PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aleksanteri Polvi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Weltto Wirtanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Polvi comes to the cage accompanied by Iron Maiden - Alexander The Great. Wirtanen has chosen Mt Eden Dubstep - Sierra Leone as his entrance music. Weltto Wirtanen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Polvi
vs
Wirtanen

183 cm
26
185 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

168 cm
20
195 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aleksanteri Polvi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Weltto Wirtanen!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Polvi throws a right and a left that Wirtanen avoids nicely.
Wirtanen keeps the fight on the outside.
Polvi looks to land a combination but Wirtanen avoids it well.
Wirtanen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Polvi is looking to clinch.
Wirtanen keeps the fight on the outside.
Wirtanen looks to score with a jab to the body but Polvi is just out of range.

Wirtanen shoots in and gets a takedown into Polvi's guard.
Wirtanen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Wirtanen passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Wirtanen prevents Polvi from escaping the position.
Wirtanen looking to control but instead Polvi has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Polvi punching from the bottom.
Wirtanen wants to pass to mount but Polvi is defending the position.
Polvi blocking the ground and pound attempt from Wirtanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wirtanen scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Wirtanen is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Wirtanen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Polvi sees it coming and defends easily.
Wirtanen slips a nice elbow through Polvi's hands, connecting with Polvi's forehead.
Polvi is trying to stand back up but Wirtanen is controlling him
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Polvi looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Polvi looking for submissions off his back.

Wirtanen is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Polvi has managed to free his arm - good work.
Wirtanen takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wirtanen is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Wirtanen prevents Polvi from standing back up.

Polvi makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Polvi tries to clinch up.

Wirtanen closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Polvi quickly recovers to half guard.
Wirtanen works his way into full mount!
Wirtanen throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Wirtanen working for a submission but Polvi is keeping him at bay.
Polvi tries to improve his position but instead Wirtanen has taken his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polvi is trying to stand back up.

Wirtanen working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Polvi wants to get back to his feet.
Polvi is breathing heavily.
Polvi is taking damage to the body and head.
Polvi tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Wirtanen lands a heavy elbow.

Wirtanen looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Wirtanen tries to control but Polvi wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Polvi sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Wirtanen is trying to control the action in half guard but Polvi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Wirtanen scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Polvi is defending against the submission attempts here by Wirtanen.

Wirtanen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Polvi sees it coming and defends easily.
Polvi wants to improve his position but Wirtanen is controlling well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Polvi pushes Wirtanen off but Wirtanen dives into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Weltto Wirtanen 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.

Polvi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wirtanen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Polvi doesn't manage to clinch there - Wirtanen circles away.
Polvi wants to clinch.
Polvi tries to clinch but Wirtanen is having none of it.
Polvi is looking to clinch but Wirtanen is avoiding it.

Wirtanen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Wirtanen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Polvi defends it well.
Weltto Wirtanen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wirtanen perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Wirtanen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Wirtanen wants to pass to mount but Polvi is defending the position.
Polvi is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wirtanen is trying to work for a kimura but Polvi is defending well.
Wirtanen is trying to control the action in half guard but Polvi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Wirtanen seems to be working for a kimura but Polvi defends the submission attempt.
Polvi manages to get to full guard.
Polvi will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Polvi wants to get back to his feet but Wirtanen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Polvi working for a triangle but Wirtanen defends it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wirtanen works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wirtanen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Polvi sees it coming and defends easily.
Polvi is in trouble now - Wirtanen has advanced to mount!

Wirtanen is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Polvi is surviving well by controlling Wirtanen's body position as best he can.
Wirtanen tries to control but Polvi wriggling away.
Wirtanen lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Polvi hang on?
Polvi tries to strike from the bottom but he's left himself exposed and Wirtanen has taken his back.
Polvi trying to get back to his feet but Wirtanen is in full control for now.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Wirtanen looking for the choke from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Polvi is trying to get back to his feet. He's worked up on to his knees and now he's on his feet with his head on the canvas, trying to shake Wirtanen off. It looks like it's working - Wirtanen slides off, much to his dismay, and we're back to standing! Polvi displaying calm under pressure there.
Polvi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Wirtanen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Polvi tries to clinch up but Wirtanen circles away and keeps his distance.
Wirtanen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

It looks like Aleksanteri Polvi has been cut.
Wirtanen shoots for a takedown but Polvi saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Wirtanen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Wirtanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Polvi.
Polvi tries to close the distance and clinch but Wirtanen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Polvi tries to clinch there but Wirtanen circles away.
Wirtanen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Polvi circles away.

Wirtanen throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Polvi tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Wirtanen is in Polvi's guard.

Wirtanen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Polvi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Wirtanen.

Wirtanen drops back, looking for a kneebar! Polvi looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Polvi looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Polvi!
Wirtanen wants to control but Polvi postures up.

Polvi stands up.
Polvi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wirtanen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Wirtanen keeps the fight on the outside.

Polvi rushes Wirtanen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Weltto Wirtanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Aleksanteri Polvi's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Polvi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Wirtanen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Polvi circles away.
Wirtanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Polvi.
Wirtanen shoots in looking for a takedown. Polvi tries to sprawl out of it but Wirtanen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Polvi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Wirtanen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Wirtanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Polvi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Polvi wants to clinch.

Wirtanen closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Polvi.

Wirtanen has Polvi pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Wirtanen pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Polvi tumbling to the mat - Wirtanen dives into Polvi's guard.
Polvi being controlled here, momentarily.
Wirtanen pushes down on Polvi's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Wirtanen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Polvi defends it well.
Wirtanen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wirtanen stops Polvi from getting back to his feet.
Wirtanen tries to pass to full mount but Polvi defends it.
Polvi looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Polvi flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Wirtanen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Polvi is trying to stand up here but Wirtanen is controlling him well.

Polvi is defending against the submission attempts here by Wirtanen.
Wirtanen controlling the action here.
Polvi is looking to control Wirtanen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Polvi avoid being mounted?
Wirtanen prevents Polvi from standing back up.

Wirtanen is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wirtanen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Wirtanen lands a nice short elbow.
Wirtanen is just content to waste time from the top position. Polvi takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Wirtanen seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Polvi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Wirtanen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Polvi working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Polvi working away.
Weltto Wirtanen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wirtanen is looking to regain half guard here but Polvi keeps moving and retains side control.

Polvi swings around for an armbar but Wirtanen sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Polvi's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wirtanen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Aleksanteri Polvi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Polvi is working an open guard so Wirtanen takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Weltto Wirtanen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Wirtanen 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Weltto Wirtanen!