PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Niko Saarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Kesler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saarinen comes to the ring accompanied by Who's Your Daddy. Niko Saarinen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Saarinen
vs
Kesler

188 cm
22
275 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
21
220 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Niko Saarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Kevin Kesler!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Daniel Bishop and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kesler tries to keep at a distance but Saarinen has taken the fight into the clinch.
Saarinen prevents Kesler from breaking the clinch.
Saarinen lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Kesler fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kesler tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Saarinen just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Saarinen prevents a takedown attempt there.
Niko Saarinen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Kesler.
Saarinen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kesler.

Saarinen is trying to trip Kesler. He has hold of a leg but Kesler is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Saarinen persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Saarinen passes Kesler's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Saarinen works his foot free and advances to mount.

Saarinen wants to finish this one by submission but Kesler is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Saarinen.
Saarinen trying to control but Kesler is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kesler is looking to get to half guard.
Kesler is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Saarinen jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Kesler manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Saarinen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kesler is looking to regain half guard here but Saarinen keeps moving and retains side control.
Kesler gets back to half guard.

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.
Saarinen works his way into full mount!
Kesler wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Saarinen content just to control the position here.
Kesler has given up his back. Will we see Saarinen going for some submissions?

Saarinen is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Kesler defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Saarinen is breathing heavily.
Will Saarinen go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kesler tries to escape but Saarinen has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Kesler is trying to get back to his feet but Saarinen has full control of the position and if anything, Kesler has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Saarinen is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Kesler manages to reverse the position and now he's in Saarinen's guard. Nice work there by Kesler.
Kesler wants to control from the top but Saarinen keeps moving.
Kesler wants to stand but Saarinen is controlling his posture from full guard.

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

Saarinen working for a triangle but Kesler defends it easily.
Saarinen keeping full guard, as Kesler tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kesler drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kesler jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Kesler passes into half guard.
Saarinen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kesler is working away from the top position though.

Saarinen is defending against the submission attempts here by Kesler.
Saarinen regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Kesler gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Saarinen tries to clinch up.
Kesler shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Saarinen as he avoids it easily.
Saarinen wants to clinch.
Saarinen with a lazy takedown attempt

and Kesler counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kesler wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Saarinen has him pressed against the ropes.
Saarinen tries for a takedown but Kesler manages to get underhooks.
Saarinen is working for takedown but Kesler is calmly controlling the position for now.
Kesler is looking to break free of the clinch but Saarinen has double underhooks.
Saarinen lands a shoulder strike.

Saarinen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Kesler uses from the top position.
Saarinen keeping moving, preventing Kesler from controlling successfully.
Kesler won't allow Saarinen to get back to his feet.
Saarinen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Saarinen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kesler trying to control the position from guard on top but Saarinen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Kesler is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Saarinen can't keep his opponent in guard - Kesler advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Saarinen trying to hold on to Kesler's head to control him but Kesler postures up.
Kesler passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Saarinen!
Saarinen tries to reverse the position but Kesler maintains control.
Saarinen is working hard here to advance position.
Saarinen bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Kesler trying to control the position.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen wants to control from the top but Kesler keeps moving.

Kesler has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Saarinen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kesler wants to improve his position but instead Saarinen has moved into half guard.

Saarinen is trying to work for a kimura but Kesler is defending well.
Kesler is not content to let Saarinen control the position.
Kesler tries to roll over but Saarinen keeps him under control.
Kesler trying to control but Saarinen postures up.

That's eight 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.
Kesler is refusing to be controlled, as Saarinen sits in half guard.
Kesler wants to get back to full guard.
Saarinen wants to take a breather but Kesler is having none of it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Kesler lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Saarinen doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kesler counters with a one-two to the body.
Kesler attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Saarinen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Saarinen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Kesler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Saarinen shoots and misses

so Kesler counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Saarinen is looking for a triangle but Kesler pushes his legs off easily.
Kesler must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Saarinen looking to control.
Kesler wants to get up but he can't break Saarinen's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Kesler drops back, looking for a kneebar! Saarinen looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Saarinen looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Saarinen!

Saarinen stands up.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen misses with a takedown attempt
and Kesler counters with a series of strikes. Saarinen will be more careful next time no doubt.
Kesler doesn't manage to clinch there - Saarinen circles away.
Saarinen doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kesler connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Saarinen is rocked!

Kesler closes the distance looking for a takedown. Saarinen stuffs it but Kesler still has hold of him. Kesler picks Saarinen up in a fireman's lift! The crowd roars in approval. Kesler slams Saarinen to the floor and that's really hurt Saarinen - he doesn't know where he is! Kesler throws a couple of strikes and the referee steps in to save him! This one is in the books!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:26 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kevin Kesler!