PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jesse James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilkka Wasama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James comes into the arena with Jar of Hearts blaring out of the sound system. Wasama has chosen The Prodigy - Take Me to the Hospital as his entrance music. Jesse James has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

James
vs
Wasama

170 cm
27
165 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
158 lbs
3 - 9 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jesse James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ilkka Wasama!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James dodges the punch combination from Wasama.
James fails to land the takedown.
Wasama throws a nice looking combination but James bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Some wild striking there from Wasama.

James changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Wasama looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
James wants to control but Wasama is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

James tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

James looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's one minute gone in the round.

James goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Wasama has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for James but great work by Wasama.
Wasama scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at James to see if he's OK.
James is looking to regain half guard here but Wasama keeps moving and retains side control.

Wasama decides to stand up, so the ref orders James to his feet.

Wasama looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for James!
James is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Wasama really doesn't want to stay on the ground with James. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
James is working hard here to advance position.
Wasama punishing his opponent with strikes.
James is bucking up trying to escape but Wasama cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wasama raining down shots from the mount!
Wasama working James over with strikes here.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Wasama cracks James with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Wasama looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
James tries to hold on but Wasama pushes him away.
James is breathing heavily.
Wasama cracks James with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Wasama landing shots from mount.
James wants to hold on but Wasama pushes him away.
James is looking to get to half guard.
Wasama fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
James manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Wasama scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
James wants to control but Wasama is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
James is looking to control Wasama's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can James avoid being mounted?
James regains full guard. Nicely done.
Wasama pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. James is keeping the position for now.

James working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Wasama has passed into half guard!
James is looking to escape.
James wants to get back to full guard.
Wasama is nestled in close to James, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Wasama is nestled in close to James, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
James tries to roll over but Wasama keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Wasama scores with a couple of nice shots.
Wasama working James over with strikes.
James tries to roll over but Wasama keeps him under control.
Wasama scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Wasama lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

James actively working from the bottom here.

Wasama decides to stand up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
James showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Wasama.
Wasama misses with a double jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilkka Wasama dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Wasama looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
James fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Wasama defends well against a solid takedown attempt from James.

Wasama looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Wasama tries to stand and escape but James is controlling the position.
James is looking to control Wasama's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can James avoid being mounted?

Wasama postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for James to stand up.
A combination from Wasama does no damage.

James gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Wasama to score an easy takedown into full guard.
James working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Wasama.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wasama is fighting to break James's control of his arms but James is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

James throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
James trying to keep a closed guard but Wasama is proving a slippery customer.
Wasama stands up over James, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
James manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Wasama can do anything to dispel that myth.
James throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Wasama taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

James looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
James sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Wasama is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Wasama is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

James wants to finish this one by submission but Wasama is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from James.

James goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Wasama is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wasama trying to control but James is working from the bottom.

Wasama decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on James, up you get!
Wasama looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Wasama fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
James lands with a shot to the body.

James shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Wasama keeping full guard, as James tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
James slips nicely into half guard.
Ilkka Wasama has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wasama tries to get to full guard but James has control of the leg.
James stops Wasama from getting back to his feet.

James is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jesse James will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Wasama throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Wasama throws a combination but it was largely blocked by James.
Wasama throws a nice looking combination but James bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
James throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Wasama throws a series of punches but James avoids them all with ease.
James fails with a takedown attempt.
Wasama with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling James to score with a decent uppercut.
Wasama scores with a one two! James had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
James shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Wasama but Wasama pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Wasama shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. James manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Wasama wants to stand but James has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Wasama postures up.
James has momentary wrist control but Wasama slips an elbow through the middle.
Wasama thows a big elbow that misses.
Wasama wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.

James working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Wasama doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Wasama manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Wasama postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Wasama trying to stand up but can't free himself from James's guard.
Wasama trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Wasama wanted to stand there but James had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

James is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Wasama is aware though and is defending well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
James bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Wasama's guard.
James wants to control from the top but Wasama keeps moving.
James advances to half guard.
James trying to mount his opponent but Wasama defends it.
James lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

James is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James prevents Wasama from standing back up.
James wants to pass to mount but Wasama is defending the position.

James is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Wasama is just riding it out for now. James eventually gives up the hold.
Wasama won't allow James to pass to mount.

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.
James is keen to just control but Wasama is a slippery customer.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Wasama shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. James is trying to defend but Wasama finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
James tries to get to full guard but Wasama has control of the leg.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wasama passes to full mount!
James is in all sorts of trouble here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesse James showed his dominance in that final round.
I think James 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 for Ilkka Wasama!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Ilkka Wasama!
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Ilkka Wasama!

Ilkka Wasama wins by unanimous decision!