PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kuai Lai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antero Kuikka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lai
vs
Kuikka

195 cm
18
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kuai Lai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antero Kuikka!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kuikka takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Lai misses with a head kick.
Lai throws a sloppy head kick and Kuikka moves out of range easily.
Kuikka takes a kick to the side of the head.
Kuikka throws a sloppy head kick and Lai moves out of range easily.
Kuikka misses with the combination.
Lai throws a lazy head kick
and Kuikka counters with a nice body kick.
Lai throws a head kick but Kuikka moves out of range.
Kuikka throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

It looks like Kuai Lai has been cut.
Lai misses with a head kick.
Kuikka throws a one two combo.
Lai plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Kuikka swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kuikka throws a head kick that misses.
Lai doesn't manage to clinch there - Kuikka circles away.
Lai looks for a takedown but Kuikka sprawls well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuikka throws a head kick that misses
and Lai counters with a head kick.
Lai showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kuikka.
A head kick misses from Kuikka.
Lai avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lai throws a nice head kick!
Kuikka circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lai throws a head kick but Kuikka moves out of range.
Lai is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuikka throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Lai counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kuikka dodges an elbow strike from Lai.
Lai is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Kuikka is keeping busy.
Lai pushes off an throws an elbow but Kuikka leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Kuikka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kuikka tries a head kick but it misses.
Kuikka rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lai moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kuikka looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kuikka throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kuikka plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Kuikka throws a head kick but Lai moves out of range.
No joy there for Kuikka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nice takedown defense from Kuikka. No joy for Lai on that attempt.
Lai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kuikka scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Kuikka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lai.
Lai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kuikka throws a right and a left that Lai avoids nicely.
Lai shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kuikka as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kuai Lai. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kuikka throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lai throws a head kick that misses.
Kuikka circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kuikka swinging wilding here.

Lai moves into the clinch successfully.
Lai throws an elbow but it misses.
Lai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Lai misses with a knee to the head.
Kuikka wants to break the clinch but can't.
Lai with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Lai pushes off an throws an elbow but Kuikka leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Nice elbow from Lai.

Lai breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Lai clinches up against the cage.
Kuikka tries to break the clinch but Lai is controlling the position.
Lai misses with an elbow over the top.
Lai missing with knees to the body.
Lai throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Lai tries to pull guard but Kuikka holds him up against the cage and eventually Lai drops back down to his feet.
Kuikka takes an elbow to the temple.

Lai escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lai fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuikka throws a lazy head kick
and Lai counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Lai fails with the takedown.
Lai slips a jab and a cross from Kuikka.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lai.
Lai wants to clinch up but Kuikka keeps it at a distance.
Kuikka misses with a head kick.
Lai throws a sloppy head kick
and Kuikka counters with a three punch combo that has Lai backing up. Lai nods at Kuikka to acknowledge the strikes.
Kuikka looks to land a body kick but Lai moved away.
No joy there for Kuikka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kuikka takes a kick to the side of the head.
Kuikka throws a head kick that misses
and Lai counters with a head kick.
Lai wants to clinch up but Kuikka keeps it at a distance.
Lai throws a nice head kick!
Lai throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Lai is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Kuikka.
Lai misses with a head kick.
Kuikka tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Lai tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lai throws a sloppy head kick and Kuikka moves out of range easily.
Lai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kuikka is working the combinations to good effect here.
Lai throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuikka throws a series of punches but Lai avoids them all with ease.
Lai throws a head kick that misses.
Kuikka throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Lai avoids the head kick by Kuikka.
Lai tries to clinch
and Kuikka counters with a three punch combo that has Lai backing up. Lai nods at Kuikka to acknowledge the strikes.
Lai blocks a head kick by Kuikka.
A head kick misses from Lai.
Lai looks for the body kick but Kuikka saw that one coming.
Lai shoots in and drives through. Kuikka sprawls well.
Lai misses with a head kick.
Kuikka throws a lazy head kick
and Lai counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Kuikka is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Kuikka fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lai throws a head kick that misses.
Kuikka swinging wilding here.
Lai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kuikka throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lai throws a lazy head kick
and Kuikka counters with a head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kuikka misses with a series of wild punches.
Kuikka scores with a spinning back kick!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Kuikka stuffs the takedown.
Lai tries to clinch
and Kuikka counters with a thumping low kick.
Kuikka throws a right hand that Lai ducks under and follows up with a left that Lai also avoids with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antero Kuikka dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kuai Lai's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Lai looks to clinch
and Kuikka counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Lai is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Kuikka misses with a head kick.
Horrible takedown by Lai or perhaps it was just good defense by Kuikka which made him look bad.
Kuikka throws a series of punches but Lai moves out of range.
Kuikka throws a series of punches but Lai moves out of range.
Lai is looking to clinch.
Lai showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kuikka.
Kuai Lai is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kuikka lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Kuikka throws a sloppy head kick

and Lai counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Lai.

Kuikka breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kuikka misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kuikka tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lai shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kuikka as he jumps to the side.
Kuikka throws a series of strikes that have Lai backpedaling.
Lai tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kuikka paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lai tries a head kick but it misses.
Lai throws a head kick but Kuikka moves out of range.
A combination from Kuikka does no damage.
Kuikka is breathing heavily.
A head kick from Lai lands but Kuikka takes it in his stride.
Kuikka misses with a few strikes there.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Kuikka in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lai drives through and clinches with Kuikka against the cage.
Lai goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kuikka prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kuai Lai. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kuikka.
Lai comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Lai tries to land knees in the clinch but Kuikka avoids the damage to the body.
Lai gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Lai.
Kuikka avoiding damage as Lai throws knees to the body.

Lai breaks from the clinch.
Lai clinches but Kuikka breaks the clinch
and Kuikka counters with a big head kick but Lai shrugs it off.
Lai moves out of range of the body kick from Kuikka.

Lai has managed to clinch.
Kuikka blocks the elbow strike.
Lai wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Lai lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Lai.
Lai goes for a takedown attempt but Kuikka pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Kuikka tries to bum rush Lai with a series of wild strikes but Lai uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lai moves in looking to clinch but Kuikka pushes him off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lai lands a head kick!
Lai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lai throws a lazy head kick
and Kuikka counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Lai is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Kuikka throws a nice looking combination but Lai bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kuikka throws a body kick the misses
and Lai counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Kuikka misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lai doesn't manage to clinch there - Kuikka circles away.
Lai misses with a head kick.
Lai throws a nice head kick!
Kuikka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Lai throws a head kick that misses.
Kuikka fails to land with a series of punches.
Antero Kuikka seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A head kick by Kuikka misses
and Lai counters with a head kick.
Lai misses with a takedown attempt
and Kuikka counters with a head kick.
Lai throws a sloppy head kick and Kuikka moves out of range easily.
Kuikka thuds his shin into the meat of Lai's side.
Lai tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A nice combination there by Kuikka.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kuikka tries to land a body kick
and Lai counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Kuikka blocks a head kick by Lai.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Lai. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Kuikka takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Kuikka lands a two punch combo.

Lai is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Lai.
Oh Lai is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Kuikka throws a nasty head kick that just misses. He throws another kick to the head of his opponent and almost takes it off! Lai crumples to the floor and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:09 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Antero Kuikka!