PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paavo Matinheimo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and mika niemi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Matinheimo
vs
niemi

177 cm
23
197 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

181 cm
26
200 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Paavo Matinheimo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, mika niemi!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Vladimir Khabensky and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Matinheimo feints and as niemi raises his hands in defense, Matinheimo changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Matinheimo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Matinheimo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. niemi is keeping the position for now.

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

niemi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Matinheimo is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Matinheimo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Matinheimo tries to free his leg and advance position but niemi is retaining full guard.

niemi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matinheimo works over niemi with some ground and pound from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
niemi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Matinheimo tries to hold on but niemi postures up.
Matinheimo is trying desperately to improve position.

niemi looking to secure an arm triangle but Matinheimo defends it well.

Matinheimo defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from niemi.
niemi looks gassed!
Matinheimo can't escape the position.
Matinheimo wants to control but niemi is having none of it.

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.
Matinheimo regains half guard.
Matinheimo moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
niemi won't allow Matinheimo to get back to his feet.
niemi won't allow Matinheimo to sweep him here.

niemi drops back, looking for a kneebar! Matinheimo looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Matinheimo looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Matinheimo!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
niemi is looking for a sweep.
niemi is not content to let Matinheimo control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Matinheimo trying to control the position but niemi is working away.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Paavo Matinheimo wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Matinheimo scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
niemi manages to work his way to half guard, despite Matinheimo's best efforts.
Matinheimo not doing much here.

niemi looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
niemi taking some punishment here, with Matinheimo in his half guard.
Matinheimo wants to pass to mount but niemi is defending the position.
Matinheimo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Matinheimo wants to lay and pray for a moment but niemi keeps working.

niemi looking for submissions off his back.
Matinheimo controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paavo Matinheimo dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

niemi gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Matinheimo to score an easy takedown into full guard.

niemi is working an open guard so Matinheimo takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

niemi drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Matinheimo struggling a bit here.

niemi tries for a kimura but Matinheimo is defending well.
Matinheimo struggling a bit here.
Matinheimo is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because niemi is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Matinheimo is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matinheimo tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Paavo Matinheimo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Matinheimo is trying to stand back up but niemi is controlling him
Matinheimo wants to improve his position but niemi is controlling well.
Matinheimo wants to control but niemi is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Matinheimo looking for submissions off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

niemi is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Matinheimo doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time niemi.
Matinheimo is looking for a sweep. niemi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

niemi is trying to work for a kimura but Matinheimo is defending well.
niemi is thwarting Matinheimo's attempts to control the position.
niemi has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

niemi is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Matinheimo has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Matinheimo manages to regain half guard. Good work.

niemi is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Matinheimo defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.
niemi wants to pass the guard but Matinheimo is defending well.
Matinheimo gets full guard.

Matinheimo stands up and beckons niemi to his feet.
Matinheimo throws a combination. niemi tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

niemi tries to sprawl but Matinheimo drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Matinheimo trying to pass the guard but niemi defending well.
Matinheimo wants to lay and pray for a moment but niemi keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Matinheimo lands a nice short elbow.

niemi looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Matinheimo tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Matinheimo working over niemi with some ground and pound. niemi looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

niemi looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Matinheimo is trying to control the action in half guard but niemi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

niemi actively working from the bottom here.

niemi is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Matinheimo pulls his head out easily.
niemi tries to get to full guard but Matinheimo has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paavo Matinheimo dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Matinheimo darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

niemi actively working from the bottom here.
Matinheimo content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

niemi looking for submissions off his back.

Matinheimo gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from niemi enables Matinheimo to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. niemi manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Matinheimo slips nicely into half guard.
niemi on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
niemi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Matinheimo with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

niemi looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Matinheimo stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows niemi to get to his feet.

niemi tries to keep at a distance but Matinheimo has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Come on Matinheimo - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
niemi wants a takedown but no success here.

Matinheimo breaks from the clinch.
Matinheimo closes the distance and lands a one-two.
niemi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Matinheimo counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in niemi's guard now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matinheimo wants to control from the top but niemi keeps moving.

Matinheimo got a little sloppy there for a moment and niemi has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Matinheimo has managed to get both his arms back between niemi's legs - danger averted.

Matinheimo thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

niemi had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Matinheimo defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Matinheimo decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

niemi throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Matinheimo was covering up waiting for the punch and niemi finishes the takedown easily into guard.

niemi drops back, looking for a kneebar! Matinheimo looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Matinheimo looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Matinheimo!
Paavo Matinheimo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Matinheimo decides to stand up, so the ref orders niemi to his feet.
niemi misses with a takedown

and Matinheimo counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in niemi's guard now.
Paavo Matinheimo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of mika niemi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Matinheimo trying to control the position from guard on top but niemi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

niemi working for a triangle but Matinheimo defends it easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Matinheimo is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Matinheimo has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
mika niemi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Matinheimo trying to control the position from guard on top but niemi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paavo Matinheimo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Matinheimo 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paavo Matinheimo!