PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Uolevi Gepardi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cottoneye Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe has chosen Cottoneye Joe as his entrance music. Cottoneye Joe acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Gepardi
vs
Joe

169 cm
25
152 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

175 cm
22
154 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Uolevi Gepardi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cottoneye Joe!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Marco Blurström and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good leg kick by Gepardi there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Nice uppercut lands for Joe. That snapped Gepardi's head back.
Gepardi scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Joe stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Joe wants it to stay on the feet.
Joe throws a right and a left that Gepardi avoids nicely.
Joe displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gepardi throws out the jab.

Joe pushes Gepardi up against the cage in a clinch.
Gepardi has had enough of the clinch but Joe keeps him there for the moment.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gepardi.
Joe misses with some punches.
Joe lands a left hand.
Gepardi wants to stall.
Gepardi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Joe backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Joe.
Joe lands a nice uppercut.
Joe misses with a hook to the ribs.

Gepardi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Joe lands an overhand right.
Gepardi swats away the attempt to clinch by Joe.

Gepardi clinches with his opponent.
Joe lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gepardi backwards.
Gepardi tries for a takedown. No joy.
A right hook to the body lands for Joe.
Joe throws a punch but it's blocked by Gepardi.
Gepardi wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Joe has him pressed against the cage.

Gepardi breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gepardi misses with a low kick.
Joe bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Gepardi's head.
Joe slips a straight right by Gepardi.
Joe scores with a nice head shot.
Gepardi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nice cross by Joe.
Gepardi takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Gepardi tries to score a power double leg takedown but Joe sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gepardi somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Uolevi Gepardi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gepardi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Gepardi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gepardi takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Gepardi throws a leg kick but Joe sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Gepardi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Joe moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gepardi postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Joe is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Gepardi, into his guard.
Gepardi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Joe.
Joe trying to control the position from guard on top but Gepardi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Joe throws and elbow that misses. Gepardi uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Joe's guard. Nice move by Gepardi!

Joe throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gepardi with a nice head shot there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe wants to sweep but no luck.

Joe looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Gepardi passes into half guard.
Gepardi wants to advance to full mount but Joe doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Gepardi throwing strikes from guard but Joe blocks nicely.
Gepardi wants to control from the top but Joe keeps moving.
Gepardi distracts Joe with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Gepardi stands up over Joe, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Joe trying to keep a closed guard but Gepardi is proving a slippery customer.
Gepardi wants to control from the top but Joe keeps moving.
Joe can't keep his opponent in guard - Gepardi advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Gepardi lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Gepardi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cottoneye Joe will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gepardi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Joe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Joe slips under a jab.
The fighters circling - Gepardi throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gepardi takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Gepardi shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gepardi showed some decent athleticism there.
Gepardi wants to free his trapped foot but Joe is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Joe wants to get back to full guard but Gepardi has mounted him!
Joe is wriggling around trying to escape.

Gepardi is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Joe can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Gepardi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Joe is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gepardi looking to secure an arm triangle but Joe defends it well.
Gepardi controlling from mount.
A nice elbow there by Gepardi.
Gepardi lands a big shot there that rocks Joe but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Joe is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gepardi 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.
Gepardi lands with some strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joe really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gepardi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Joe hang on?

Gepardi working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Joe really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gepardi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Joe is looking to escape.
Gepardi lands a nice shot to the head.

Gepardi looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gepardi looking to finish Joe with some ground and pound. This is bad for Joe!
Gepardi content just to control the position here.
Joe wants to hold on but Gepardi pushes him away.
Joe is bucking up trying to escape but Gepardi cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Gepardi trying to control but Joe is having none of it.

Gepardi with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joe is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Gepardi mounts Joe! Really nice guard pass there!
Gepardi with the ground and pound from mount.
Joe keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Gepardi swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Joe is now in Gepardi's guard. A big mistake from Gepardi there, giving up the dominant position!
Joe pushes down on Gepardi's leg and manages to get into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gepardi misses with a body kick.
The crowd cheers as Joe lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gepardi doesn't seem phased though.

Gepardi instigates a clinch.
A right hand to the body from Gepardi.
Gepardi throws a punch but it's blocked by Joe.

Gepardi manages to pull guard.
Joe must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gepardi keeping moving, preventing Joe from controlling successfully.
Joe in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Joe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Joe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gepardi keeping moving, preventing Joe from controlling successfully.
Joe trying to move into half guard but instead Gepardi has managed to sweep!
Gepardi trying to control the position from guard on top but Joe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gepardi avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gepardi pushes down on Joe's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Gepardi is trying to control the action in half guard but Joe is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Gepardi trying to pass the guard but Joe defending well.

Gepardi is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Joe defends it well.
Joe wants to get back to full guard.

That's two 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.

Gepardi in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Joe tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Gepardi!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Uolevi Gepardi!