PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fran Ortego (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jim Poulin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ortego
vs
Poulin

182 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
19
199 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Fran Ortego!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jim Poulin!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Poulin dives in and grabs Ortego's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ortego pushes down on Poulin's head and hops out.
Ortego ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Poulin moves away.
Poulin on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Poulin moves in looking to clinch but Ortego pushes him off.
Ortego throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ortego stuffs the takedown.
Ortego shoots for a takedown but Poulin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ortego has a takedown stuffed.
Poulin slaps away a takedown attempt from Ortego, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fran Ortego. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Poulin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ortego tries to avoid it but Poulin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ortego to the ground. Ortego escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Poulin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Poulin misses with a wild combination.
Poulin misses with the combination.
Ortego lands with an overhand left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulin shoots in for a double leg but Ortego sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ortego looks to land a combination but Poulin avoids it well.

Poulin gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ortego to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Poulin can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ortego controls the pace.
Ortego with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ortego controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortego pushing down on Poulin's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Ortego keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Fran Ortego.
Poulin tries to close the distance and clinch but Ortego swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ortego swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Poulin counters with an inside leg kick.
Ortego looks to score with a jab to the body but Poulin is just out of range.

Ortego clinches with his opponent.
Poulin drops down looking for an ankle pick but Ortego pulls his leg out and moves away.
Ortego shoots for a double leg takedown but Poulin sprawls well. He's pushed Ortego's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ortego is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poulin tries to clinch
and Poulin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Poulin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
No luck for Ortego with that takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ortego.
Ortego throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Poulin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Horrible takedown by Poulin or perhaps it was just good defense by Ortego which made him look bad.
Ortego lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Poulin backs up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poulin looks for a takedown but Ortego sprawls well.

Ortego moves into range and clinches up with Poulin.
Ortego is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Poulin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Ortego's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A leg kick checked by Poulin.
Poulin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ortego lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Ortego shoots for a double leg takedown but Poulin sprawls well. He's pushed Ortego's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Poulin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ortego manages to avoid it.
Ortego throws a jab when Poulin was well out of range.

Ortego darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ortego slips a nice elbow through Poulin's hands, connecting with Poulin's forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fran Ortego dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ortego fails with the takedown.
Ortego misses with a combination
and Poulin counters with a head kick. That will keep Ortego thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Ortego tries to score a power double leg takedown but Poulin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ortego somewhat.
Poulin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ortego swinging wildly here.
Poulin thumps Ortego with a low kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Poulin tries to clinch

and Ortego counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Poulin jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ortego walks away with a smile on his face. Poulin gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Poulin shoots in and drives through. Ortego sprawls well.
Poulin tries for a takedown but Ortego sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Fran Ortego has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jim Poulin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ortego as he jumps to the side.
A punch combination from Ortego misses.

Ortego instigates a clinch.

Ortego pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Poulin shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ortego defends it nicely.
Ortego lands with a cross.
Ortego shoots in but no luck this time.
Ortego will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ortego throws a head kick that half lands.
Poulin shoots for a double leg takedown but Ortego sprawls well. He's pushed Poulin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Fran Ortego is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Poulin clinches but Ortego breaks the clinch
and Ortego counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poulin tries to clinch but Ortego is having none of it.

Ortego gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Ortego breaks the clinch.
Ortego dodges the punch combination from Poulin.
Ortego avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Poulin throws a left and a right that both miss

and Ortego counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ortego.

Ortego breaks from the clinch.
Ortego avoids the body shot from Poulin.
Poulin tries to clinch up
enabling Ortego to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poulin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Poulin stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Ortego.
Ortego looks to throw a body kick
and Poulin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Poulin looks to clinch

and Ortego counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ortego.
Poulin tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ortego just stands there and leans against the cage.

Ortego breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Poulin ducks under a wild hook from Ortego.
Poulin moves away from the strike by Ortego.

Ortego shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Poulin is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ortego looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Ortego with shots to the head and body - Poulin looks very uncomfortable down there.
Ortego controlling from mount.
Ortego tries to control but Poulin wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fran Ortego dominated that second 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. 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.

Ortego throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Poulin throws a sloppy head kick and Ortego moves out of range easily.
Poulin tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ortego counters with a straight right hand.
Ortego throws a body kick the misses
and Poulin counters with a head kick. That will keep Ortego thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Ortego throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Poulin's waist but Poulin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ortego off to one side.
Ortego jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Poulin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ortego circles away.
A head kick by Poulin misses
and Ortego connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Poulin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Poulin on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Jim Poulin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ortego shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Poulin defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ortego as he jumps to the side.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Ortego manages to break the clinch.
Ortego keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Poulin lands a jab-cross combination.
Ortego connects with a nice looking jab.
Poulin stalks Ortego and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ortego's face. Ortego staggers backwards, shaken.
Poulin tries a head kick but it misses.

Ortego takes the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ortego drags the fight down to the ground.
Ortego controlling Poulin's posture.
Ortego manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Poulin manages to get himself to full guard.
Ortego sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Poulin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ortego can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ortego pushing down on Poulin's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortego is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Poulin!
Ortego avoids the attempt from Poulin to control.
Ortego controlling the pace for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Poulin is trying desperately to improve position.
Ortego postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Poulin looks a forlorn figure.
Ortego tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Ortego has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fran Ortego showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ortego, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fran Ortego!