PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between mazaman man (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Kicker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

man
vs
Kicker

176 cm
24
162 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

178 cm
25
160 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid Muay Thai
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, mazaman man!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Kicker!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kicker avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kicker looks to land a right hand but man moved out of range.
Kicker loads up on a big right hand but man slips the punch.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Kicker. man shrugs it off though.
man changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kicker tries to avoid it but man manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kicker to the ground. Kicker escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

man closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Kicker controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
man not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
man not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Kicker is staying active underneath man, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Kicker has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. man is working away from the top position though.
Kicker tries to roll over but man keeps him under control.
Kicker is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Kicker trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
man is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kicker can do anything to dispel that myth.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kicker connects with a good right hand that stumbles man. man circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

It looks like mazaman man has been cut.
man blocks a head kick by Kicker.
John Kicker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
man fails with a takedown attempt.
man fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for mazaman man. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kicker thows a body kick. man tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Kicker throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

man drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
man trying to control the position but Kicker is working away.
Kicker being controlled for a moment.
Kicker really doesn't want to stay on the ground with man. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kicker tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but man wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kicker is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
man with the ground and pound but Kicker regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
man is keen to just control but Kicker is a slippery customer.
Kicker is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
man moves into full mount! Kicker won't be happy about that!
man thowing shots but they're missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
man trying to control but he's not successful this time.
man lands with some strikes.
man prevents Kicker from getting the reversal.
Kicker tries to lock up and control but man gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
man controlling the pace for now.
man misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
man with a couple of short strikes.
man landing strikes from the mount.
man with a couple of short strikes.
Kicker is bucking up trying to escape but man cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kicker is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kicker is bucking up trying to escape but man cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
man wants to control the pace but Kicker is squirming around nicely.
man controlling his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kicker avoids a series of strikes thrown by man.
man lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kicker hang on?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
man controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kicker throws a wild body kick that man sees coming a mile off.

man scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
man working away.
man trying to control the position but Kicker is working away.
Kicker tries to improve position but can't.
man content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
man is chipping away with strikes.
man 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.
man misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
man lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
You can see the frustration on Kicker's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
man is chipping away with strikes.
man wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kicker keeps working.
man misses with the ground and pound.
man misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Kicker is looking for a sweep.
Kicker takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
man trying to control the position but Kicker is working away.
Kicker struggling a bit here.
man in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
man controls the position.
Kicker managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by man.
A lull in the action here as man stalls from top position.
man lands a decent elbow from side control.
man in the domination position with Kicker hanging on.
man trying to control the position but Kicker is working away.
man tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here as man stalls from top position.
man trying to control the position but Kicker is working away.
Kicker avoids any damage from the ground and pound of man.
Kicker defending against the ground and pound.
Kicker is not content to let man control the position.
man misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

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.
man trying to control the position but Kicker is working away.
Kicker wants to get back to his feet.
man is looking to take a break and control but Kicker is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
man taking a breather here.
man looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Kicker is avoiding damage well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mazaman man dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on mazaman man's cut.
That's time! man's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Kicker throws a sloppy head kick and man moves out of range easily.
No luck for man with that takedown attempt.
man shoots for a takedown but Kicker saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

man closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - man lands in his opponent's guard.
man chips away with some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
man keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kicker's head.
Kicker keeping moving, preventing man from controlling successfully.
man stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kicker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
man wants to control from the top but Kicker keeps moving.
man is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
man trying to control but Kicker is working from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because mazaman man wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
man throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kicker's waist but Kicker gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing man off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for mazaman man. That's going to take a lot out of him.
man fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kicker avoids it really well and circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from man.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Kicker, right into the meat.
Kicker misses with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Kicker.
Kicker lands with an uppercut that bounces man off the cage and back into rage.
Kicker throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
man shoots in looking for a takedown. Kicker tries to sprawl out of it but man keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kicker manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
man misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
John Kicker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from man.
man misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Kicker throws a head kick that half lands.
Kicker leaves man with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
man has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Kicker.
Kicker cracks the inside of man's front leg.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
man avoids the head kick by Kicker.
mazaman man seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
man fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kicker manages to avoid it.
Kicker bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps man's head backwards.
Kicker misses with a kick to the body.
man takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

Kicker closes the distance and clinches.
Kicker leaning his opponent against the cage.
man trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kicker throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kicker tries to break free but man pushes him back against the cage.
man wants to stall.
Kicker content to slow the pace in the clinch.
mazaman man is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
man drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
man keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kicker's efforts to push away.
Kicker with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kicker tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and man avoids it.
Kicker looking to throw knees to the head but man is blocking nicely.
Kicker tries a knee to the head but man blocks it.
Kicker tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and man avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Kicker missing with knees to the body.
Kicker tries to land knees in the clinch but man avoids the damage to the body.
man managing to block the knees to the body from Kicker.
Kicker trying to land knees to the body.
man trying to land knees to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from man.
Kicker has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kicker lands a knee to the body.
man avoiding damage.
Kicker has had enough of the clinch but man keeps him there for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kicker misses with a knee strike.
man is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Kicker gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
man dodges an elbow strike from Kicker.

man has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Kicker regains guard immediately.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Kicker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think man has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... mazaman man!