PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Janne Puikko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abu Al Zarqawi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Janne Puikko has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Puikko
vs
Al Zarqawi

198 cm
20
196 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

180 cm
27
195 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Great low kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Janne Puikko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Abu Al Zarqawi!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Marco Blurström and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puikko throws a jab but it's blocked by Al Zarqawi.
Puikko lands a jab to the nose.
Janne Puikko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Al Zarqawi keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Puikko lands with a nice body punch.
Puikko throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Abu Al Zarqawi has been cut.
Puikko lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Al Zarqawi at a distance.
Al Zarqawi misses with a looping left.
Al Zarqawi misses with a body punch
and Puikko counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Al Zarqawi just misses with a punch to the body.
Al Zarqawi swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Puikko cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Puikko lands a jab to Al Zarqawi's midsection.
Puikko is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Zarqawi just misses with a punch to the body.
Al Zarqawi swings and misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Puikko bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Puikko throws a hook but Al Zarqawi blocks it.
Puikko throws a looping overhand right but Al Zarqawi ducks down to avoid it.
Puikko connects with a solid leg kick.
Puikko scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Puikko lands with a cross.
Puikko connects with an inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Puikko looks to land a combination but Al Zarqawi avoids it well.
Puikko throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Al Zarqawi.
Puikko lands a nice hook to Al Zarqawi's body. Al Zarqawi takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Al Zarqawi takes a swing at Puikko's ribcage but misses.
Puikko connects with a crisp jab.
Good exchange - Puikko coming out on top.
Puikko throws a series of punches but Al Zarqawi moves out of range.
Puikko throws a nice outside leg kick.
Janne Puikko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jab from Puikko.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puikko pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Puikko with a nice cross.
Al Zarqawi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Puikko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Puikko scores with a hook to the body. Al Zarqawi takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Puikko misses with a wild combination.
Al Zarqawi blocks a head kick by Puikko.
Al Zarqawi takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Puikko connects with a single shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Al Zarqawi.
Puikko swinging wildly here.
Puikko's corner calls for a 1-2. Puikko obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Puikko connects with a body shot that sends Al Zarqawi's belly button to the back.
Puikko dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Al Zarqawi. That did some damage!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Puikko plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

That has opened up Abu Al Zarqawi's cut even more.
Puikko is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
That kick from Puikko tenderised Al Zarqawi's leg. Al Zarqawi is trying to keep his angry face on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Janne Puikko dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Abu Al Zarqawi's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Puikko fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Puikko scores with a three punch combo!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Puikko!
Puikko feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Al Zarqawi's calf.
Al Zarqawi misses with an uppercut
and Puikko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Al Zarqawi takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Puikko is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Al Zarqawi.
Puikko fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Al Zarqawi manages to avoid it.
Puikko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Al Zarqawi might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Puikko has got the better of the exchanges.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Puikko. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Puikko.
Puikko fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Al Zarqawi has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Al Zarqawi avoids the head kick by Puikko.
Al Zarqawi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Puikko.
Al Zarqawi takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Al Zarqawi misses with a body shot.
Puikko lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Al Zarqawi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Puikko manages to avoid it.
Janne Puikko is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Zarqawi swings away with a body shot that misses
and Puikko counters with a three punch combo that has Al Zarqawi backing up. Al Zarqawi nods at Puikko to acknowledge the strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Puikko takes a swing at Al Zarqawi's ribcage but misses.
Puikko keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Puikko looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Puikko misses with a looping right.
Al Zarqawi takes a head kick and keeps coming.

The cut above Abu Al Zarqawi's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Al Zarqawi on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Puikko. Puikko obviously looking to wear him down.
Puikko lands an overhand right.
Al Zarqawi gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Puikko.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Puikko!
Al Zarqawi on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Puikko. Puikko obviously looking to wear him down.
Puikko cracks a nice hook into Al Zarqawi's ribs.
Al Zarqawi is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Puikko rather than just go for the knockout.
Al Zarqawi is breathing heavily.
Puikko scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Puikko scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Abu Al Zarqawi's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Abu Al Zarqawi's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Janne Puikko!