PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Travis Casada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Seppo Karkkola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Travis Casada has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Casada
vs
Karkkola

175 cm
19
140 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

190 cm
19
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Travis Casada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Seppo Karkkola!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Marco Blurström and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karkkola keeps the fight on the outside.
Casada throws a leg kick which misses Karkkola's front leg but catches the back leg as Karkkola tries to avoid it.
Casada scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Karkkola doesn't seem bothered though.
Karkkola swinging wildly here.
Karkkola misses with the combination.
Casada showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Karkkola.
Karkkola looks to land a combination but Casada avoids it well.
Karkkola scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Karkkola tries to bum rush Casada with a series of wild strikes but Casada uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Karkkola misses with a series of wild punches.
Casada throws a leg kick which misses Karkkola's front leg but catches the back leg as Karkkola tries to avoid it.
Casada showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Karkkola.
Casada showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Karkkola.
Some wild striking there from Karkkola.
Seppo Karkkola seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck for Casada with that takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Casada.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Casada dodges the punch combination from Karkkola.
Karkkola misses with a jab, cross combination.
Casada's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Casada duly obliges.
Karkkola looks gassed!
Karkkola misses with a combination
and Casada counters with a one-two to the body.
Casada shoots for a double leg takedown but Karkkola sprawls well. He's pushed Casada's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Travis Casada. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Karkkola misses with a double jab
and Casada counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Karkkola is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Karkkola throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Casada counters by clinching up.
Casada gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Karkkola.
Casada wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Karkkola has him pressed against the cage.
Karkkola is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Karkkola is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Casada gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Casada tries to pull guard but Karkkola won't allow it.
Casada trying to stall but Karkkola improves his position.

Casada pulls Karkkola into guard.
Casada is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casada wants to lay and pray for a moment but Karkkola keeps working.
Casada sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Karkkola defending well though.
Karkkola keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Casada trying to control the action but Karkkola is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Casada wants to pass the guard but Karkkola is defending well.
Casada tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Casada throwing shots but Karkkola is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Casada is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Casada trying to pass the guard but Karkkola defending well.
Karkkola wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Karkkola throws a combination that misses

and Casada counters with a takedown into side control.
Karkkola is trying to buck Casada off.
Casada misses with the ground and pound.
Karkkola tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Casada struggling to keep hold of the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Casada struggling to land strikes to the head as Karkkola covers up.

Karkkola is trying to shake Casada off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Casada won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.
Karkkola swinging wildly here.
A combination from Casada does no damage.
Karkkola throws a right and a left that both miss.
Karkkola misses with a double jab

so Casada counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casada is looking to stand up but Karkkola won't let him.
Casada might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Casada trying to control but Karkkola is working from the bottom.
Karkkola utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Casada stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Casada shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Karkkola as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karkkola misses with a few strikes there.
Karkkola misses with the combination.
Karkkola throws a series of punches but Casada moves out of range.
Karkkola throws a left and a right that both miss

and Casada counters with a nice double leg into side control. Karkkola won't be happy with that.

Casada wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Karkkola, who protects the arm well.
Karkkola is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Karkkola can do anything to dispel that myth.
Casada trying to control the position but Karkkola is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travis Casada dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Casada tries to clinch but Karkkola is having none of it.
Casada misses with an attempted mid kick.
Karkkola falls off balance throwing a combination

and Casada counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Karkkola!
Karkkola wants to get back to his feet.
Casada tries to control but Karkkola wriggling away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Casada is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Karkkola has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Karkkola!
Casada trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Karkkola lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Karkkola postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Karkkola postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casada trying to strike off his back.
Karkkola is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Karkkola working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Casada's head.
Karkkola trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Karkkola cracks Casada with a solid left hand.
Karkkola cracks Casada with a solid left hand.
Karkkola postures up and lands a big shot to Casada's brow.
Karkkola missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Karkkola postures up in Casada's guard and throws a big left but Casada blocks it.
Karkkola working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Travis Casada overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Karkkola postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karkkola prevents Casada from getting back to his feet.
Karkkola loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Karkkola throwing strikes from guard but Casada blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karkkola working some strikes from top position.
Karkkola throwing strikes but missing.
Karkkola working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Casada's head.
Casada wants to get back to his feet but Karkkola is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Casada preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Karkkola throwing strikes but missing.
Casada wants to sweep here but Karkkola controlling him for the moment.
Karkkola really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Casada. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Karkkola scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Karkkola working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Casada's head.

Casada has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Karkkola doesn't defend quickly enough and Casada has managed to lock this one up! Can Karkkola escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Casada on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Travis Casada!