PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Toivo Haapasalo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Risto Korpisuo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Haapasalo's entrance music is Motorhead - Killed By Death. A fine choice. Korpisuo is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Humpparaakki by Eläkeläiset. 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.

Haapasalo
vs
Korpisuo

186 cm
23
218 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

183 cm
23
203 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Toivo Haapasalo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Risto Korpisuo!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Korpisuo checks a leg kick.

Korpisuo shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Haapasalo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Haapasalo is trying to get back to full guard.
Haapasalo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Korpisuo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Korpisuo's back!
Korpisuo can't escape the position.
Korpisuo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Korpisuo is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Haapasalo is looking to control Korpisuo but Korpisuo is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Korpisuo is taking damage to the body and head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Korpisuo is really stuck here.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Haapasalo is trying to stick to Korpisuo's back but Korpisuo is turning into Haapasalo. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Haapasalo's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Korpisuo.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Korpisuo scoring with punches to the head and body.
Haapasalo is trying to keep Korpisuo in close.
Haapasalo wants to get back to his feet but Korpisuo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Haapasalo kicks Korpisuo off and gets to his feet.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Korpisuo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Haapasalo avoids it really well and circles away.
Korpisuo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Toivo Haapasalo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Korpisuo thows a body shot but no joy.
Korpisuo swings widly with a right hand
and Haapasalo counters with a left and a right that stings Korpisuo.
Haapasalo slaps away a takedown attempt from Korpisuo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Toivo Haapasalo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Risto Korpisuo.
Haapasalo just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Haapasalo. Those never looked like landing.
Korpisuo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Haapasalo was well out of range. Poor timing from Korpisuo.
Haapasalo swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Korpisuo counters with a takedown into side control.

Korpisuo is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Haapasalo knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Korpisuo trying to control the action but Haapasalo is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haapasalo is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Korpisuo throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Korpisuo trying to control the position but Haapasalo is working away.
Korpisuo misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Risto Korpisuo will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Korpisuo drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Haapasalo struggling a bit here.
Haapasalo takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Haapasalo dodges the ground and pound from Korpisuo.
Haapasalo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Korpisuo looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Haapasalo is avoiding damage well.
Haapasalo tries to buck Korpisuo off but Korpisuo is having none of it.

Korpisuo tries for a kimura but Haapasalo is defending well.
Haapasalo is trying to control Korpisuo's posture but Korpisuo avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haapasalo stops Korpisuo from passing to mount.
Haapasalo is pushing Korpisuo's head away, looking to escape. Korpisuo manages to hold on to the position though.
Korpisuo in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Korpisuo working away.
Korpisuo throwing strikes but Haapasalo manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Korpisuo manages to work his way to half guard, despite Haapasalo's best efforts.
Haapasalo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Korpisuo wants to get back to full guard.
Haapasalo wants to free his trapped foot but Korpisuo is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Haapasalo is trying to control. Korpisuo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Korpisuo wants to improve his position but Haapasalo is controlling well.
Haapasalo tries to stand but can't do so whilst Korpisuo controls his leg.
Korpisuo trying to control here.

Haapasalo seems to be working for a kimura but Korpisuo defends the submission attempt.
Korpisuo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Haapasalo wants to free his trapped foot but Korpisuo is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Haapasalo is trying to control the action in half guard but Korpisuo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haapasalo is pressing down on Korpisuo's thigh, looking to free his foot. Korpisuo is holding on for now.
Haapasalo is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Haapasalo is trying to work for a kimura but Korpisuo is defending well.
Korpisuo regains full guard. Nicely done.
Haapasalo won't allow Korpisuo to sweep him here.
Haapasalo trying to control the position from guard on top but Korpisuo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Haapasalo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Korpisuo keeping moving, preventing Haapasalo from controlling successfully.
Korpisuo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Korpisuo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Korpisuo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

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.
Haapasalo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Haapasalo decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Korpisuo, up you get!
Korpisuo has a takedown stuffed.
Korpisuo misses with a takedown attempt - Haapasalo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Risto Korpisuo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Korpisuo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Haapasalo.
Korpisuo uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Haapasalo.
Korpisuo fails to land the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Korpisuo closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Haapasalo's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haapasalo wants to sweep but no luck.
Haapasalo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Korpisuo postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Haapasalo is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Korpisuo, into his guard.

Haapasalo drops back looking for a leg! Korpisuo is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Korpisuo manages to kick Haapasalo off! Haapasalo jumps back into Korpisuo's guard.
Haapasalo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Korpisuo being controlled here, momentarily.
Korpisuo keeping moving, preventing Haapasalo from controlling successfully.
Risto Korpisuo has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Haapasalo trying to stand up but can't free himself from Korpisuo's guard.

Haapasalo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Haapasalo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Korpisuo is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Haapasalo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Haapasalo wants to stand but Korpisuo has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Korpisuo keeping moving, preventing Haapasalo from controlling successfully.
Korpisuo lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Haapasalo!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Korpisuo lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Haapasalo hang on?
Haapasalo blocking the ground and pound.
Korpisuo throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Korpisuo scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Korpisuo throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Toivo Haapasalo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Haapasalo can't escape the position.
BOOM! Korpisuo connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Korpisuo landing strikes from the mount.
Risto Korpisuo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Korpisuo looking to finish with strikes here!
Korpisuo cracks Haapasalo with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Korpisuo.
Korpisuo is in the full mount, landing strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Korpisuo working Haapasalo over with strikes here.
Korpisuo connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
BOOM! Korpisuo connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Haapasalo is squirming around, avoiding Korpisuo's attempts to control the action.
Korpisuo landing punches.
Korpisuo scoring with strikes but Haapasalo is staying in there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Korpisuo looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Haapasalo taking shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Risto Korpisuo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Korpisuo winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Risto Korpisuo!