PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leo Sarsola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pena Hirmu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sarsola comes to the cage accompanied by Mono - 16.12. Hirmu has chosen AC/DC - War Machine as his entrance music. 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.

Sarsola
vs
Hirmu

180 cm
24
197 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

180 cm
29
195 lbs
15 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

M/S Paint Fightwear

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Leo Sarsola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pena Hirmu!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sarsola throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Hirmu drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Sarsola is trying to get back to half guard.
Hirmu trying to control the position but Sarsola is working away.
Sarsola is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hirmu wants to stand but Sarsola is controlling his arm.
Sarsola is not content to let Hirmu control the position.

Pena Hirmu has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
A jab from Hirmu does it's job there.
Sarsola misses with a wild body shot.
Sarsola slips under a jab.
Hirmu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A slow jab from Hirmu misses its intended target.
Sarsola scores with a punch to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sarsola closes the distance and clinches up with Hirmu, looking for a takedown. Sarsola pushes Hirmu against the cage but Hirmu circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hirmu thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sarsola throws the left hand but Hirmu avoids the punch easily.
Hirmu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sarsola tests Hirmu's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sarsola throws a leg kick but Hirmu sees it coming and moves out of range.
Sarsola throws a shot from downtown. Hirmu moves away and avoids it.
Sarsola throws a jab when Hirmu was well out of range.
Hirmu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sarsola was well out of range. Poor timing from Hirmu.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hirmu throws a series of punches but Sarsola avoids them all with ease.
A big left from Hirmu misses.

Sarsola drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hirmu escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sarsola gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sarsola trying to control the position from guard on top but Hirmu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hirmu pulls Sarsola in close to prevent any damage.
Hirmu is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sarsola cracks Hirmu with a solid left hand.
Sarsola advances to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hirmu is looking to improve his position.
Sarsola not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hirmu avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sarsola.
Hirmu wants to control but Sarsola is keeping busy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sarsola throwing shots but Hirmu is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Sarsola dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sarsola misses with a hook. Hirmu ducked under it nicely.
Sarsola gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Sarsola fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Hirmu looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Leo Sarsola seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sarsola scores with the left hand. Hirmu knows he should have avoided that one.
Sarsola with a poor takedown
and Hirmu counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sarsola thinking.
Sarsola throws a body punch but Hirmu moves out of range.
Hirmu digs a good hook to Sarsola's body.
Sarsola throws a looping overhand right but Hirmu ducks down to avoid it.
Hirmu thuds his right hand into Sarsola's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Hirmu with a nice cross.
Sarsola scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
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!
Sarsola connects with a looping right hand.
Sarsola lands a really nice looking cross but Hirmu seems unphased.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hirmu fails to land with a series of punches.
Hirmu moves into range and connects with a jab.
Sarsola misses with a body shot.
Sarsola misses the body punch
and Hirmu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sarsola swings for the body but Hirmu moves out of range.
Sarsola misses with a body shot.
Sarsola swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A big left from Hirmu misses.
Hirmu moves out of range as Sarsola throws a body kick.
Sarsola keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Leo Sarsola is winning the standup battle so far.
Hirmu dips to his left and cracks Sarsola with an uppercut!
Hirmu throws out a loose jab but Sarsola uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sarsola avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hirmu connects with a jab.
Sarsola throws a lazy right hand but Hirmu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Hirmu checks a leg kick.
Hirmu scores with a sloppy right hand. Sarsola should have avoided that one.
Hirmu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hirmu throws a right hand that misses
and Sarsola counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Hirmu misses the shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sarsola looks to throw the jab but Hirmu is out of range.
Sarsola throws a jab but it's blocked by Hirmu.
A good leg kick by Sarsola.
Sarsola misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sarsola pivots, looking for a leg kick but Hirmu is out of range and Sarsola settles back down.
Sarsola swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hirmu throws a poor cross that misses
and Sarsola counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sarsola chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Sarsola cracks Hirmu with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Sarsola misses with a body shot.
Hirmu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sarsola.
Sarsola throws a leg kick but Hirmu sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Hirmu takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Sarsola misses with an uppercut.
Sarsola cracks Hirmu with an open hand slap.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sarsola throws a jab but it's blocked by Hirmu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hirmu dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Sarsola.
Sarsola shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hirmu as he avoids it easily.
Sarsola looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hirmu is fending him off so far but Sarsola persists. Nope, Hirmu circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leo Sarsola. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sarsola displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hirmu throws out the jab.
Sarsola misses with an uppercut. Hirmu saw that one coming.
Hirmu digs a good body shot into Sarsola's ribs.
Sarsola avoids a punch combination nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sarsola shoots in looking for a takedown. Hirmu tries to sprawl out of it but Sarsola keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hirmu manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sarsola ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hirmu moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Sarsola dominated that second round.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Sarsola connects with a good right hand that stumbles Hirmu. Hirmu circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Hirmu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sarsola's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Hirmu connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sarsola scrambles back to his feet.
Sarsola misses with a body punch
and Sarsola takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hirmu looks to land a right hand but Sarsola moved out of range.
Sarsola shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hirmu but Hirmu pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sarsola takes a jab right on the kisser.
Hirmu sizes up Sarsola with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Sarsola with a jab.
Sarsola throws a nice outside leg kick.
Hirmu takes a swing at Sarsola's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hirmu throws a jab but it's blocked by Sarsola.
Sarsola is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Hirmu jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hirmu's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Sarsola connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Hirmu scrambles back to his feet.
Sarsola wants to slow Hirmu down by chopping away at his legs.
Sarsola shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hirmu as he avoids it easily.
A shot to the liver by Sarsola. Beautiful body shot.
Sarsola throws a leg kick but Hirmu sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Sarsola tries to land a leg kick but Hirmu saw it coming and moves away.
Sarsola scores with a nice head shot.
Hirmu throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sarsola throws a right and a left that Hirmu avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hirmu connects with a nice looking jab.
Sarsola walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sarsola misses with an uppercut.
Sarsola throws a predictable looking body shot
and Hirmu counters with a left to the body.
Sarsola lands with a good body shot.
Hirmu misses with a hook. Sarsola ducked under it nicely.
Hirmu punishes Sarsola's body with a nice straight punch.
Hirmu throws a jab but it's blocked by Sarsola.
Hirmu avoids the body shot from Sarsola.
Hirmu has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Sarsola finds it's way round the side to connect with Hirmu's head.
Sarsola connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hirmu misses with a hook.
Sarsola rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Hirmu to counter with a crisp jab.
Sarsola keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hirmu.
Hirmu on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Hirmu checks a leg kick nicely.
Pena Hirmu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sarsola throws out a leg kick but Hirmu moves out of range and Sarsola only half commits.
Nice defenses there by Hirmu.
Sarsola lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Hirmu catches Sarsola with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Hirmu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sarsola slips a straight right by Hirmu.
Sarsola keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hirmu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sarsola pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hirmu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sarsola moves away.
Leo Sarsola is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sarsola throws out a powerful jab.
Hirmu lands an overhand right.
Hirmu slips under a jab.
No luck for Sarsola with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leo Sarsola. That's going to take a lot out of him.
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!
Sarsola scoring well with a low kick there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hirmu throws an overhand right that lands on Sarsola's shoulder, as Sarsola tries to avoid the shot.
Sarsola fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hirmu manages to avoid it.
Hirmu on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Leo Sarsola.
Well Sarsola 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leo Sarsola!