PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mickey McCarthy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Apassi Pekkarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

McCarthy
vs
Pekkarinen

175 cm
22
180 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
181 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Improved boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mickey McCarthy!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Apassi Pekkarinen!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pekkarinen misses with a takedown attempt - McCarthy sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
McCarthy misses with a wild combination.
McCarthy slips under a jab from Pekkarinen.
McCarthy scores with a jab to the body.
Pekkarinen swings for the body but McCarthy moves out of range.
Pekkarinen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with McCarthy but McCarthy pushes him off and we're back to square one.
McCarthy works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Some wild striking there from McCarthy.
Mickey McCarthy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pekkarinen slips a jab and a cross from McCarthy.
Decent striking displayed by McCarthy there.
Pekkarinen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McCarthy manages to avoid it.
McCarthy scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Pekkarinen doesn't seem bothered though.
Pekkarinen misses with a few strikes there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pekkarinen tries to bum rush McCarthy with a series of wild strikes but McCarthy uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Pekkarinen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
McCarthy is trying to break the clinch but Pekkarinen has him pressed against the cage.

Pekkarinen has hold of one of McCarthy's legs. McCarthy is fighting the takedown attempt but Pekkarinen gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
McCarthy wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
McCarthy wants to stand up but Pekkarinen is controlling him.

Pekkarinen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Pekkarinen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Pekkarinen trying to control the position from guard on top but McCarthy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

McCarthy has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pekkarinen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pekkarinen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. McCarthy is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pekkarinen being controlled here momentarily.

Pekkarinen drops back, looking for a kneebar! McCarthy looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. McCarthy looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from McCarthy!
Pekkarinen is looking for a sweep.
Pekkarinen striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
McCarthy has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Pekkarinen!
McCarthy controlling from the full mount.
Pekkarinen tries to hold on but McCarthy postures up.
Pekkarinen looks gassed!
Pekkarinen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy controlling the pace for now.
Pekkarinen is trying desperately to improve position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McCarthy content just to control the position here.
McCarthy wants to control the pace but Pekkarinen is squirming around nicely.
Pekkarinen is trying desperately to improve position.
McCarthy controlling from mount.

That's four 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.

McCarthy looking to secure an arm triangle but Pekkarinen defends it well.
Pekkarinen regains half guard.

McCarthy is working for a kimura but Pekkarinen is defending it quite comfortably.
Pekkarinen works his way to full guard. Good work.

Pekkarinen had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. McCarthy is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Pekkarinen Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take McCarthy's back instead.
Pekkarinen misses with an elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

McCarthy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
McCarthy looks to land a combination but Pekkarinen avoids it well.
Pekkarinen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from McCarthy.
Pekkarinen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but McCarthy moves away.
McCarthy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
McCarthy tests Pekkarinen's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Pekkarinen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for McCarthy!
Pekkarinen tries to control but McCarthy wriggling away.
McCarthy avoids a series of strikes thrown by Pekkarinen.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pekkarinen throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Pekkarinen wants to control the action but instead McCarthy gets a body lock and reverses into Pekkarinen's guard! Nice work!

Pekkarinen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. McCarthy doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. McCarthy manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Pekkarinen isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. McCarthy stacks Pekkarinen on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by McCarthy!

McCarthy decides to take the fight back to the feet.
McCarthy throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Pekkarinen stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
McCarthy works over Pekkarinen's head and body with a nice combination.

It looks like Apassi Pekkarinen has been cut.
McCarthy throws a series of punches but Pekkarinen avoids them all with ease.
McCarthy swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pekkarinen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy throws a body punch but Pekkarinen moves out of range.
Mickey McCarthy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McCarthy misses with a jab, cross combination.
A big left from McCarthy misses.
McCarthy keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A right-left combo lands from McCarthy.
McCarthy will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Pekkarinen tries to clinch but McCarthy is having none of it.
McCarthy throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
McCarthy fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
McCarthy lands a jab to the head.
A punch combination from McCarthy misses.
Pekkarinen throws a right hand that misses
and McCarthy counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Pekkarinen is rocked!
McCarthy swinging wilding here.
Pekkarinen is still on wobbly legs! Can McCarthy finish him?
McCarthy misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pekkarinen tries to clinch but McCarthy is having none of it.
Pekkarinen seems to have recovered his senses.
McCarthy misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Mickey McCarthy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McCarthy throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
McCarthy fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
McCarthy misses with a few strikes there.
McCarthy looks to land a combination but Pekkarinen avoids it well.
Pekkarinen misses with a double jab
and McCarthy counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
McCarthy misses with a hook. Pekkarinen ducked under it nicely.
McCarthy throws a right and a left that both miss.
McCarthy swings for the body but Pekkarinen moves out of range.
McCarthy misses with the combination.
McCarthy swings away with a body shot that misses

and Pekkarinen moves into the clinch.
Pekkarinen tries to throw a body punch but McCarthy avoids it by throwing Pekkarinen back against the cage.
Pekkarinen working some nice short punches in the clinch.

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.
Pekkarinen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pekkarinen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Pekkarinen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with McCarthy's elbow.
McCarthy blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Pekkarinen struggles to land a body shot inside as McCarthy controls his hands.
Pekkarinen fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Pekkarinen has McCarthy pressed against the cage.
Pekkarinen tries a body shot but McCarthy blocks it.
Pekkarinen drops to a knee looking for a takedown but McCarthy gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Pekkarinen tries to work over McCarthy's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Pekkarinen goes for a takedown in the clinch but McCarthy prevents it.
Mickey McCarthy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Apassi Pekkarinen.
McCarthy blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Pekkarinen is looking for a takedown up against the cage. McCarthy gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Pekkarinen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Pekkarinen misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mickey McCarthy dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Apassi Pekkarinen's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

McCarthy scores with a decent looking hook.
Pekkarinen drops his hands momentarily and McCarthy takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
McCarthy swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Pekkarinen counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
McCarthy misses the shot to the body.
Pekkarinen moves forwards but McCarthy connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Pekkarinen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
McCarthy lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Pekkarinen throws a series of punches but McCarthy avoids them all with ease.
Pekkarinen shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Pekkarinen misses with a takedown attempt - McCarthy sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Pekkarinen is on the wrong end of a nice combination from McCarthy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
McCarthy goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Pekkarinen misses with a wild combination.
Pekkarinen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pekkarinen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? McCarthy is fending him off so far but Pekkarinen persists. Nope, McCarthy circles away and we're back to standing.
Mickey McCarthy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Apassi Pekkarinen.
Pekkarinen throws a right hand that McCarthy ducks under and follows up with a left that McCarthy also avoids with ease.
McCarthy misses with a wild combination.
McCarthy throws a right and a left that Pekkarinen avoids nicely.
Pekkarinen is on the wrong end of a nice combination from McCarthy.
Pekkarinen takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Pekkarinen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? McCarthy is fending him off so far but Pekkarinen persists. Nope, McCarthy circles away and we're back to standing.
McCarthy connects with a good right hand that stumbles Pekkarinen. Pekkarinen circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
McCarthy misses with a series of wild punches.

Pekkarinen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. McCarthy looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
McCarthy wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Pekkarinen working the ground and pound from side control.
Pekkarinen throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and McCarthy works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy tries to kick Pekkarinen off but Pekkarinen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
McCarthy controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Pekkarinen trying to control the action but McCarthy is working from the bottom.

Pekkarinen is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so McCarthy is just riding it out for now. Pekkarinen eventually gives up the hold.
Pekkarinen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Pekkarinen is looking for a kimura but McCarthy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Pekkarinen to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Pekkarinen is working away from the top position though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pekkarinen takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
McCarthy fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Pekkarinen tries to close the distance and clinch but McCarthy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pekkarinen tries for a takedown but McCarthy sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mickey McCarthy is winning the standup battle so far.
McCarthy cracks Pekkarinen with a right hand to the side of the head.
McCarthy scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Pekkarinen doesn't seem bothered though.
Pekkarinen takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
McCarthy avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
McCarthy lands a jab to Pekkarinen's midsection.
Pekkarinen misses with a double jab
and McCarthy connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
McCarthy scores with a three punch combo!
McCarthy misses with a double jab

and Pekkarinen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pekkarinen moves into full mount! McCarthy won't be happy about that!
Pekkarinen controlling from the full mount.
Pekkarinen punishing his opponent with strikes.

McCarthy is flailing around, obviously not happy about being mounted. Pekkarinen locks hold of one of his arms and spins for an armbar. He's got it! McCarthy is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Apassi Pekkarinen!
Apassi Pekkarinen is the new welterweight champion!