PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hilajoen Antti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Graves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antti kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Tulin minä kaapista ulos. Graves comes into a darkened arena with his song building. I Want War by Pastor Troy kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! James Graves struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 156.8lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Antti
vs
Graves

168 cm
23
163 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

185 cm
26
170 lbs
11 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Powerful

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hilajoen Antti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 1, fighting out of New York, James Graves!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Jorge Garcia and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Antti misses with a straight left.
Antti swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Graves connects with a body shot that sends Antti's belly button to the back.
Antti lunges at Graves with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Graves's hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Graves. Antti does a little dance to reset his feet.
Antti bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Graves throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Graves wants to clinch.
Antti throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Antti takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Graves misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A looping hook to the body misses from Antti. Graves does a little dance to reset his feet.
Graves throws a lazy uppercut

and Antti counters with a shoot takedown. Graves fights it but they end up in guard.
Graves looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Antti trying to control the position from guard on top but Graves is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Antti throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Graves works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Antti trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Antti accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Graves keeping full guard, as Antti tries to pass.
Antti loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Graves is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Antti controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Graves avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Antti distracts Graves with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Antti is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Antti looking to pass the guard.

Graves had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Antti defends it easily.
Antti is looking to advance position but Graves has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Antti throwing hammer fists to the chest of Graves. What's that going to do exactly?
Antti regains half guard.
Antti wants to improve his position but Graves is controlling well.
Antti missing with punches from the bottom.

That's four 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.

Graves is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Antti doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Graves.
Antti is trying to stand back up but Graves is controlling him
Antti wants to control but Graves is keeping busy.
Antti moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hilajoen Antti dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Antti lands a nice shot that snaps Graves's head back.
Graves closes the distance looking to clinch

and Antti holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Graves goes for a takedown attempt but Antti pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Antti throws a body punch but Graves moves out of range.
Graves stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Graves wants it to stay on the feet.

Graves forces Antti back against the cage and clinches.
Antti lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Graves lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Graves misses with a hook to the ribs.
Graves scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Antti lands a body shot in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Antti creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Graves goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Antti tries to land knees in the clinch but Graves avoids the damage to the body.
Graves is leaning against Antti and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Graves.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Antti.
Graves trying to land knees to the body.
Antti avoiding damage as Graves throws knees to the body.
Graves tries to throw a body punch but Antti avoids it by throwing Graves back against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Antti.
Graves pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Antti on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Graves is breathing heavily.
Graves wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Antti has a couple of punches blocked by Graves.
Antti lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Graves or not.
Antti is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Graves has Antti pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Antti manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Antti works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Antti lands a hook that snaps the head of Graves backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Antti scores with a nice short uppercut.
Antti lands a shoulder strike.
Graves tries to throw a body punch but Antti avoids it by throwing Graves back against the cage.
Nice body punch from Graves.
Graves content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Graves misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Graves.
Graves misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Antti lands a body punch.
Antti lands with a light punch inside.
Antti has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Graves is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Antti lands a nice uppercut.
Graves tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Antti's elbow.
Graves misses with a punch to the body.
Antti stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Graves misses with a punch to the body.
Antti presses Graves against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Graves lands a body shot.
Antti scores with a nice hook to the head.
Antti makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Antti lands a right hand that snaps the head of Graves backwards.
Antti on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Antti cracks Graves with a nice body shot.
Antti lands a body punch.
Graves tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Antti managing to block the knees to the body from Graves.
A short right from Antti on the inside.
Graves struggles to land a body shot inside as Antti controls his hands.
The referee is keeping an eye on Antti - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Graves working hard to break the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Antti creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Antti is leaning against Graves and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Antti lands a hook to the side of the head.
Antti lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Antti lands a left hand that snaps the head of Graves backwards.
Antti misses with a punch on the inside.
Antti lands a nice uppercut.
Graves drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Antti gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hilajoen Antti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Graves.
Antti scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Antti.
A nice right hand lands inside from Antti.
Graves tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Antti lands a body shot in the clinch.
Antti digs a right hand into Graves's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Graves's gas tank.
Antti tries to score a body lock takedown but Graves shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A body shot lands from Antti.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Antti.
Still in the clinch, Antti scores with a nice short uppercut.
Graves fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Antti lands an uppercut.
Antti blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Antti lands a body punch in the clinch.
Antti lands a left hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A shot in the inside from Antti.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Antti.
Antti is trying to drag Graves to the mat but Graves just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Antti lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hilajoen Antti dominated that second round.
That's time! Antti's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Antti pushes Graves up against the cage in a clinch.
A right hand to the body from Antti.
A right hand to the body from Antti.
Graves goes for a takedown attempt but Antti pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Graves misses the body punch
and Antti counters with a stiff right hand.
Antti digs a good body shot into Graves's ribs.

Antti clinches up against the cage.
Antti has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Graves avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Antti avoiding damage.
A nice left hand lands by Antti.
A short body shot lands from Antti as the two fighters clinch.
Antti scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Antti decides to pull guard.
Antti is trying to control the position but Graves postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Graves takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Antti thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Antti looking to hit a scissor sweep but Graves is one step ahead there.
Antti manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Graves manages to get himself to full guard.
Antti scoring with some ground and pound.
Antti throws and elbow that misses. Graves uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Antti's guard. Nice move by Graves!
Antti doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
James Graves has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Antti lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Graves!
Graves is squirming around, avoiding Antti's attempts to control the action.
Antti lands a big elbow.
The referee warns Graves that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Antti working away from the top, dropping strikes.
A nice elbow there by Antti.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves taking shots to the head.
Graves is in a horrible position here. Antti smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Antti unloading with bombs!
Antti trying to control but Graves is having none of it.
Antti lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Graves hang on?
Hilajoen Antti is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Antti takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Antti tries to control but Graves wriggling away.
Graves working to try and regain half guard.
Antti scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Graves?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Antti lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hilajoen Antti showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Antti 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight for Hilajoen Antti!
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight for Hilajoen Antti!
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight for Hilajoen Antti!

Hilajoen Antti wins by unanimous decision!