PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Danny Leigh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jurkku Mastiffi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Danny Leigh could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Jurkku Mastiffi's chin.

Leigh
vs
Mastiffi

190 cm
22
190 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

180 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Dangerous GnP
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Danny Leigh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jurkku Mastiffi!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mastiffi misses with a few strikes there.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mastiffi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mastiffi misses with a low kick.
Leigh moves in looking to clinch but Mastiffi pushes him off.
Mastiffi darts in trying to clinch

and Leigh moves into the clinch.
Mastiffi looking to slow down the pace here.
Mastiffi gets underhooks to prevent Leigh's takedown attempt.
Mastiffi wants to break the clinch but can't.

Mastiffi jumps guard and drags Leigh to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Mastiffi kicks Leigh off and gets to his feet.

Leigh shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Leigh showed some decent athleticism there.
Mastiffi wants to control but Leigh is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Leigh lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Leigh wants to take a breather but Mastiffi is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mastiffi tries to kick Leigh off but Leigh keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Mastiffi kicks off Leigh and gets to his feet.

Leigh moves into the clinch successfully.
Leigh tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Mastiffi just stands there and leans against the cage.
Leigh tries to score a body lock takedown but Mastiffi shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danny Leigh. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Leigh decides to pull guard.

Mastiffi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Leigh is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Mastiffi's half guard.
Mastiffi regains full guard. Nicely done.
Leigh is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Mastiffi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Leigh is breathing heavily.
Mastiffi passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leigh keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Mastiffi landing shots from mount.
Mastiffi looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Leigh tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mastiffi working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Mastiffi has control of Leigh's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Leigh regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Leigh wants to control but Mastiffi is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leigh taking shots to the head.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Mastiffi cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Mastiffi with the ground and pound from mount.
Leigh tries to hold on but Mastiffi pushes him away.

Mastiffi wants to finish this one by submission but Leigh is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Mastiffi.
Mastiffi looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leigh in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Mastiffi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Mastiffi breaks from Leigh's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Mastiffi with shots to the head and body - Leigh looks very uncomfortable down there.
Mastiffi scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Mastiffi prevents Leigh from getting the reversal.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Leigh wants to control but Mastiffi is having none of it.
Mastiffi has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Leigh's face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jurkku Mastiffi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mastiffi falls off balance throwing a combination
and Leigh counters with an outside leg kick.
Mastiffi misses with a series of wild punches.
Mastiffi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Leigh moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mastiffi wants to clinch

and Leigh counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Mastiffi throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Leigh manages to pass to side control.
Mastiffi avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Leigh.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mastiffi manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Mastiffi wants to stand but Leigh has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
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.
Leigh is trying to maintain the position but Mastiffi is very close to passing his half guard.
Mastiffi is trying to control. Leigh wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Mastiffi stands up and beckons Leigh to join him on the feet.

Mastiffi shoots in and bounces Leigh off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Mastiffi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Leigh, up you get!
Danny Leigh is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mastiffi looks to land a combination. Leigh sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
A shot to the body from Mastiffi misses
and Leigh counters with a left and a right that stings Mastiffi.
Mastiffi has a takedown stuffed.
A slapping leg kick lands for Mastiffi.
Leigh looks for a takedown but Mastiffi sprawls well.
Mastiffi closes the distance and clinches up with Leigh, looking for a takedown. Mastiffi pushes Leigh against the cage but Leigh circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Leigh closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Mastiffi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mastiffi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Leigh tries to clinch but Mastiffi is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leigh on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Leigh takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Mastiffi throws out a leg kick but Leigh moves out of range and Mastiffi only half commits.
Leigh shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mastiffi holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Mastiffi crunches a lovely knee into Leigh's ribcage.
Mastiffi wants to break free but Leigh has control.

Leigh pulls guard successfully.
Leigh is trying to keep Mastiffi in close.
Mastiffi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Mastiffi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Mastiffi cracks Leigh with a solid left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mastiffi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Leigh, up you get!
Mastiffi clinches but Leigh breaks the clinch

so Leigh counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Leigh trying to control the position from guard on top but Mastiffi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mastiffi scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Leigh is looking to clinch but Mastiffi is avoiding it.
Mastiffi moves in looking to clinch but Leigh pushes him off.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Leigh tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mastiffi swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Mastiffi drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Leigh looking for a guillotine here but Mastiffi defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Danny Leigh will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Mastiffi swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Leigh counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Leigh advances position into side control!
Mastiffi tries to escape but Leigh is in control.
Mastiffi is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Leigh off and has taken his back!
Leigh breaks Mastiffi's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Leigh won't allow Mastiffi to sweep him here.

Mastiffi is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Leigh jumps guard.

Mastiffi gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Mastiffi falls off balance throwing a combination

and Leigh counters by clinching up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Leigh manages to break the clinch.
Leigh tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mastiffi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mastiffi throws a right hand that Leigh ducks under and follows up with a left that Leigh also avoids with ease.

Mastiffi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mastiffi tries to stall but Leigh uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Mastiffi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mastiffi fails with a takedown attempt.
Mastiffi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jurkku Mastiffi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice takedown defense from Mastiffi. No joy for Leigh on that attempt.
Mastiffi tries to clinch but Leigh is having none of it.
Mastiffi throws a combination. Leigh tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Leigh has a takedown stuffed.
Mastiffi swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Leigh holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Leigh escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mastiffi tries to clinch up

and Leigh counters with a takedown into side control.
Leigh trying to control the action but Mastiffi is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Mastiffi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mastiffi takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Mastiffi tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Mastiffi struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leigh throwing strikes but Mastiffi manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Mastiffi creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Leigh is pushing Mastiffi's head away, looking to escape. Mastiffi manages to hold on to the position though.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Leigh uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mastiffi.
Leigh throws a combination that misses
and Mastiffi counters with a nice kick to the body.

Leigh clinches with his opponent.

Mastiffi manages to break the clinch.
Mastiffi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Leigh throws a push kick but Mastiffi slaps the foot to one side.
Mastiffi throws a left and a right that both miss

and Leigh counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Leigh prevents Mastiffi from standing back up.
Mastiffi is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mastiffi tries to kick Leigh off but Leigh keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Leigh wants to control but Mastiffi is keeping him busy.
Mastiffi moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Mastiffi wants to stand up but Leigh is controlling him.
Mastiffi wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Leigh manages to pass to side control.
Ground and pound from Leigh.

And that's the end of the fight!
Danny Leigh showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Leigh has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Danny Leigh!