PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Asamoah Mensah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kari Grandi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mensah comes to the cage accompanied by Jump around. Grandi has chosen Kaikkien janoisten sankari! as his entrance music. 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.

Mensah
vs
Grandi

188 cm
25
170 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

200 cm
19
175 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Prefers standup

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Asamoah Mensah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kari Grandi!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Marco Blurström and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mensah looks to land a combination but Grandi avoids it well.
Grandi tries to clinch
and Mensah counters with a big head kick but Grandi shrugs it off.
Grandi avoids the body shot from Mensah.
Mensah looks to land a body kick but Grandi moved away.
Mensah swinging wildly here.
Grandi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mensah.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grandi looks to clinch
and Mensah finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Grandi wants to clinch but Mensah slips to the side
and Mensah counters with a nice kick to the body.
Mensah tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Grandi was well out of range. Poor timing from Mensah.
Mensah feints a jab promting Grandi to slip. Mensah then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Grandi slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Grandi is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Mensah misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mensah throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Grandi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Mensah misses with a body kick.
Mensah swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Grandi counters by clinching up.

Mensah breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Grandi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
letting Mensah counter with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grandi slips a jab and a cross from Mensah.
Mensah misses with a kick to the body.
Mensah looks to score with a jab to the body but Grandi is just out of range.

That's four 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.
Mensah throws a lazy head kick

and Grandi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Mensah lands a knee to the body.
Mensah fails to pull guard.
Grandi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Mensah managing to block the knees to the body from Grandi.
Grandi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mensah avoids it.
Grandi is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mensah is defending well for now.
Grandi is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mensah is defending well for now.
Grandi misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mensah.
Grandi lands a good knee to the midsection. Mensah won't want to take too many of those.
Grandi looks gassed!

Mensah manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Grandi trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mensah's guard.
Grandi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Grandi being controlled here momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Asamoah Mensah dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A lazy body kick from Mensah

and Grandi counters by clinching up.
Mensah is stalling here.

Mensah has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Grandi uses from the top position.
Mensah pulls Grandi in close to prevent any damage.
Mensah has a closed guard, preventing Grandi from standing up.
Mensah is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mensah thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Grandi's head.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Mensah trying to mount his opponent but Grandi defends it.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Asamoah Mensah wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Mensah lands a head kick. Grandi smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grandi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Asamoah Mensah is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mensah pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Grandi tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Grandi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Asamoah Mensah seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Grandi moves to clinch but Mensah breaks away
and Mensah counters with a head kick. That will keep Grandi thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grandi tries to clinch
and Mensah counters with a left and a right that stings Grandi.
Grandi closes the distance but Mensah moves to the side
and Mensah counters with a head kick. That will keep Grandi thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Grandi is rocked!
Mensah lands a brutal head kick. Grandi looks out on his feet and Mensah throws more strikes until the ref is forced to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:05 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick and Punches). Asamoah Mensah!