PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between joe white (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daavid Haapalainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

white
vs
Haapalainen

180 cm
25
145 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

175 cm
26
155 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, joe white!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Daavid Haapalainen!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
white tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Haapalainen swivels and escapes.
joe white seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Haapalainen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Haapalainen connects with a jab.
Haapalainen misses with a wild combination.
white doesn't manage to clinch there - Haapalainen circles away.
white shoots in for a takedown but Haapalainen shows good takedown defense.

white is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Haapalainen's half guard.
Haapalainen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Haapalainen gets back to full guard.

Haapalainen is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Haapalainen keeping moving, preventing white from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
white wants to stand but Haapalainen is controlling his posture from full guard.
Haapalainen wants to stand up but white is controlling him.
white trying to control the position from guard on top but Haapalainen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
white looking to pass the guard.
white showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Haapalainen throws his legs up looking for a submission but white uses it to pass to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
white is looking to take a break and control but Haapalainen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Haapalainen is trying to control white's posture but white avoids it.
Haapalainen is pushing white's head away, looking to escape. white manages to hold on to the position though.
white really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Haapalainen on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
white wants to control but Haapalainen is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haapalainen manages to work his way to half guard, despite white's best efforts.
Haapalainen pushes white off looking to stand but white dives back in and keeps control.
white is looking to take a break and control but Haapalainen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

white moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Haapalainen.
white wants to control but Haapalainen is keeping him busy.
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.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of joe white.
Haapalainen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Haapalainen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from white.
Haapalainen connects with a single shot there.

It looks like joe white has been cut.
white tries to close the distance and clinch but Haapalainen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

white clinches up with Haapalainen and pushes him back against the cage.
white tries to pull guard but Haapalainen holds him up against the cage and eventually white drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for joe white. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Haapalainen is pressed up against the cage. white has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Haapalainen down to the mat. Haapalainen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Haapalainen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Haapalainen slaps away a takedown attempt from white, before circling back to the center of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daavid Haapalainen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on joe white's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nice takedown defense from white. No joy for Haapalainen on that attempt.
white avoids a kick to the body.
white fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Haapalainen avoids it really well and circles away.
The fighters circling - Haapalainen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
white shoots for a takedown but Haapalainen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haapalainen avoids the head kick by white.

Haapalainen tries to keep at a distance but white has taken the fight into the clinch.
Haapalainen jumps guard but white stands there with Haapalainen around his waist. Haapalainen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haapalainen is trying to work for a single leg takedown but white pulls him back up using the underhooks.
joe white has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daavid Haapalainen.
white is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Haapalainen gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
white misses with a body punch.
white is trying to drag Haapalainen to the mat but Haapalainen just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
white keeps control of Haapalainen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
white has Haapalainen pressed against the cage, preventing Haapalainen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

white escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
white doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Haapalainen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Haapalainen has a takedown stuffed.
Haapalainen misses with the combination.
Haapalainen misses with a two punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haapalainen slaps away a takedown attempt from white, before circling back to the center of the mat.
white fails with a takedown attempt.
white is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
joe white is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
white closes the distance looking to clinch
and Haapalainen counters with a one-two to the body.
Haapalainen blocks a head kick by white.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
white shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Haapalainen sprawls well. Haapalainen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. white gets slowly back to his feet.
white dives in and grabs Haapalainen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Haapalainen pushes down on white's head and hops out.
Haapalainen looks to land a combination but white avoids it well.
Haapalainen works over white's head and body with a nice combination.

white clinches up with Haapalainen and pushes him back against the cage.
Haapalainen wants a takedown.

white pulls guard effortlessly.
Haapalainen wanted to stand there but white had control of the position.
white controls Haapalainen momentarily but Haapalainen frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haapalainen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Haapalainen gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
white has his takedown stuffed
and Haapalainen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
white doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Haapalainen counters with a one-two to the body.
white showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Haapalainen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daavid Haapalainen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on joe white's cut.
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.

No joy there for Haapalainen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
white throws a series of punches but Haapalainen avoids them all with ease.
white dodges the punch combination from Haapalainen.
Haapalainen throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Haapalainen circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
white tries to close the distance and clinch but Haapalainen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Haapalainen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Daavid Haapalainen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Haapalainen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Haapalainen misses with a few strikes there.
white tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
white shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
white on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Haapalainen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and white counters with a nice body shot.

white changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Haapalainen looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Haapalainen avoids any damage from the ground and pound of white.
Haapalainen is looking for a sweep.
white throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Haapalainen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
white is looking to take a break and control but Haapalainen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
white is trying to ground and pound but Haapalainen uses the momentary lack of control by white to regain half guard.

white decides to stand and escape the position.
A left lands for Haapalainen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
white checks the leg kick.
white wants to clinch.
white walks into a jab.
white shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
white looks to land a right hand but Haapalainen moved out of range.
Haapalainen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Haapalainen throws a leg kick that misses.
white throws a head kick that Haapalainen semi-blocks.
white tries to clinch but Haapalainen moves away
and Haapalainen counters with a one-two to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haapalainen swinging wildly here.

white shoots in and bounces Haapalainen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Haapalainen is looking to stand up but white isn't so interested in that idea.

Haapalainen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. white is aware though and is defending well.
white trying to control but Haapalainen is working from the bottom.
joe white has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Daavid Haapalainen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Daavid Haapalainen.
I've got Haapalainen 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daavid Haapalainen!