PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Piotr Baginski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miki Thron (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Baginski
vs
Thron

175 cm
27
170 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

186 cm
26
185 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Piotr Baginski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Miki Thron!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baginski lands a lovely overhand right.
Baginski shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
enabling Thron to counter with a crisp jab.
Thron thows a body shot but no joy.

Thron shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Baginski might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Baginski is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Thron's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Thron's back!

Baginski looking for the choke but no joy.

Baginski looking for the choke but no joy.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thron controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Baginski has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thron is really stuck here.
Baginski throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Thron!
Thron breaks Baginski's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Thron trying to control but Baginski is working from the bottom.
Thron loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Baginski is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thron trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Thron is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Baginski is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Baginski has escaped and now he's on top!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Thron trying to strike off his back.
Baginski trying to control but Thron is working from the bottom.
Baginski is pushing down on Thron's leg trying to pass to half guard. Thron is fighting to maintain full guard but Baginski has managed to sneak the leg through.
Thron manages to get to full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Baginski trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Baginski avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Baginski drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Thron manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Baginski has Thron in his guard.
Thron working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Baginski is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Thron won't allow Baginski to sweep him here.
Thron missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baginski is trying to control the position but Thron postures up.
Baginski avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thron trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thron trying to control the position from guard on top but Baginski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Baginski is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Thron trying to control the position from guard on top but Baginski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Thron looking to score a takedown here. Baginski is defending well but Thron drives through and ends up in Baginski's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Baginski working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Piotr Baginski will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Baginski shoots for a takedown but Thron saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Baginski doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Thron counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Baginski's guard now.
Thron wants to control from the top but Baginski keeps moving.
Thron throwing strikes from guard but Baginski blocks nicely.
Miki Thron has got the better of the ground game so far.
Thron throws a big right hand that misses.
Baginski keeping moving, preventing Thron from controlling successfully.
Thron throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thron working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Baginski wants to sweep but no luck.
Baginski has momentary wrist control but Thron slips an elbow through the middle.
Baginski utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Baginski utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thron working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Thron stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Baginski swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thron trying to control the position from guard on top but Baginski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Baginski avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thron throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Baginski works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Thron decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Baginski, up you get!
Thron keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Baginski shoots in looking for a takedown. Thron tries to sprawl out of it but Baginski keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Thron manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Piotr Baginski. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Thron scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thron seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Baginski does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Baginski is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thron is working for a kimura but Baginski is defending it quite comfortably.

Thron is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Baginski moves into full guard.
Thron passes Baginski's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baginski regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Thron.
Thron postures up.
Thron trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thron is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Thron landing with the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thron in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miki Thron 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!

A left lands for Thron.
Baginski's corner calls for a 1-2. Baginski obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Baginski slips a jab from Thron.
Baginski throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Baginski cracks Thron with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Baginski uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Thron.
Baginski walks into a jab.
Baginski dives in and grabs Thron's left leg, looking for a takedown. Thron pushes down on Baginski's head and hops out.
Baginski misses with a takedown
and Baginski takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Thron ducks under a wild hook from Baginski.
Thron misses with a double jab.
Piotr Baginski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baginski shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Thron as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Piotr Baginski. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baginski misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thron digs a good body shot into Baginski's ribs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thron throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A punch combination from Baginski misses.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Baginski enables Thron to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Baginski manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Thron loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Thron slips nicely into half guard.
Thron sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Baginski defending well though.
Thron tries to pass the half guard into mount. Baginski knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Thron with the ground and pound but Baginski uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thron drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Baginski dives on top into guard.
Baginski preventing the sweep.
Baginski tries to free his leg and advance position but Thron is retaining full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thron wants to stand up but Baginski is controlling him.
Baginski thows a big elbow that misses.
Thron wants to stand but Baginski is controlling the position.
Baginski trying to control but Thron is working from the bottom.
Baginski has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Thron manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Baginski manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baginski tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Thron throws a big right hand that misses.

Thron drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Baginski manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Thron has Baginski in his guard.
Thron wants to sweep but no luck.
Thron is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Thron wants to advance to full mount but Baginski doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Baginski is pulling down on Thron's head. It's preventing any offense from Thron, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thron loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Thron postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Baginski 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.

Thron has gone for a leg lock! Baginski slips out almost immediately though and dives into Thron's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Baginski throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Miki Thron comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Thron 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Miki Thron!