PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sakari Watts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juho Kansunen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakari Watts has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Watts
vs
Kansunen

169 cm
22
169 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
23
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sakari Watts!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juho Kansunen!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Watts does it's job there.

Watts gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Watts breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sloppy strikes from Kansunen. Those never looked like landing.
Kansunen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Watts avoids it really well and circles away.
Watts connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Kansunen's hands.
A head kick misses from Kansunen.
Kansunen shoots in for a double leg but Watts sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Watts lands a jab.
Kansunen fails to land with a series of punches.
Kansunen takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Juho Kansunen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kansunen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kansunen misses with a wild body shot.
Watts throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kansunen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Watts cracks Kansunen with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Kansunen throws a nice looking combination but Watts bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kansunen thows a leg kick but Watts checks it
and Watts counters with a nice uppercut.
A chopping leg kick lands by Watts.
Kansunen looks gassed!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Watts keeps Kansunen at a distance using the push kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Watts finds it's way through Kansunen's defenses.
A left and a right from Watts both land. Nice combination.

Watts closes the distance and pushes Kansunen back into the cage.
Watts pressing his opponent against the cage.
Watts with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kansunen looking to slow down the pace here.
A hook to the body from Watts.
Watts holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Kansunen takes an elbow to the forehead.
Watts lands a nice knee to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Watts throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Watts breaks the clinch.
Watts looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Watts connects with a leg kick. Kansunen looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Watts lands a really nice looking cross but Kansunen seems unphased.
Watts connects with a good right hand that stumbles Kansunen. Kansunen circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Watts scores with a head kick.
Watts wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Watts lands a nice looking kick to the body. Kansunen takes a step back to recover.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Watts drives through and clinches with Kansunen against the cage.

Watts manages to break the clinch.

Kansunen clinches up with Watts and pushes him back against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Watts.

Watts lands a takedown into guard.
Watts landing with the ground and pound.
Watts distracts Kansunen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Watts looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Watts lands a couple of elbows.
Watts sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Watts working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kansunen wants to sweep here but Watts controlling him for the moment.
Kansunen wants to get back to his feet but Watts is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Watts content to stall in guard here.
Watts works over Kansunen with some ground and pound from guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Watts controlling from the top position.
Watts trying to control but Kansunen is working from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Watts postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Kansunen throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

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.
Kansunen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Watts's guard.
Watts pulls Kansunen in close to prevent any damage.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Watts pushes Kansunen off and gets back to his feet.
Watts scores with a jab to the jaw.
Kansunen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling Watts to counter with a crisp jab.
Kansunen looks to clinch
and Watts counters with a slapping leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kansunen closes the distance but Watts moves to the side
enabling Watts to counter with a crisp jab.
Kansunen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Watts counters with a one-two to the body.
Kansunen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Watts counters with a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sakari Watts dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Watts thuds his shin into the meat of Kansunen's side.
Kansunen looks to clinch
and Watts counters with a nice body kick.
Watts is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kansunen can do to turn this around?
Kansunen stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Watts.
Watts lands a right hook to the body.

Watts gets a clinch.
Kansunen throws a punch but it's blocked by Watts.
Watts lands a body shot.
Watts stalls.

Watts's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Watts lands a head kick. Kansunen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Kansunen tries for a takedown but Watts circles away easily
and Watts counters with a nice leg kick.
A head kick from Watts lands but Kansunen takes it in his stride.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kansunen misses with a double jab
and Watts counters with a right hand to the body.
Watts throws a leg kick which misses Kansunen's front leg but catches the back leg as Kansunen tries to avoid it.
Watts connects with an inside leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Watts darts in and clinches Kansunen up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts pushes Kansunen back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kansunen is trying to break the clinch but Watts has him pressed against the cage.
Kansunen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Kansunen wants to break free but Watts has control.
Watts taking a breather.

Watts escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Watts displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Kansunen misses with a combination
and Watts counters with a stiff right hand.
Kansunen throws a lazy head kick

and Watts counters with a takedown into side control.
Kansunen takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Kansunen throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Watts is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Kansunen will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Watts lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Kansunen throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Watts landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watts scoring with punches from side control.
Kansunen taking punishment in the form of punches.
Kansunen takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Kansunen tries to bench press Watts off him but Watts keeps the position.
Watts is staying tight to Kansunen's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Watts working the head with strikes.
Kansunen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Watts wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Watts taking a breather here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kansunen is trying to buck Watts off.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Kansunen striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Watts happy to just control the position for now.
Kansunen takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Kansunen is trying to control Watts's posture but Watts avoids it.
Watts creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kansunen wants to get back to his feet but Watts drags him back down.
Watts working the ground and pound.

Watts stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Decent striking displayed by Watts there.
Kansunen is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Watts moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Kansunen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Watts.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Watts has closed the distance and engaged Kansunen in a clinch.
Watts lands with a left to the head.

Watts breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Watts bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Kansunen's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sakari Watts dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kansunen throws an overhand right that lands on Watts's shoulder, as Watts tries to avoid the shot.
Kansunen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Watts counters with a body kick that stops Kansunen in his tracks momentarily.
Kansunen tries to clinch but Watts moves away
and Watts cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Watts lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Kansunen has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Watts.
Good exchange - Watts coming out on top.
Kansunen takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Kansunen misses with a takedown
and Watts counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Juho Kansunen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Watts lands with a thumping leg kick.

Watts fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kansunen, pushing him back against the cage.

Watts gets control of Kansunen's arms and successfully pulls guard. Watts will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Kansunen throws a strike but Watts rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sakari Watts overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Watts postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Watts slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Watts stands and throws Kansunen's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kansunen is trying to escape the position but Watts is controlling the position.
Kansunen is looking for a sweep.
Watts lands an elbow.
Kansunen is trying to get back to half guard.
Watts working the head and body with strikes.
Watts controls the position from side control.
Kansunen tries to buck Watts off but Watts 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.
Kansunen being controlled for a moment.

Watts is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kansunen has escaped the position, nice work there.
Watts is putting a hurting on Kansunen here, landing some big shots from side control.
Watts is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Kansunen will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Kansunen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Watts scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Kansunen to see if he's OK.

Watts is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kansunen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Kansunen gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watts is nestled in close to Kansunen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Kansunen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Watts is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Watts decides to return to a standing position.
Watts comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Watts closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Kansunen did well to prevent Watts getting side control.
Kansunen trying to control but Watts postures up.
Still in half guard, Watts seems content to control.
Watts looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Kansunen with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Watts seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Kansunen is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Sakari Watts!