PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Reijo Laamanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danny Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Reijo Laamanen has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Laamanen
vs
Henderson

207 cm
27
217 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

185 cm
24
205 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
World class boxer
Heavy handed

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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 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Reijo Laamanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Danny Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Aleksandr Martynov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Laamanen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Henderson scores with a sloppy right hand. Laamanen should have avoided that one.
Henderson lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Henderson.
Laamanen fails in his attempt to clinch.

Henderson scores a takedown into full mount!

Henderson working for a submission but Laamanen is keeping him at bay.

Henderson looking for a guillotine from mount but Laamanen is having none of it.

Henderson is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Laamanen is surviving well by controlling Henderson's body position as best he can.
Laamanen is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laamanen tries to control Henderson's body but Henderson pushes him off. Laamanen squirms to his side and now Henderson has his back!
Laamanen is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Laamanen is keeping busy.

Henderson is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Henderson looking to break Laamanen's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Laamanen remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Henderson will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

Laamanen is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Laamanen fending off the submission attempt from Henderson.
Henderson looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Henderson is not going to allow Laamanen to sit and survive in this position.

Henderson has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Laamanen has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Laamanen is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Laamanen manages to stand up with Henderson still on his back. Eventually Henderson drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Laamanen avoids the body shot from Henderson.
Laamanen tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Laamanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Laamanen tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.
Laamanen wants to clinch.
Henderson misses the shot to the body.
Laamanen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Laamanen tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Laamanen defending well as Henderson loads up on a big left hand.
Laamanen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Henderson on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Henderson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Laamanen.
Henderson connects with a good right hand that stumbles Laamanen. Laamanen circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Reijo Laamanen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Laamanen tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.
Henderson sizes up Laamanen with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Laamanen really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Laamanen tries to clinch up.
Henderson lands a nice shot to the body.
Laamanen tries to clinch there but Henderson circles away.
Henderson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Laamanen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Henderson.
Henderson misses the jab.
Henderson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Laamanen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Henderson.
Henderson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danny Henderson dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Laamanen moves in looking to clinch but Henderson pushes him off.
Henderson cracks Laamanen with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Henderson throws a lazy right hand but Laamanen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Laamanen tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.

Laamanen has closed the distance and engaged Henderson in a clinch.
Laamanen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Laamanen throws a head punch that misses.
Laamanen throws a head punch that misses.
Laamanen lands a right hand.
Henderson trying to control the position but instead, Laamanen has worked for underhooks and has pushed Henderson into the cage.
Laamanen struggles to land a body shot inside as Henderson controls his hands.
Laamanen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Laamanen misses with an elbow over the top.
Laamanen lands a left hand.
Henderson misses with some punches.
Henderson lands a shoulder strike.
Henderson misses with a punch on the inside.
Henderson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Laamanen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Henderson throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Laamanens head.
Laamanen putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Henderson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Laamanen misses with some punches.
Laamanen lands an elbow inside that Henderson shrugs off.
Nice body punch from Laamanen - that landed with a thud.
A body shot lands from Henderson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Laamanen unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Henderson tries to stall but Laamanen uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Laamanen scores a nice knee to the body.
Laamanen lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Henderson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Laamanen works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Henderson misses with a punch on the inside.
Henderson tries to break free but Laamanen pushes him back against the cage.
Henderson wants to break free but Laamanen has control.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Laamanen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Henderson misses with some punches.
A frustrated look appears on Henderson's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Henderson taking a breather.
Henderson lands a shot to the body.
Laamanen scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Laamanen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Henderson wants to get back to striking at distance but Laamanen won't allow it.
Henderson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Nice body punch from Laamanen - that landed with a thud.
Laamanen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Henderson avoiding damage as Laamanen throws knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Laamanen looking to throw knees to the head but Henderson is blocking nicely.

Henderson breaks from the clinch.
Reijo Laamanen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Laamanen tries to close the distance and clinch but Henderson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen is looking to clinch but Henderson is avoiding it.
Laamanen moves out of range of the strikes.
Laamanen tries to clinch but Henderson moves out of range.
Laamanen tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.
Reijo Laamanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Henderson has a takedown stuffed.
Laamanen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Henderson to score with a decent uppercut.
A lazy left from Henderson finds it's target.
Henderson looks to land a left hand but Laamanen moved out of range nicely.
Laamanen misses with a double jab
and Henderson counters with a left to the body.
Henderson circles away from the clinch attempt
and Henderson counters with a one-two to the body.

It looks like Reijo Laamanen has been cut.
Henderson misses with an uppercut. Laamanen saw that one coming.
A jab from Henderson misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen closes the distance looking to clinch
and Henderson counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Henderson shoots in and bounces Laamanen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Henderson passes Laamanen's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Henderson is working for a submission of some sort.
Henderson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Laamanen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Henderson is working for a kimura but Laamanen is defending it quite comfortably.

Laamanen makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Laamanen wants to clinch
letting Henderson counter with a right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laamanen throws a jab when Henderson was well out of range.
Laamanen swings for the body but Henderson moves out of range.
Laamanen tries to clinch up
and Henderson counters with a lovely shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Danny Henderson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Reijo Laamanen's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Laamanen looks to clinch
and Henderson counters with a right hand to the body.
Laamanen darts in trying to clinch
and Henderson counters with a straight right hand.
Henderson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Henderson takes a swing at Laamanen's ribcage but misses.
Henderson misses with a double jab.
A punch combination from Henderson misses.
Laamanen clinches but Henderson breaks the clinch
letting Henderson counter with a right hand.
Laamanen closes the distance looking to clinch

and Henderson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Laamanen kicks off Henderson and gets to his feet.
Laamanen avoids the body shot from Henderson.
Laamanen closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Henderson to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Laamanen counters with a head kick.
Henderson slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Henderson misses with a straight left.
Laamanen takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Laamanen tries to clinch up
letting Henderson counter with a right hand.
Henderson misses with an uppercut. Laamanen saw that one coming.

Henderson shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Laamanen napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Henderson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Laamanen has escaped the position, nice work there.
Henderson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Laamanen is trying to stand back up but Henderson is controlling him
Henderson uses his free foot to push down on Laamanen's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Laamanen.
Laamanen on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Laamanen tries to get out of the position.

Henderson working for a guillotine from mount but Laamanen is in no mood to give up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Henderson looking for a guillotine from mount but Laamanen is having none of it.
Danny Henderson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

Henderson is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Laamanen has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Henderson controlling from mount.
Laamanen has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.

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.
Laamanen wants to get back to his feet.
Laamanen is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Danny Henderson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Laamanen staying busy and making it hard for Henderson to control.
Reijo Laamanen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Henderson has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Laamanen is in a bad position with Henderson working for a choke. Laamanen manages to spin nicely into guard and the danger is over for the moment.
Laamanen stopping the sweep attempt from Henderson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Danny Henderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Henderson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Danny Henderson!