PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mikolaj Nowak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Euan Young (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nowak
vs
Young

170 cm
18
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
158 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikolaj Nowak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Euan Young!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Young shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nowak pinned against the cage. Nowak gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Young goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Nowak shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Nowak showed some decent athleticism there.
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.

Young kicks Nowak off and gets back to his feet.

Nowak fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Young sprawls well initially but Nowak persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nowak thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nowak seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Nowak missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nowak is keen to just control but Young is a slippery customer.
Nowak missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nowak works his foot free and advances to mount.
Young is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's two 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.
Nowak tries to control but Young wriggling away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Young is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Nowak with a couple of short strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nowak looking to control but Young is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nowak thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Young squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Young is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Nowak can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Young is looking to escape.
Nowak throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

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.

Nowak goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Young is on top in guard.
Nowak is breathing heavily.
Nowak looking to control.
Nowak can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Young controls the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Euan Young will probably get the nod.
That's time! Nowak's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Young showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nowak.
Young tries for a takedown but Nowak circles away easily

and Nowak holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Nowak jumps into guard, dragging Young to the mat.
Young wants to control from the top but Nowak keeps moving.
Nowak wants to get back to his feet but Young is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nowak is pulling down on Young's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young prevents Nowak from getting back to his feet.
Young trying to control the position from guard on top but Nowak is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Young postures up in Nowak's guard and throws a big left but Nowak blocks it.

Young decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Young gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Nowak moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Young breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Young scores with a head kick.
Mikolaj Nowak is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Young is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Nowak's half guard.
Young not doing much here.
Nowak blocking the ground and pound attempt from Young.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nowak taking some punishment here, with Young in his half guard.
Young looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Young uses his free foot to push down on Nowak's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Nowak.
Young looking to control and managing it successfully.
Young unloading with bombs!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Young controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Euan Young showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Nowak. No joy for Young on that attempt.
Nowak with a poor takedown

and Young counters with a shoot takedown. Nowak fights it but they end up in guard.
Nowak looking for a sweep. Not yet Nowak, not yet.
Nowak will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Young slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Euan Young.
Young tries for a takedown but Nowak circles away easily

and Nowak counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Young!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nowak trying to control but Young is having none of it.
Nowak throwing strikes but Young recovers to half guard. A much better position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Young is trying to stand back up but Nowak is controlling him

Young pushes Nowak off and gets back to his feet.
Nowak takes a jab right on the kisser.

Young looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Nowak striking off his back but it's not causing Young any problems.
Nowak being controlled here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Nowak is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Young showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Young is pushing down on Nowak's leg trying to pass to half guard. Nowak is fighting to maintain full guard but Young has managed to sneak the leg through.

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.
Well, if Young 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.
Nowak is trying to control but can't.
Nowak wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Euan Young comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Young 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Euan Young!