PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Valentin Berg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cranium Cruncher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Valentin Berg could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Cranium Cruncher's chin.

Berg
vs
Cruncher

170 cm
22
150 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

170 cm
21
150 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Valentin Berg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cranium Cruncher!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Berg closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Berg creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Berg is stalling here.
Berg throws an elbow that misses.

Berg manages to break the clinch.
Berg leaves Cruncher with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Berg clinches up against the cage.
Cruncher dodges an elbow strike from Berg.
Berg leaning his opponent against the cage.
Berg working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Berg manages to break the clinch.
Cruncher shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Berg but Berg pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Berg looks for the body kick but Cruncher saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruncher clinches but Berg breaks the clinch
and Berg counters with a leg kick.
Cruncher blocks a head kick by Berg.
A leg kick checked by Cruncher.
Berg throws a leg kick that misses.
Cruncher with a poor takedown
and Berg counters with a leg kick.
Valentin Berg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cranium Cruncher.
Berg is looking to land body kicks.
Berg scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Berg tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Cruncher is able to avoid easily.
Cruncher tries for a takedown but Berg circles away easily

and Berg counters by clinching up.

Berg's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruncher keeps the fight on the outside.
Valentin Berg is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Berg throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berg attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Berg misses the jab.

Berg clinches.
Berg throws an elbow that misses.
Berg lands a shot to the body.

Berg escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cruncher staying out of range there.
Cruncher checks the leg kick.
Berg chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Berg lands a nice shot to the body.
Cruncher doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Berg counters with a leg kick.
Cruncher shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Berg counters with an outside leg kick.
Cruncher looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berg is looking to chop away at Cruncher's legs.
Berg throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Cruncher is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Berg's half guard.
Berg wants to get back to his feet.

Berg has one foot on Cruncher's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Cruncher gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Berg counters with a solid body kick.
Berg scoring well with a low kick there.
Berg thumps Cruncher with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Berg connects with a solid leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruncher takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Berg tries to work over Cruncher's front leg with a kick but Cruncher checks it.
Cruncher blocks a leg kick.
Berg is looking to score with low kicks.
Cruncher checks a leg kick.

Cruncher looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Berg wants to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Berg kicks Cruncher off and gets back to his feet.

Berg rushes Cruncher and presses him up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valentin Berg dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Berg misses with a double jab.
A nice leg kick lands there from Berg.

Berg moves into range and clinches up with Cruncher.

Berg breaks from the clinch.

Berg rushes Cruncher and presses him up against the cage.
Berg pushes Cruncher back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Berg takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Berg breaks the clinch.
Berg tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruncher fails with the takedown

and Berg counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Berg pushes Cruncher back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Berg breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berg tries a low kick but Cruncher avoids it.
Berg turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cruncher misses with a takedown attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Cruncher is breathing heavily.
Berg throws out a leg kick but Cruncher moves out of range and Berg only half commits.
Berg circles away from the clinch attempt.
Some bone on bone action there as Cruncher checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Cruncher's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Cruncher tries for a takedown but Berg circles away easily
and Berg counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Valentin Berg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cranium Cruncher.
Berg moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Cruncher takes a kick to the side of the head.
Berg misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cruncher takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berg throws a leg kick but Cruncher sees it coming and moves out of range.
Berg throws a low kick, looking for Cruncher's leg but Cruncher calmly moves out of range.
Cruncher blocks a head kick by Berg.
Berg lets loose with a powerful body kick. Cruncher will feel that in the morning.
Berg throws a low kick but Cruncher moves out of range easily.
Berg is looking to chop away at Cruncher's legs.
Cruncher doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Berg counters with a flying knee. Nice.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Berg tries to close the distance and clinch but Cruncher swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Berg walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Cruncher checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
An inside leg kick lands from Berg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berg tries to land a front kick but Cruncher steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Berg is looking to clinch but Cruncher is avoiding it.
Cruncher wants to clinch.
Cruncher misses with a takedown attempt
and Berg counters with a body kick.
Cruncher on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Berg. Berg obviously looking to wear him down.
Berg swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Berg delivers a nice body kick.

Berg pushes Cruncher up against the cage in a clinch.
A short body shot lands from Berg as the two fighters clinch.
Berg landing knees to the body.
Berg is leaning against Cruncher and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Berg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Berg - that landed with a thud.
Berg digs a right hand underneath Cruncher's ribcage. Cruncher let out a lung full of air as it connected.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Berg's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruncher moves away from the strike by Berg.
Valentin Berg is winning the standup battle so far.

Berg moves into range and clinches up with Cruncher.
Berg lands a body shot in the clinch.
Berg lands a body shot.
Berg lands a nice shot to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Berg.
Berg digs a right hand underneath Cruncher's ribcage. Cruncher let out a lung full of air as it connected.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Berg's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Berg lands with a thumping leg kick.
Berg lands with a right hand.
Valentin Berg seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A telegraphed right hand from Berg misses the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valentin Berg dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Berg throws a sloppy head kick and Cruncher moves out of range easily.
Berg throws a wild body kick that Cruncher sees coming a mile off.
Berg tries to land a front kick but Cruncher steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Berg walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Cruncher checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Cruncher tries to clinch up.
Berg will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Cruncher tries for a takedown but Berg circles away easily

and Berg counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short body shot lands from Berg as the two fighters clinch.
Berg gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Cruncher.
Berg slowing the pace effectively.
Cruncher takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Berg's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Berg dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cruncher. That did some damage!
Berg connects with a high kick.

Berg darts in and clinches Cruncher up against the cage.
Cruncher tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Valentin Berg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cranium Cruncher.
Berg lands a shoulder strike.
Berg swings wildly with an uppercut but Cruncher uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cruncher blocks a body shot from Berg.

Berg breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cruncher with a poor takedown

and Berg moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Berg breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Berg throws a head kick that misses.
Berg lands a head kick!
Berg looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Cranium Cruncher is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Berg thumps Cruncher with a low kick.
Cruncher checks a leg kick.
Cruncher checks a leg kick.
A good leg kick by Berg.
Berg tried to score with a low kick but Cruncher checks it.
Berg feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Cruncher's calf.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berg moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Berg thows a body shot but no joy.
A solid leg kick lands there for Berg.
Berg throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cruncher with a lazy takedown attempt
and Berg counters with a body kick.
Berg thumps Cruncher with a low kick.
Berg looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A good leg kick by Berg.
Berg misses with a low kick.
Cruncher misses with a takedown
and Berg counters with a low kick, right behind Cruncher 's knee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Berg lands a nice leg kick that just misses Cruncher's sensitive parts.
Berg's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Berg duly obliges.
Cruncher shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Berg counters with a slapping leg kick.
Cruncher takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Cruncher checks a low kick from Berg.
Berg throws a chopping leg kick but Cruncher manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Berg lands with a kick to the temple. Cruncher shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Berg tries a head kick but it misses.
Berg will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Cranium Cruncher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Berg buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Valentin Berg showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Berg, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:25
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:25
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Valentin Berg!