PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jasse Pesonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tirawit Kokin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pesonen comes into the arena with Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP - We No Speak Americano blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Pesonen
vs
Kokin

182 cm
26
180 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

185 cm
20
185 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Good knees
Insanely flexible

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jasse Pesonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tirawit Kokin!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kokin scores with a body shot.
Kokin misses the shot to the body.
Pesonen shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Pesonen throws a leg kick but Kokin sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Kokin ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Pesonen lands a leg kick that knocks Kokin off balance momentarily.
Pesonen takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Pesonen misses with a body shot
and Kokin makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Pesonen throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Pesonen is looking to chop away at Kokin's legs.
Kokin throws a series of punches but Pesonen moves out of range.

Pesonen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Pesonen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Pesonen looking to control but Kokin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kokin stops Pesonen from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

Pesonen is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Kokin has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Kokin!

Pesonen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kokin is aware though and is defending well.
Pesonen working a defensive guard here.
Kokin is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Pesonen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pesonen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kokin manages to get himself to full guard.
Kokin has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Pesonen has passed into side control.
Pesonen works to advance to full mount. Kokin defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Pesonen unloading with bombs!
Pesonen tries to control but Kokin wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pesonen controlling from the full mount.
Kokin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Pesonen throwing strikes here but Kokin is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Kokin is working to get back to half guard.
Pesonen trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Kokin is working to get back to half guard.
Kokin wants to control but Pesonen is having none of it.
Kokin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pesonen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Pesonen has control of Kokin's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kokin regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Pesonen moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Kokin has worked his arm free - good work by Kokin!
You can see the frustration on Kokin's face as Pesonen controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jasse Pesonen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Pesonen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kokin takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Pesonen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kokin has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Pesonen tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kokin counters with a straight right hand.
Jasse Pesonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kokin takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Pesonen tries to clinch up
and Kokin counters with a nice uppercut.
Kokin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Pesonen shoots in and drives through. Kokin sprawls well.
Pesonen misses with a takedown attempt - Kokin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Pesonen walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Kokin checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kokin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pesonen.
Kokin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Pesonen was well out of range. Poor timing from Kokin.
Kokin connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Pesonen wants to clinch but Kokin slips to the side
and Kokin counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Pesonen tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kokin counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Pesonen scores with a head kick.
Kokin keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Pesonen.

Pesonen throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Kokin was covering up waiting for the punch and Pesonen finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pesonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Kokin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pesonen passes Kokin's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Pesonen is working for a kimura but Kokin is defending it quite comfortably.
Pesonen is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Pesonen is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Kokin can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pesonen jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Kokin is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Kokin and Pesonen has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Pesonen creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Kokin sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kokin can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kokin is not content to let Pesonen control the position.
Kokin gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Kokin stops Pesonen from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pesonen throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Pesonen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kokin is looking to escape.
Pesonen lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Kokin tries to hold on but Pesonen pushes him away.
Pesonen lands a nice shot to the head.
Pesonen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jasse Pesonen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Pesonen cracks the inside of Kokin's front leg.
Pesonen dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kokin. That did some damage!
Pesonen moves out of range as Kokin strikes.
Pesonen tries to clinch but Kokin moves away
and Kokin counters with a left to the body.
Pesonen throws a leg kick but Kokin checks it.
Pesonen fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Kokin is out of range.
Pesonen looks to clinch
and Pesonen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Left hook, right uppercut from Kokin.
Pesonen darts in trying to clinch
and Kokin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pesonen misses with the body kick
and Kokin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kokin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kokin wants it to stay on the feet.
Pesonen tries to clinch but Kokin is having none of it.
Pesonen tries to clinch
and Kokin counters with a one-two to the body.
Kokin stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Pesonen.
Kokin tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A good leg kick by Pesonen.
Pesonen slips under a jab.
A head kick misses from Pesonen.
Tirawit Kokin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pesonen cracks the inside of Kokin's front leg.
Pesonen looks to clinch
and Kokin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pesonen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kokin stuffs the takedown attempt from Pesonen. Pesonen gets slowly back to his feet.
Kokin sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Pesonen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Good shot there by Kokin.
Pesonen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kokin leaves Pesonen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jasse Pesonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Pesonen drives through with a takedown into guard.
Pesonen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kokin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jasse Pesonen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pesonen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kokin is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pesonen is working hard here to advance position.
Kokin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Pesonen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kokin lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pesonen!
Jasse Pesonen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Pesonen is desperately trying to improve his position but Kokin has a good base and remains in mount.
Kokin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pesonen is looking to escape.
Pesonen is wriggling around trying to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jasse Pesonen.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pesonen, 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 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jasse Pesonen!