PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Per Saukkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Smooth Operator (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Operator has chosen take your shirt off as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Smooth Operator was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Saukkonen
vs
Operator

189 cm
25
190 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

198 cm
20
197 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Per Saukkonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Smooth Operator!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Operator misses with a double jab.
Saukkonen dives in and grabs Operator's left leg, looking for a takedown. Operator pushes down on Saukkonen's head and hops out.
Operator will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Saukkonen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Operator moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Operator misses with a double jab.
Operator will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Operator throws a left and a right that both miss

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

Operator working for submissions but it's allowed Saukkonen to get to half guard.
Operator has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Saukkonen is working away from the top position though.
Saukkonen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Saukkonen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Saukkonen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Operator keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saukkonen tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Saukkonen tries to pass to full mount but Operator defends it.
Saukkonen is keen to just control but Operator is a slippery customer.
Operator wants to get back to full guard.

Saukkonen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
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.
Saukkonen prevents Operator from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Saukkonen passes to full mount!

Saukkonen goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Operator is on top in guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Operator pushing down on Saukkonen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Operator decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Operator misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Operator misses with a combination

and Saukkonen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Operator works his way to full guard. Good work.
Operator working a defensive guard but Saukkonen passes into half guard.
Operator makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Operator.

Saukkonen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Operator, up you get!
Smooth Operator seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Operator throws a right hand that Saukkonen ducks under and follows up with a left that Saukkonen also avoids with ease.
Operator falls off balance throwing a combination

and Saukkonen counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Operator's guard now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saukkonen postures up in Operator's guard and throws a big left but Operator blocks it.
Operator tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saukkonen trying to control but Operator is working from the bottom.
Operator trying to keep a closed guard but Saukkonen is proving a slippery customer.
Operator keeping full guard, as Saukkonen tries to pass.

Saukkonen drops back, looking for a kneebar! Operator looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Operator looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Operator!
I wouldn't like to be where Saukkonen is right now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saukkonen is not content to let Operator control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Per Saukkonen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Operator misses with a series of wild punches.
Operator throws a right and a left that Saukkonen avoids nicely.
Operator fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Operator stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Operator wants it to stay on the feet.
Operator closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Operator lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Saukkonen circles away quickly and effectively.
Operator swinging wildly here.
Operator misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saukkonen has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Operator goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Operator lands a jab-cross combination.
Operator lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Operator misses with a two punch combination.
Operator scores with a one two! Saukkonen had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
A looping hook to the body misses from Saukkonen. Operator does a little dance to reset his feet.
Operator throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Saukkonen slips a jab and a cross from Operator.

Saukkonen drives through with a takedown into guard.
Operator wants to sweep but no luck.
Operator controlling the position.

Saukkonen stands up from Operator's guard - Saukkonen perhaps looking for a knockout.
Operator scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Saukkonen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Saukkonen takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Operator throws a right and a left that both miss.
A head kick misses from Saukkonen.
Operator misses with a two punch combination.
Operator keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Saukkonen shoots in for a takedown but Operator shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Per Saukkonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Saukkonen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Operator defends it nicely.
Operator changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Operator throws a right and a left that both miss.
Operator lands with a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Operator fails to land with a series of punches.
Saukkonen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Saukkonen takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Operator.
Operator throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Operator misses with a double jab

and Saukkonen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Saukkonen.
Operator manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Operator get's back to his feet.
Saukkonen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Operator.
Operator will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Operator lands a nice looking body shot.
Operator misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Operator misses with a two punch combination.
Operator misses with a double jab.
Saukkonen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Operator lands a slapping body shot.
Smooth Operator is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Operator throws a right hand that Saukkonen ducks under and follows up with a left that Saukkonen also avoids with ease.
Operator throws a series of punches but Saukkonen moves out of range.
Operator fails to land with a series of punches.
Operator misses with a two punch combination.
Per Saukkonen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Operator closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Operator lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Operator throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A nice combination there by Operator.
A nice combination there by Operator.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Smooth Operator 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Saukkonen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Operator circles away.
Operator scores with a crisp jab that stopped Saukkonen in his tracks.
Operator swinging wildly here.
Saukkonen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Operator.
Operator closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Operator lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Saukkonen circles away quickly and effectively.
Operator lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Operator throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Saukkonen.
Operator slaps away a takedown attempt from Saukkonen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Operator throws a nice looking combination but Saukkonen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Operator lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Operator.
Saukkonen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saukkonen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Per Saukkonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Operator throws a nice looking combination but Saukkonen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Operator's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Operator duly obliges.
Operator misses with a few strikes there.
Operator throws a right hand that Saukkonen ducks under and follows up with a left that Saukkonen also avoids with ease.
Saukkonen avoids a punch combination nicely.
A left and a right from Operator both land. Nice combination.
Saukkonen shoots for a double leg takedown but Operator sprawls well. He's pushed Saukkonen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Operator throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Saukkonen shoots for a double leg takedown but Operator sprawls well. He's pushed Saukkonen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Operator lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Saukkonen circles away quickly and effectively.
Operator throws a series of strikes that have Saukkonen backpedaling.
Operator scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Operator is working the combinations to good effect here.
Operator looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Operator lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Operator lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Operator is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Saukkonen rather than just go for the knockout.
Saukkonen dodges the punch combination from Operator.
Operator throws a right and a left that both miss.
A combination from Operator does no damage.
Operator swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Operator fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Operator throws a right and a left that Saukkonen avoids nicely.
Operator throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Operator lands with a nice combination. Saukkonen backs away looking to recover.
Operator throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Saukkonen shoots in for a takedown but Operator shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Operator's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Operator duly obliges.
Operator scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Operator misses with a wild combination.
Operator scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Operator goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Operator lands a body shot.
Operator misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Smooth Operator seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Operator defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Saukkonen.
Operator throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Saukkonen falls off balance throwing a combination
and Operator counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Operator throws a nice looking combination but Saukkonen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Saukkonen slips a jab and a cross from Operator.
Saukkonen misses with a takedown
and Operator counters with a three punch combo that has Saukkonen backing up. Saukkonen nods at Operator to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Operator throws a right and a left that both miss.
Operator misses with a wild combination.
Operator misses with a few strikes there.
Saukkonen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Operator.
Operator closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Operator throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Operator throws a right and a left that both miss.
Saukkonen takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Operator looks to land a combination but Saukkonen avoids it well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saukkonen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Saukkonen takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Operator tries to bum rush Saukkonen with a series of wild strikes but Saukkonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

And that's the end of the fight!
Smooth Operator comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Operator 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Smooth Operator!