen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kovanen is trying to get back to half guard.
Kovanen being controlled for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luiz Fernando Gonzalez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gonzalez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 25:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luiz Fernando Gonzalez!