PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nalle Karhunen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sakari Mora (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mora has chosen Journey - Separate Ways as his entrance music. Sakari Mora told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Karhunen
vs
Mora

175 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

193 cm
22
191 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nalle Karhunen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sakari Mora!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Karhunen pushes Mora up against the cage in a clinch.
Karhunen tries to break the clinch but Mora is controlling the position.

Mora is trying to trip Karhunen. He has hold of a leg but Karhunen is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Mora persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Mora slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Mora drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Karhunen dives on top into guard.
Mora trying to keep a closed guard but Karhunen is proving a slippery customer.

Karhunen decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Karhunen shoots in but no luck this time.
Mora has his takedown stuffed
and Karhunen counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Karhunen with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Karhunen rushes Mora and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mora is pressed up against the cage. Karhunen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mora down to the mat. Mora avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Mora avoids the head kick by Karhunen.
Karhunen tries to clinch up.
Karhunen swinging wilding here.
Karhunen tries to clinch but Mora moves out of range.
Karhunen tries a head kick but it misses.
Karhunen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mora swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Karhunen tries to close the distance and clinch but Mora swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Karhunen shoots and misses

and Mora counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nalle Karhunen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mora wants to control but Karhunen is keeping him busy.
Karhunen trying to hold on to Mora's head to control him but Mora postures up.
Mora works his foot free and advances to mount.
Karhunen is breathing heavily.
Mora with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karhunen working to try and regain half guard.
Mora trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Mora stands up from mount. Strange move.
Karhunen misses with a low kick.
Karhunen misses with the combination.
Nalle Karhunen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Karhunen gets caught flat footed, as Mora shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Mora drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mora jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Karhunen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mora is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Karhunen is on top in guard.
Karhunen trying to control the position from guard on top but Mora is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karhunen forces his way into half guard.
Mora tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Karhunen has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

Karhunen stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Karhunen goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Karhunen instigates a clinch.

Karhunen jumps into guard, dragging Mora to the mat.
Mora trying to control but Karhunen is working from the bottom.
Karhunen is looking to stand up but Mora isn't so interested in that idea.
Mora slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Karhunen is trying to keep Mora in close.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Karhunen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Mora is desperately trying to improve his position but Karhunen has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sakari Mora will probably get the nod.
That's time! Karhunen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Karhunen tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Mora counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Karhunen's guard now.
Sakari Mora has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mora tries to stand but Karhunen is controlling from the bottom.
Mora won't allow Karhunen to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mora is looking to stand up but Karhunen won't let him.
Mora trying to control but Karhunen is working from the bottom.
Mora pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karhunen is keeping the position for now.
Mora advances position into side control!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Mora is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Karhunen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mora wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Karhunen, who protects the arm well.
Mora is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Karhunen will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Mora works to advance to full mount. Karhunen defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

Mora working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Mora jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Karhunen is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Karhunen and Mora has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here as Mora stalls from top position.
Karhunen is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Karhunen regains half guard.
Karhunen gets back to full guard.

Karhunen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Karhunen looking for a sweep. Not yet Karhunen, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mora won't allow Karhunen to get back to his feet.
Mora trying to control the position from guard on top but Karhunen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karhunen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Karhunen keeping full guard, as Mora tries to pass.
Mora wants to stand but Karhunen is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mora pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karhunen is keeping the position for now.
Mora is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Mora decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Karhunen, up you get!
Karhunen stuffs the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mora misses with a takedown attempt
and Karhunen counters with a left and a right that stings Mora.

Mora looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Karhunen keeping moving, preventing Mora from controlling successfully.
Mora slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Mora tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Mora working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Karhunen is not content to let Mora control the position.

Mora looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sakari Mora showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Mora feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Mora sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Karhunen's guard.
Mora passes to side control.
Karhunen is not content to let Mora control the position.

Mora swings around for an armbar but Karhunen sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Mora's guard.

Karhunen gets to his feet - Mora follows without any prompting.
Karhunen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Karhunen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mora counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Mora.

Karhunen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Karhunen throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karhunen misses with a head kick.
Karhunen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Karhunen throws a head kick that misses

and Mora counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Karhunen!

Mora looking for a guillotine from mount but Karhunen is having none of it.

Mora is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Karhunen has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Karhunen!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mora is on top in guard.

Karhunen is working an open guard so Mora takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Karhunen throws a combination that misses

and Mora counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Karhunen!
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!
Karhunen stops Mora from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karhunen is wriggling around trying to escape.
Karhunen tries to buck Mora off but he can't manage it.
Mora tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Mora goes for an armbar but Karhunen turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Karhunen.
Mora trying to control the position.
Mora looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mora holds on and takes a little breather.
Mora is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Mora is looking for a triangle but Karhunen pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mora is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Mora looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Karhunen is sitting in close to Mora's body. Mora has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Karhunen is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Karhunen is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Mora.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Sakari Mora!