PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Billy Brighton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jouko Kukkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Brighton
vs
Kukkonen

182 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

192 cm
18
190 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Billy Brighton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jouko Kukkonen!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brighton misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Brighton looks for the body kick but Kukkonen saw that one coming.

Brighton looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kukkonen!
Kukkonen taking shots to the head.
Brighton raining down shots from the mount!

Kukkonen is rocked!
Brighton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kukkonen is looking to escape.
Kukkonen is still in real trouble! Can Brighton finish him?
Kukkonen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kukkonen seems to have recovered his senses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brighton punishing his opponent with strikes.
Kukkonen holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Brighton tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Brighton sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kukkonen regains half guard.
Kukkonen is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Brighton jumps into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kukkonen is not content to let Brighton control the position.

Brighton decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Billy Brighton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kukkonen fails with the takedown
and Brighton counters with a two punch combo.

Brighton gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Kukkonen manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Kukkonen looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Brighton stands and steps away. Kukkonen gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Kukkonen on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Brighton fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kukkonen, pushing him back against the cage.
Brighton gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kukkonen.
A short left from Brighton.
Brighton unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kukkonen lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Kukkonen avoids the elbow strike from Brighton, against the cage.
Brighton throws a knee to the head but misses.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Brighton prevents the takedown attempt.
Billy Brighton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jouko Kukkonen.

Brighton breaks from the clinch.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Brighton. Kukkonen shrugs it off though.

Kukkonen tries to keep at a distance but Brighton has taken the fight into the clinch.

Kukkonen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Brighton closes the distance and clinches.
Brighton gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kukkonen.
Kukkonen prevents a takedown attempt there.
Brighton has Kukkonen pressed against the cage.
Kukkonen fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Brighton scores with a nice hook to the head.

Brighton breaks from the clinch.
Kukkonen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Brighton circles away.
Kukkonen shoots for a takedown but Brighton saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Brighton gets a takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Brighton prevents Kukkonen from standing back up.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Kukkonen is looking for a sweep. Brighton is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Brighton is keen to just control but Kukkonen is a slippery customer.
Brighton keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Kukkonen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Brighton is tying to control. Kukkonen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Brighton passes the guard and advances to mount!
A nice elbow there by Brighton.

That's six 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.
Brighton controlling the pace for now.
Brighton wants to control the pace but Kukkonen is squirming around nicely.
Kukkonen is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Brighton trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Brighton with good strikes from the mount here!
Brighton working the ground and pound effectively.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kukkonen is looking to improve his position but Brighton isn't that keen on the idea.

Brighton working for a submission but Kukkonen is keeping him at bay.
Kukkonen regains half guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Brighton is thwarting Kukkonen's attempts to control the position.

Brighton postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Kukkonen to stand up.
Brighton scores with a hook.
Brighton fails with the takedown.

Brighton closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Kukkonen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Kukkonen is trying to control but can't.
Kukkonen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Brighton.
Brighton is tying to control. Kukkonen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Brighton is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Kukkonen has managed to free his arm - good work.

Brighton stands up out of the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Brighton dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Brighton misses with a double jab.
Brighton misses with a two punch combination.
Brighton stuffs the takedown attempt from Kukkonen. Kukkonen gets slowly back to his feet.
Kukkonen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Kukkonen blocks the body kick.
Brighton looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kukkonen doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Brighton counters with a left and a right that stings Kukkonen.
Billy Brighton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jouko Kukkonen.
Brighton lands with a kick to the temple. Kukkonen shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Brighton stuffs the takedown attempt from Kukkonen. Kukkonen gets slowly back to his feet.
Kukkonen slips a jab and a cross from Brighton.
Kukkonen wants to clinch up but Brighton keeps it at a distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A slapping body kick lands there for Brighton.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kukkonen with a poor takedown
and Brighton counters with an outside leg kick.
Brighton tries to clinch but Kukkonen moves away

so Kukkonen counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Kukkonen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Brighton is keeping the position for now.

Brighton is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Kukkonen stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Brighton swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Kukkonen counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kukkonen tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brighton is looking for a sweep.
Kukkonen lands a nice forearm strike.
Kukkonen scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Brighton to see if he's OK.
You can see the frustration on Brighton's face as Kukkonen controls the position.
Brighton takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Brighton is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Kukkonen wants to control but Brighton is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kukkonen tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Kukkonen works to advance to full mount. Brighton defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Brighton is trying to stand up.
Kukkonen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

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.
Brighton throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Kukkonen controlling the pace for now.

Kukkonen working for a guillotine from mount but Brighton is in no mood to give up.
Brighton is working to get back to half guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Kukkonen looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Brighton is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kukkonen looking to control but Brighton is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Brighton slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Kukkonen in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Brighton tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Kukkonen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 6:50 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Jouko Kukkonen!