PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Niilo Nippu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ismo Laitela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nippu comes to the cage accompanied by Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nippu
vs
Laitela

157 cm
19
130 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

180 cm
26
145 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Basic striking
Powerful

FNF Energy & Stamina - Sale!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niilo Nippu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ismo Laitela!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Laitela changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Nippu looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Nippu tries to bench press Laitela off him but Laitela keeps the position.
Nippu is letting Laitela control him for a moment.
Nippu is trying to control Laitela's posture but Laitela avoids it.
Nippu is trying to improve his position.
Laitela misses with the ground and pound.

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

Laitela scores a takedown into full mount!
Nippu is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laitela controlling the position easily from mount.
Nippu is trying to escape the mount.
Nippu wants to hold on but Laitela pushes him away.
Laitela wants to control the pace but Nippu is squirming around nicely.
Laitela controlling the position easily from mount.
Nippu manages to regain half guard. Good work.

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.
Nippu has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Laitela is working away from the top position though.
Nippu wants to improve his position but Laitela is controlling well.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Nippu is working hard here to advance position.
Laitela sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Nippu actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nippu wants to improve his position but Laitela is controlling well.
Nippu is looking to control Laitela's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Nippu avoid being mounted?
Nippu wants to get back to full guard but Laitela has passed into side control.
Nippu is desperately trying to improve his position but Laitela has a good base and remains in mount.
Laitela trying to control but Nippu is having none of it.
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.
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.
Nippu is looking to improve his position but Laitela isn't that keen on the idea.
Laitela controlling his opponent.

Laitela swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Nippu is now in Laitela's guard. A big mistake from Laitela there, giving up the dominant position!

Nippu drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Laitela manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Nippu has Laitela in his guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Laitela avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ismo Laitela dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nippu takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Laitela is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Laitela shoots in but no luck this time.
Laitela misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Nippu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laitela will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nippu wants to clinch.
Nippu takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nippu misses with a takedown attempt

and Laitela counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nippu won't be happy with that.
Nippu tries to buck Laitela off but Laitela is having none of it.
Laitela is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Laitela working away.
Laitela slows the pace down.

Laitela wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Nippu, who protects the arm well.
Laitela has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Nippu really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nippu regains half guard.
Laitela is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Nippu actively working from the bottom here.
Nippu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Laitela is looking for a kimura but Nippu is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Laitela to get the leverage.
Nippu is trying to control but Laitela manages to pass to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nippu regains half guard.
Nippu is refusing to be controlled, as Laitela sits in half guard.
Nippu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Laitela with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Nippu wants to get back to full guard.

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.

Nippu looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Laitela is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Nippu has a hand on Laitela's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Laitela takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Laitela looking to control but Nippu is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Laitela controlling the position easily from mount.
Nippu is trying desperately to improve position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ismo Laitela showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Some wild striking there from Nippu.
Laitela uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nippu.

Nippu bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Nippu working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Laitela sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Laitela is refusing to be controlled, as Nippu sits in half guard.
Laitela is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laitela won't allow Nippu to pass to mount.

Nippu is working for a submission of some sort.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nippu is trying to control the action in half guard but Laitela is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Laitela controlling the position for now.
Nippu is trying to control the action in half guard but Laitela is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Nippu trying to pass the guard but Laitela defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Laitela drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laitela slips nicely into half guard.
Nippu moves into full guard.

Nippu working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Laitela doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Laitela manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Laitela in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Nippu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Laitela looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laitela passes Nippu's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Laitela performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Laitela tries to pass the half guard into mount. Nippu knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Nippu looking for submissions off his back.
Niilo Nippu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ismo Laitela is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nippu is looking to control Laitela's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Nippu avoid being mounted?

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

Nippu has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Laitela escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Laitela!
Nippu tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Nippu seems a little lost for a moment, as Laitela dominates the positioning.
Nippu tries to bench press Laitela off him but Laitela keeps the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nippu is letting Laitela control him for a moment.
Nippu is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ismo Laitela comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Laitela has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ismo Laitela!