PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mike Hardwood (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Teo Pliskin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Hardwood
vs
Pliskin

170 cm
19
160 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

170 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Hardwood!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Teo Pliskin!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hardwood gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Pliskin wants to control from the top but Hardwood keeps moving.
Pliskin throws and elbow that misses. Hardwood uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pliskin's guard. Nice move by Hardwood!

Pliskin has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Hardwood is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Pliskin.
Pliskin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Pliskin is trying to get back to half guard.
Pliskin is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pliskin tries to get to full guard but Hardwood has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pliskin is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Pliskin closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Pliskin looks gassed!
Hardwood managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Pliskin.
Pliskin working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Pliskin 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardwood is looking for a sweep.
Pliskin trying to control the position but Hardwood is working away.
Hardwood gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Pliskin throws a strike but Hardwood avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Hardwood is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Pliskin wants to get back to full guard but Hardwood has passed into side control.
Hardwood controlling his opponent.
Hardwood lands a big shot there that rocks Pliskin but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pliskin can't escape the position.
Pliskin is squirming around, avoiding Hardwood's attempts to control the action.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hardwood cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Hardwood working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hardwood trying to control but Pliskin is having none of it.
Pliskin is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hardwood tries to control but Pliskin wriggling away.
Pliskin in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Pliskin is wriggling around trying to escape.
Hardwood fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Hardwood tries to control but Pliskin wriggling away.
Pliskin tries to reverse the position but Hardwood maintains control.
Hardwood trying to control but Pliskin is having none of it.
Hardwood landing strikes, looking to finish!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Teo Pliskin will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hardwood tries to clinch up.
Hardwood misses with a head kick.
Pliskin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hardwood circles away.
Hardwood misses with the combination.
Pliskin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hardwood as he jumps to the side.
Hardwood throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Pliskin.
Pliskin shoots in for a takedown but Hardwood shows good takedown defense.
Mike Hardwood has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Teo Pliskin.
Hardwood thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Pliskin if he has to take too many more of those.
Pliskin shoots in for a takedown but Hardwood shows good takedown defense.
Mike Hardwood is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A solid leg kick lands there for Hardwood.
Hardwood throws a sloppy head kick and Pliskin moves out of range easily.
Pliskin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Pliskin shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Pliskin showed some decent athleticism there.
Pliskin winds up and cracks Hardwood with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nice strikes from Pliskin there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Pliskin stands up and beckons Hardwood to join him on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pliskin checks a low kick from Hardwood.

Pliskin shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Pliskin was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Pliskin trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pliskin scoring with strikes but Hardwood is staying in there.
Pliskin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hardwood is looking to escape.

Pliskin moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Hardwood has worked his arm free - good work by Hardwood!
Hardwood avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Pliskin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pliskin throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Pliskin in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
You can see the frustration on Hardwood's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hardwood avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Pliskin.
Pliskin tries to move to mount but Hardwood blocks the move with his legs.
Pliskin throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The ground and pound from Pliskin seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hardwood throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Pliskin's head.
Hardwood plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pliskin shoots in and drives through. Hardwood sprawls well.
Pliskin blocks a head kick by Hardwood.

Pliskin decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Pliskin looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Pliskin is looking for a kimura here.
Hardwood is looking to control Pliskin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hardwood avoid being mounted?
Hardwood avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Pliskin.
Pliskin wants to pass to mount but Hardwood is defending the position.
Hardwood wants to improve his position but Pliskin is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pliskin wants to take a breather but Hardwood is having none of it.
Pliskin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Pliskin closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Pliskin lands in his opponent's guard.
Hardwood manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Pliskin can't escape the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hardwood raining down shots from the mount!
Teo Pliskin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hardwood landing strikes, looking to finish!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Teo Pliskin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Pliskin looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Pliskin looking to pass the guard.
Hardwood looking to control.
Hardwood keeping full guard, as Pliskin tries to pass.
Pliskin being controlled here momentarily.
Pliskin throws and elbow that misses. Hardwood uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pliskin's guard. Nice move by Hardwood!
Pliskin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hardwood controls from within his opponent's guard.
Pliskin tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardwood trying to control but Pliskin is working from the bottom.
Pliskin throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Hardwood is pushing down on Pliskin's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pliskin is fighting to maintain full guard but Hardwood has managed to sneak the leg through.
Pliskin wants to get back to full guard.
Pliskin is staying active underneath Hardwood, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Pliskin tries to roll over but Hardwood keeps him under control.
Hardwood blocks the strikes from Pliskin.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hardwood throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Pliskin shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hardwood's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pliskin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Pliskin trying to control but Hardwood is working from the bottom.
Pliskin is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Pliskin drops back looking for a leg! Hardwood is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hardwood manages to kick Pliskin off! Pliskin jumps back into Hardwood's guard.
Pliskin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hardwood swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pliskin working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Pliskin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hardwood is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardwood has momentary wrist control but Pliskin slips an elbow through the middle.
Hardwood utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hardwood tries to clinch up but Pliskin circles away and keeps his distance.

Pliskin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Check out the look on Pliskin's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Pliskin cracks Hardwood with a big elbow.
Pliskin is trying to ground and pound but Hardwood uses the momentary lack of control by Pliskin to regain half guard.
Pliskin thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Pliskin working the head and body with strikes.
Hardwood tries to kick Pliskin off but Pliskin keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Pliskin working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Hardwood's thigh. Hardwood counters though and makes it back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pliskin passes into half guard.

Pliskin is trying to work for a kimura but Hardwood is defending well.
Pliskin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hardwood is refusing to be controlled, as Pliskin sits in half guard.
Hardwood gets full guard.
Mike Hardwood has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pliskin tries to free his leg and advance position but Hardwood is retaining full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Teo Pliskin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pliskin 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Teo Pliskin!