PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mauri Pekkarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Baptiste (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Baptiste has chosen Rodrigo y Gabriela - Orion Cover as his entrance music. Jean Baptiste has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Mauri Pekkarinen's chin.

Pekkarinen
vs
Baptiste

170 cm
25
150 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

172 cm
24
149 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 St Petersburg, Mauri Pekkarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jean Baptiste!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Dmitry Maklakov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baptiste shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A clash of legs there as Baptiste blocks the low kick.

Pekkarinen closes the distance and clinches.

Pekkarinen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pekkarinen moves out of range of the body kick.

Baptiste shoots in and gets a takedown into Pekkarinen's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Baptiste stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pekkarinen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Baptiste throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pekkarinen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Baptiste is looking to work some ground and pound but Pekkarinen has wrist control.
Baptiste missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Baptiste in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Baptiste wants to control from the top but Pekkarinen keeps moving.
Pekkarinen keeping full guard, as Baptiste tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baptiste is looking to work some ground and pound but Pekkarinen has wrist control.

Baptiste drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Pekkarinen manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Baptiste has Pekkarinen in his guard.

Baptiste is looking for a triangle but Pekkarinen pushes his legs off easily.

Baptiste working for submissions but it's allowed Pekkarinen to get to half guard.
Pekkarinen trying to control the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baptiste is looking to improve his position.
Pekkarinen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Pekkarinen lands with a punch from half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Pekkarinen in particular looking to stall.

Baptiste has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Pekkarinen escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Pekkarinen!
Pekkarinen scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Baptiste to see if he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baptiste tries to improve position but can't.
Baptiste is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Pekkarinen scoring with punches from side control.
Pekkarinen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Pekkarinen in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Pekkarinen trying to control the position but Baptiste is working away.
Baptiste taking punishment in the form of punches.
Pekkarinen working the head and body with strikes.
Baptiste regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baptiste looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Baptiste looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Still in half guard, Pekkarinen seems content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pekkarinen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Baptiste does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pekkarinen lands with a punch from half guard.
Baptiste tries to get to full guard but Pekkarinen has control of the leg.

Baptiste is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Pekkarinen pulls his head out easily.
Well, if Pekkarinen is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauri Pekkarinen dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Pekkarinen takes the fight into the clinch.

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

Pekkarinen scores a takedown into full mount!
Pekkarinen lands a big elbow.

Pekkarinen jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Baptiste manages to avoid the submission attempt.
You can see the frustration on Baptiste's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Baptiste is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Baptiste actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Baptiste looking for submissions off his back.
Baptiste wants to get back to full guard but Pekkarinen has mounted him!
Baptiste is working to get back to half guard.
Pekkarinen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Baptiste is looking to improve his position but Pekkarinen isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Pekkarinen looking to control and managing it successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pekkarinen punishing his opponent with strikes.
Baptiste keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Pekkarinen scoring with strikes but Baptiste is staying in there.
Pekkarinen working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Pekkarinen lands a heavy elbow.
Baptiste bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pekkarinen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Baptiste tries to free his leg and advance position but Pekkarinen is retaining full guard.
Baptiste trying to control the position from guard on top but Pekkarinen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pekkarinen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Pekkarinen works his way into side control.
Mauri Pekkarinen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pekkarinen gets to mount! Baptiste was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Baptiste is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baptiste is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Baptiste is breathing heavily.
Pekkarinen punishing his opponent with strikes.
Baptiste is looking to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauri Pekkarinen dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Pekkarinen lands with a nice body punch.
Baptiste shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Pekkarinen counter with a right hand.
Baptiste takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Pekkarinen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Pekkarinen punishing his opponent with strikes.
Pekkarinen prevents Baptiste from getting the reversal.
Pekkarinen controlling from the full mount.
Pekkarinen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Baptiste takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Baptiste is looking to get to half guard.
Pekkarinen raining down shots from the mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pekkarinen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Pekkarinen landing strikes from the mount.
Pekkarinen working Baptiste over with strikes here.
Pekkarinen lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Baptiste hang on?
Baptiste is desperately trying to improve his position but Pekkarinen has a good base and remains in mount.
Pekkarinen trying to control but Baptiste is having none of it.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pekkarinen wants to finish this one by submission but Baptiste is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Pekkarinen.
Baptiste is trying to escape the mount.
Pekkarinen lands a nice shot to the head.
Pekkarinen looking to finish Baptiste with some ground and pound. This is bad for Baptiste!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pekkarinen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pekkarinen prevents Baptiste from getting the reversal.
Pekkarinen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Baptiste tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Baptiste tries to hold on but Pekkarinen postures up.
Baptiste keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Pekkarinen trying to control but Baptiste is having none of it.
Baptiste sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Baptiste is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Pekkarinen pulls his head out easily.
Jean Baptiste has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pekkarinen with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mauri Pekkarinen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Pekkarinen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mauri Pekkarinen!