PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Evan Sartori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Keijo Kustavilainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sartori's entrance music is The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sartori
vs
Kustavilainen

176 cm
25
168 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
171 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Evan Sartori!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Keijo Kustavilainen!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Gwen Towbar and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sartori blocks the body kick.
Kustavilainen is looking to clinch but Sartori is avoiding it.
Kustavilainen throws a series of punches but Sartori moves out of range.

Sartori closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Kustavilainen to the mat! Kustavilainen manages to get full guard.
Kustavilainen wants to sweep here but Sartori controlling him for the moment.
Sartori working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kustavilainen's head.
Kustavilainen is controlling Sartori's posture.

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

Kustavilainen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Sartori manages to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sartori looking for submissions off his back.
Sartori trying to control but Kustavilainen postures up.

Kustavilainen is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sartori has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kustavilainen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Kustavilainen is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Sartori is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Sartori is looking for a sweep. Kustavilainen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sartori wants to control but Kustavilainen is keeping busy.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kustavilainen swats away the attempt to clinch by Sartori.

Kustavilainen clinches up with Sartori and pushes him back against the cage.
Kustavilainen with a knee to the head.
Kustavilainen with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's two 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.
Kustavilainen misses with the head strike.

Kustavilainen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kustavilainen scores with a three punch combo!
Kustavilainen throws a body punch but Sartori moves out of range.
Sartori shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kustavilainen defends it nicely.
Kustavilainen tries to clinch up.
Sartori has his takedown stuffed

and Kustavilainen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sartori thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Sartori working for a triangle but Kustavilainen defends it easily.
Sartori is breathing heavily.
Kustavilainen trying to stand up but can't free himself from Sartori's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Sartori stands up from Kustavilainen's guard - Sartori perhaps looking for a knockout.
Kustavilainen throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Kustavilainen closes the distance and clinches.
Kustavilainen connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sartori's face.
Kustavilainen pressing his opponent against the cage.
Kustavilainen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kustavilainen trying to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sartori is trying to drag Kustavilainen to the mat but Kustavilainen just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Evan Sartori. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sartori takes a knee to the side of the body.
Kustavilainen lands a hook to the side of the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kustavilainen.

Kustavilainen breaks the clinch.
Kustavilainen keeps Sartori at a distance using the push kick.
Kustavilainen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Kustavilainen tries to close the distance and clinch but Sartori swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Keijo Kustavilainen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kustavilainen tries to clinch but Sartori moves out of range.

Kustavilainen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Sartori manages to work his way to half guard, despite Kustavilainen's best efforts.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sartori trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keijo Kustavilainen dominated that round.
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.

Kustavilainen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sartori slips a jab and a cross from Kustavilainen.
Sartori avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Danga de danga de dang - Kustavilainen scores with a four punch combination!
Kustavilainen wants to clinch

and Sartori counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Kustavilainen's guard now.
Sartori slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Kustavilainen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kustavilainen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Sartori gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Kustavilainen throws a left and a right that both miss

and Sartori counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kustavilainen keeping moving, preventing Sartori from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kustavilainen trying to keep a closed guard but Sartori is proving a slippery customer.
Kustavilainen wants to stand and escape but Sartori is having none of it.
Sartori stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kustavilainen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Evan Sartori overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sartori tries to stand but Kustavilainen is controlling from the bottom.
Sartori with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sartori trying to control but Kustavilainen is working from the bottom.
Sartori won't allow Kustavilainen to get back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kustavilainen tries to clinch up

and Sartori counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Kustavilainen!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kustavilainen is looking to improve his position but Sartori isn't that keen on the idea.
Kustavilainen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sartori lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Sartori can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kustavilainen is looking to escape.
Kustavilainen wants to control but Sartori is having none of it.
Kustavilainen manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Kustavilainen kicks Sartori off and gets back to his feet.
A right-left combo lands from Kustavilainen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kustavilainen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sartori swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kustavilainen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sartori misses with a takedown attempt
and Kustavilainen counters with a nice low kick that buckles Sartori's knee momentarily.
Kustavilainen goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Kustavilainen.
Sartori is looking for a sweep.
Sartori prevents Kustavilainen from moving into mount.
Sartori wants to get back to his feet but Kustavilainen is dominant here and he's now got Sartori's back!

Kustavilainen working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Sartori defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kustavilainen looking to break Sartori's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Sartori remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Kustavilainen will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Sartori looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Kustavilainen missing with strikes from the back.
Sartori breaks Kustavilainen's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Kustavilainen working a defensive guard here.
Sartori lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sartori is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kustavilainen throws a head kick that misses.

Kustavilainen moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evan Sartori 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!

Kustavilainen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sartori looks to clinch
and Kustavilainen counters with a straight right hand.
Sartori fails with the takedown
and Kustavilainen counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Kustavilainen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sartori has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kustavilainen is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Sartori fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Evan Sartori. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sartori letting Kustavilainen take a breather here.
Kustavilainen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sartori blocks it with crossed arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kustavilainen misses with a knee to the head.
Kustavilainen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A short right from Kustavilainen on the inside.
Kustavilainen using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Sartori tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kustavilainen prevents the takedown attempt.
A knee to the head by Kustavilainen.
Kustavilainen leaning his opponent against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Sartori.
Kustavilainen scores with a knee to the head.
Kustavilainen will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Sartori up against the cage.
The crowd are getting on Kustavilainen's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.

Sartori pulls guard effortlessly.
Sartori looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Kustavilainen puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's two 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.

Kustavilainen is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sartori has managed to free his arm - good work.
Sartori wants to get back to his feet.
Sartori is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kustavilainen tries to pass to full mount but Sartori defends it.

Kustavilainen is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are battling for position here. Sartori manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kustavilainenis looking to pass into half guard but Sartori pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Sartori is in guard.
Kustavilainen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sartori accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kustavilainen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sartori wants to control from the top but Kustavilainen keeps moving.

Sartori stands up and waves to Kustavilainen to follow him.
Sartori throws a head kick but Kustavilainen moves out of range.

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.
Kustavilainen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kustavilainen throws a series of punches but Sartori moves out of range.
Kustavilainen lands with a straight right. Sartori didn't see that one coming.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sartori.

Kustavilainen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Sartori to the mat! Sartori manages to get full guard.

Kustavilainen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kustavilainen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Kustavilainen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sartori utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Kustavilainen is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Sartori is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Sartori has escaped and now he's on top!
Sartori stopping the sweep attempt from Kustavilainen.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keijo Kustavilainen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kustavilainen 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 George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keijo Kustavilainen!