PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Butch Coolidge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adam Henriksson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Coolidge
vs
Henriksson

170 cm
23
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Butch Coolidge!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Adam Henriksson!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Coolidge decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Henriksson is trying to get back to full guard.
Henriksson is looking to get back to full guard here but Coolidge has managed to pass to side control instead.
Henriksson is trying to escape the position but Coolidge is controlling the position.
Coolidge misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Coolidge controls the position from side control.
Henriksson tries to escape but Coolidge is in control.

Coolidge wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Henriksson, who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Coolidge decides to stand up, so the ref orders Henriksson to his feet.

Coolidge manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Henriksson on his heels. He'll look to pass Henriksson's guard now, I'm sure.
Coolidge pushing down on Henriksson's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Coolidge is taking a breather. Henriksson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Coolidge escapes and gets back to his feet.
Henriksson scores with a jab. Coolidge acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Coolidge closes the distance and clinches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Henriksson tries to pull guard but Coolidge holds him up against the cage and eventually Henriksson drops back down to his feet.

Coolidge ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Coolidge no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Coolidge is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Henriksson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coolidge lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Henriksson!
Coolidge sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Coolidge prevents Henriksson from getting the reversal.

Coolidge has control of Henriksson's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Henriksson regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Henriksson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Coolidge. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Poor strikes thrown by Coolidge there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Henriksson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Butch Coolidge dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Coolidge feints and as Henriksson raises his hands in defense, Coolidge changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henriksson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Coolidge throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Henriksson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Coolidge works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Coolidge takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Henriksson is trying to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Coolidge seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coolidge's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Coolidge is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Henriksson defends it well.
Henriksson is trying to stand.

Coolidge gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Henriksson gets caught napping as Coolidge dives in and scores a takedown. Henriksson manages to retain guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Coolidge accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coolidge controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Coolidge stands and throws Henriksson's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Henriksson is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Coolidge asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Henriksson is breathing heavily.

Coolidge wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Henriksson, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Coolidge.
Coolidge content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Henriksson dodges the ground and pound from Coolidge.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henriksson struggling a bit here.

Coolidge stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Henriksson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Adam Henriksson has been cut.
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!

Coolidge closes the distance and clinches.

Coolidge breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Coolidge closes the distance and pushes Henriksson back into the cage.

Coolidge manages to break the clinch.
Henriksson misses with a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Butch Coolidge dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Adam Henriksson's cut.
That's time! Coolidge's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Coolidge gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Henriksson is fighting off a takedown attempt but Coolidge is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Henriksson to the mat. Henriksson regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Coolidge slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Coolidge decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Henriksson, up you get!
Henriksson wants to clinch up but Coolidge keeps it at a distance.

Coolidge shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Coolidge showed some decent athleticism there.
Coolidge seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Coolidge has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Henriksson is bucking up trying to escape but Coolidge cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Coolidge punching from mount but Henriksson doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Coolidge controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coolidge looking to finish with strikes here!
Butch Coolidge overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Coolidge controlling from the full mount.
Coolidge throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coolidge sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Henriksson blocking the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Coolidge throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Coolidge controlling from the full mount.
Adam Henriksson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Butch Coolidge is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Henriksson throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Butch Coolidge showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Coolidge has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Butch Coolidge!