PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Harri Sirkkeli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martti Aho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Sirkkeli
vs
Aho

184 cm
26
182 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

185 cm
29
178 lbs
12 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
World class boxer
Powerful

Crashforce Nutrition (Authentic 159Q Recovery $79)
M/S Paint Fightwear **Laundry service**

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Harri Sirkkeli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Martti Aho!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aho scores with a nice strike.
Aho throws a lazy uppercut
and Sirkkeli counters with a straight right hand.
Sirkkeli shoots in for a takedown but Aho shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Aho swings for the body but Sirkkeli moves out of range.
Sirkkeli misses the shot to the body.
Sirkkeli throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Aho on the side of the head.
Sirkkeli thuds a left hand into Aho's body.
Aho misses with an uppercut
and Sirkkeli counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nice shot lands for Sirkkeli.
Sirkkeli takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Aho tries to bum rush Sirkkeli with a series of wild strikes but Sirkkeli uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Aho throws a sloppy body shot
and Sirkkeli counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sirkkeli ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Sirkkeli tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Aho swivels and escapes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sirkkeli swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sirkkeli misses with a right hand
and Aho counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Aho ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Martti Aho is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sirkkeli misses with a straight right.
Aho moves into range and connects with a jab.
Aho swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sirkkeli keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sirkkeli throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Aho.
Aho takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Sirkkeli misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sirkkeli misses the jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aho swings for the body but Sirkkeli moves out of range.
Aho jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Sirkkeli.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A telegraphed right hand from Sirkkeli misses the target.
Sirkkeli throws a jab when Aho was well out of range.
Sirkkeli misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Aho.
Sirkkeli throws a nice looking combination but Aho bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Aho tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sirkkeli was well out of range. Poor timing from Aho.
Aho avoids the body shot from Sirkkeli.
Aho misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Sirkkeli cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sirkkeli tries for a takedown but Aho sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harri Sirkkeli. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sirkkeli scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aho just misses with a punch to the body.
Sirkkeli fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Aho manages to avoid it.
Sirkkeli pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Aho misses with the combination.
Sirkkeli blocks a jab.
Aho takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Sirkkeli takes a swing at Aho's ribcage but misses.
Sirkkeli jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Aho uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sirkkeli.
Aho connects with a single shot there.
Aho stuns Sirkkeli with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aho throws a hook but Sirkkeli blocks it.
Martti Aho seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aho rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

so Sirkkeli counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sirkkeli loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sirkkeli tries to free his leg and advance position but Aho is retaining full guard.
Sirkkeli trying to control but Aho is working from the bottom.
Aho is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sirkkeli is controlling him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sirkkeli wants to pass the guard but Aho is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sirkkeli scores with a nice right hand.
Aho swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Sirkkeli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A shot to the body from Aho misses
and Sirkkeli counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Sirkkeli misses with a jab to the body
and Aho cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Aho avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Sirkkeli changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Aho looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sirkkeli wants to lay and pray for a moment but Aho keeps working.
Aho is trying to get back to his feet.
Sirkkeli in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Aho avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Sirkkeli.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aho wants to get back to his feet but Sirkkeli drags him back down.
Sirkkeli tries to score with some ground and pound. Aho controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Sirkkeli misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aho is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Sirkkeli is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Aho has escaped the position, nice work there.
Aho is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Sirkkeli asserts his dominance and retains side control.
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.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Aho really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sirkkeli. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sirkkeli with the ground and pound but Aho regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Sirkkeli thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Aho's head.
Sirkkeli stops Aho from getting back to his feet.
Sirkkeli wants to lay and pray for a moment but Aho keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aho won't allow Sirkkeli to pass to mount.
Aho wants to get back to his feet.
Sirkkeli throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sirkkeli controlling the pace.
Sirkkeli seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Aho wants to get back to his feet.
Sirkkeli is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sirkkeli throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sirkkeli lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Sirkkeli trying to control from half guard but Aho is working away.
Sirkkeli sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Aho defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harri Sirkkeli dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sirkkeli uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Aho.
Aho misses with a straight left.
Aho misses with a shot to the body

and Sirkkeli counters with a single leg into guard. Aho didn't expect that.
Aho is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sirkkeli is controlling him.
Aho working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sirkkeli.
Sirkkeli working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Aho is looking to stand up but Sirkkeli isn't so interested in that idea.
Sirkkeli seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Sirkkeli trying to control the position from guard on top but Aho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sirkkeli engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Aho is looking to stand up but Sirkkeli isn't so interested in that idea.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sirkkeli content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sirkkeli tries to free his leg and advance position but Aho is retaining full guard.
Aho wants to get back to his feet but Sirkkeli is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sirkkeli with a flurry of punches that miss.
Aho keeping moving, preventing Sirkkeli from controlling successfully.
Sirkkeli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Aho swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sirkkeli sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Aho's guard.
Sirkkeli working Aho over with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sirkkeli is looking to take a break and control but Aho is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sirkkeli thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Aho's head.
Sirkkeli seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Aho does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Sirkkeli is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sirkkeli throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Sirkkeli throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sirkkeli postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Aho looks a forlorn figure.
Sirkkeli is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Aho can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Aho squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Sirkkeli pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Aho takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sirkkeli controlling from mount.
Aho is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harri Sirkkeli showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sirkkeli has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harri Sirkkeli!