PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gert Kocani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haymitch Abernathy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Kocani
vs
Abernathy

190 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

164 cm
25
176 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gert Kocani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Haymitch Abernathy!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kocani misses with the combination.
Abernathy throws a low kick, looking for Kocani's leg but Kocani calmly moves out of range.
Abernathy throws a body punch but Kocani moves out of range.
Kocani misses with a jab, cross combination.

Abernathy closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Abernathy is looking to take a break and control but Kocani is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kocani avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Abernathy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Abernathy working the ground and pound but Kocani is defending the strikes.
Kocani knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Abernathy on the ground.
Abernathy misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Kocani defending against the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abernathy working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Abernathy trying to control the position but Kocani is working away.

Abernathy is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kocani is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Abernathy tries for a kimura but Kocani is defending well.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Abernathy has eaten all the pies!
Kocani defending against the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abernathy is looking to take a break and control but Kocani is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Abernathy misses with the ground and pound.
Abernathy misses with the ground and pound.

Abernathy looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Abernathy grinds an elbow into Kocani's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abernathy trying to control the position but Kocani is working away.
Abernathy in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Abernathy looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Kocani is avoiding damage well.

Abernathy is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kocani knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Abernathy in side control, throwing shots but Kocani defends.
The strikes coming from Abernathy are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abernathy works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Abernathy throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Abernathy throws an elbow but Kocani slips to the side and avoids it well.
Abernathy slows the pace down.
Abernathy throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Kocani is breathing heavily.
Abernathy postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Abernathy 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.
Abernathy is looking to take a break and control but Kocani is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Abernathy looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Abernathy is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Abernathy is keen to just control but Kocani is a slippery customer.
Abernathy thows a huge punch but Kocani dodges it nicely.
Kocani is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Abernathy scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kocani is refusing to be controlled, as Abernathy sits in half guard.
Abernathy prevents Kocani from standing back up.
Abernathy passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kocani!
Abernathy fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Abernathy lands with some strikes.

Abernathy has control of Kocani's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kocani regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Abernathy has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Abernathy throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abernathy throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Abernathy misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Abernathy breaks from Kocani's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Abernathy thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
BOOM! Abernathy connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abernathy punishing his opponent with strikes.

Abernathy has hold of Kocani's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Kocani manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Abernathy trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Abernathy postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kocani looks a forlorn figure.
Abernathy thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abernathy with good strikes from the mount here!
Abernathy landing strikes, looking to finish!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Abernathy lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kocani hang on?
Abernathy is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Kocani can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Abernathy with the ground and pound from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Abernathy looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Abernathy wants to control the pace but Kocani is squirming around nicely.
Abernathy scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Kocani?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haymitch Abernathy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Abernathy shoots in and bounces Kocani off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Kocani keeping full guard, as Abernathy tries to pass.
Abernathy has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Abernathy works over Kocani with some ground and pound from guard.
Kocani keeping moving, preventing Abernathy from controlling successfully.
Abernathy postures up in Kocani's guard and throws a big left but Kocani blocks it.
Kocani avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abernathy wants to control from the top but Kocani keeps moving.
Abernathy is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Abernathy postures up in Kocani's guard and throws a big left but Kocani blocks it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Abernathy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Abernathy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kocani swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Abernathy connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abernathy wants to control from the top but Kocani keeps moving.
Abernathy is pushing down on Kocani's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kocani is fighting to maintain full guard but Abernathy has managed to sneak the leg through.
Abernathy stalling.
Abernathy missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kocani keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kocani keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Abernathy thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Abernathy scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Kocani on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Abernathy missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Abernathy thows a huge punch but Kocani dodges it nicely.
Abernathy winds up and cracks Kocani with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Abernathy lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Abernathy sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kocani defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kocani blocking the ground and pound attempt from Abernathy.
Kocani avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Abernathy.
Abernathy missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Abernathy looks to land a strike but Kocani avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Abernathy trying to control but Kocani is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Abernathy works over Kocani with some ground and pound from guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Haymitch Abernathy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Abernathy has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 24:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 24:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Haymitch Abernathy!