PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Keijo Lerppa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fugi Korvo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lerppa
vs
Korvo

210 cm
20
209 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

200 cm
26
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Keijo Lerppa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Fugi Korvo!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lerppa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Lerppa really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Lerppa changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Korvo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Korvo struggling a bit here.
Korvo tries to bench press Lerppa off him but Lerppa keeps the position.
The strikes coming from Lerppa are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Lerppa is working Korvo over with some ground and pound from side control.

Lerppa is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Korvo is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Korvo tries to bench press Lerppa off him but Lerppa keeps the position.
Lerppa throws a strike aimed at the side of Korvo's head but Korvo avoids it well.
Korvo is looking to reverse the position.
Lerppa scores with punches from side control.

Lerppa is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Korvo has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lerppa is trying to get an arm triangle but Korvo is defending well.
Korvo is trying to get back to half guard.
Korvo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lerppa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Lerppa thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Lerppa lands a few punches from side control.

Lerppa tries for a kimura but Korvo is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Lerppa tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Lerppa is breathing heavily.

Lerppa wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Korvo, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Korvo tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Lerppa is trying to get an arm triangle but Korvo is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lerppa 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.
Lerppa 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.
Korvo is looking for a sweep.

Lerppa looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Lerppa working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lerppa swats away the attempt to clinch by Korvo.
Lerppa keeps the fight on the outside.
Lerppa shoots for a takedown but Korvo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Korvo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Korvo closes the distance and clinches.
Lerppa goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four 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.
Korvo lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lerppa backwards.

Korvo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lerppa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Korvo avoids it really well and circles away.
Korvo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lerppa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Korvo is looking to clinch but Lerppa is avoiding it.
Korvo is looking to clinch.

Korvo forces Lerppa back against the cage and clinches.

Korvo manages to break the clinch.

Lerppa tries to keep at a distance but Korvo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Korvo lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Lerppa or not.
Korvo scores with a shoulder strike.
Lerppa being controlled against the cage.
Lerppa fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keijo Lerppa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lerppa is working for takedown but Korvo is calmly controlling the position for now.
A nice right hand lands inside from Korvo.
Korvo works on Lerppa's body with a couple of short punches.
Korvo lands with a light punch inside.
Lerppa can't get the takedown.
Korvo scores with a shoulder strike.
The referee calls for Korvo to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Keijo Lerppa will probably get the nod.
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.

Korvo doesn't manage to clinch there - Lerppa circles away.
Korvo wants to clinch.
No luck for Lerppa with that takedown attempt.
Korvo moves in looking to clinch but Lerppa pushes him off.
Korvo doesn't manage to clinch there - Lerppa circles away.
Korvo tries to clinch there but Lerppa circles away.
Korvo fails in his attempt to clinch.

Korvo has managed to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lerppa successfully pulls guard.

Lerppa is looking for a triangle but Korvo pushes his legs off easily.
Korvo trying to stand up but can't free himself from Lerppa's guard.
Lerppa tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lerppa looking for a guillotine here but Korvo defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Korvo trying to control the position from guard on top but Lerppa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Korvo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Lerppa escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Korvo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Korvo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lerppa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

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

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Korvo moves into range and clinches up with Lerppa.
A left hand lands to the body for Korvo.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Korvo creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Korvo lands a nice uppercut.
Korvo throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Korvo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Korvo tries to clinch but Lerppa is having none of it.
Korvo doesn't manage to clinch there - Lerppa circles away.

Korvo moves into the clinch.
Korvo lands a body shot.
Lerppa looking for a takedown.
Still in the clinch, Korvo scores with a nice short uppercut.

Korvo breaks from the clinch.
Korvo wants to clinch.
Korvo fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Korvo tries to close the distance and clinch but Lerppa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Korvo is looking to clinch.
Lerppa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Lerppa tries to score a power double leg takedown but Korvo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Lerppa somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keijo Lerppa. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Korvo gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Korvo.

Korvo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Korvo tries to close the distance and clinch but Lerppa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Korvo throws a head kick that misses.
Korvo tries a head kick but it misses.
Lerppa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Korvo lands with a slapping head kick.
Korvo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Korvo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Keijo Lerppa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lerppa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lerppa shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Lerppa was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Lerppa sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Lerppa throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Korvo because Lerppa loaded up on that one.

Lerppa working for a guillotine from mount but Korvo is in no mood to give up.
Korvo tries to lock up and control but Lerppa gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Korvo squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Korvo really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Korvo wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Lerppa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fugi Korvo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Lerppa shoots in but no luck this time.

Lerppa looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Lerppa is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Lerppa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Korvo wants to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lerppa not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Korvo is concentrating on defense, preventing Lerppa from advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lerppa passes the guard and advances to mount!
Lerppa looking to finish with strikes here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lerppa looking to ground and pound but Korvo is blocking nicely.
Korvo is trying desperately to improve position.

Lerppa looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Lerppa won't let Korvo get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Korvo really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Lerppa thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Korvo tries to hold on but Lerppa pushes him away.
Korvo holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Lerppa tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Lerppa 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.
Korvo is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lerppa fails to take his opponent's back.
Lerppa throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Lerppa is working for a guillotine from mount but Korvo frees his head quite easily.
Korvo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Lerppa misses with a head shot.
Poor strikes thrown by Lerppa there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Korvo tries to reverse the position but Lerppa maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lerppa 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.
Lerppa throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Lerppa with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Lerppa is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Korvo can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Korvo can do anything to dispel that myth.

Lerppa is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Korvo has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Korvo is trying to escape the mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keijo Lerppa showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lerppa 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Fugi Korvo!

The fight ends as a draw!