PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ja Kan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and mika niemi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Ja Kan has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Kan
vs
niemi

188 cm
26
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

181 cm
25
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ja Kan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, mika niemi!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Vladimir Khabensky and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kan changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Kan gets caught flat footed, as niemi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kan wants to sweep here but niemi controlling him for the moment.

niemi is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Kan is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Kan has escaped and now he's on top!
Kan knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for niemi on the ground.

niemi is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kan defends well.
Kan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kan wants to get up but he can't break niemi's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Kan looking to pass the guard.

niemi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
niemi looks gassed!

niemi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kan wants to control from the top but niemi keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
niemi can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kan controls the pace.
Kan wants to stand but niemi is controlling his posture from full guard.

niemi is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kan defends well.
niemi keeping moving, preventing Kan from controlling successfully.
Kan trying to stand up but can't free himself from niemi's guard.
Kan trying to control the position from guard on top but niemi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

niemi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

niemi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kan has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of niemi is proving hard to escape from.
Kan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. niemi is keeping the position for now.
Kan has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of niemi is proving hard to escape from.
niemi keeping moving, preventing Kan from controlling successfully.
Kan would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

niemi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

niemi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kan won't allow niemi to sweep him here.

niemi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kan trying to control but niemi is working from the bottom.
Kan wants to stand but niemi has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

niemi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kan is looking to stand up but niemi won't let him.

Kan got a little sloppy there for a moment and niemi has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kan has managed to get both his arms back between niemi's legs - danger averted.
niemi has a closed guard, preventing Kan from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. niemi is keeping the position for now.
Kan trying to control the position from guard on top but niemi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

niemi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

niemi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kan is looking to stand up but niemi won't let him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
niemi keeping moving, preventing Kan from controlling successfully.

Kan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mika niemi dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

niemi is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
niemi takes a head kick and keeps coming.

niemi feints and as Kan raises his hands in defense, niemi changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

niemi is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

niemi drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kan dives on top into guard.
Kan wants to get up but he can't break niemi's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kan wants to control from the top but niemi keeps moving.

niemi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kan doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kan manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

niemi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

niemi is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kan defends well.
Kan tries to stand but niemi is controlling from the bottom.

niemi is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kan is aware though and is defending well.
Kan wants to control from the top but niemi keeps moving.

niemi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two 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.

niemi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
niemi keeping moving, preventing Kan from controlling successfully.

niemi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

niemi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kan trying to control the position from guard on top but niemi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kan wants to stand but niemi has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
mika niemi has got the better of the ground game so far.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
niemi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kan throws a sloppy head kick and niemi moves out of range easily.

niemi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

niemi drops back looking for a leg! Kan is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kan manages to kick niemi off! niemi jumps back into Kan's guard.

niemi has gone for a leg lock! Kan slips out almost immediately though and dives into niemi's guard.

niemi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

niemi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

niemi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

niemi looking for a guillotine here but Kan defends easily.
Kan tries to stand but niemi is controlling from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mika niemi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kan gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows niemi to score an easy takedown into full guard.

niemi drops back, looking for a kneebar! Kan looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Kan looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Kan!
Kan wants to control but niemi is keeping him busy.
niemi is trying to get back to half guard.
Kan wants to stand but niemi is controlling his arm.
niemi is looking for a sweep.
niemi manages to work his way to half guard, despite Kan's best efforts.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

niemi actively working from the bottom here.

niemi is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Kan pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

niemi looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kan scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Kan cracks niemi with a right hand to the side of the head.
Kan smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
niemi tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
mika niemi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kan cracks niemi with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Kan throws a one two combo.
Kan connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Jab from Kan.
Kan takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kan is defended easily by niemi.

niemi feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

niemi is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kan wants to stand and escape but niemi is having none of it.

niemi thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

niemi has gone for a leg lock! Kan slips out almost immediately though and dives into niemi's guard.
Kan wants to stand but niemi is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kan trying to control but niemi is working from the bottom.

niemi had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kan defends it easily.

Kan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

niemi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

niemi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

niemi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ja Kan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kan has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of niemi is proving hard to escape from.
Kan throws a big right hand that misses.
Kan trying to control the position from guard on top but niemi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

niemi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
niemi wants to sweep but no luck.

And that's the end of the fight!
mika niemi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got niemi 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... mika niemi!