PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sauli Niinisto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sauli Niinisto had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Niinisto
vs
Henry

190 cm
27
178 lbs
14 - 0 - 0

180 cm
26
180 lbs
11 - 7 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Beast Body
5th Round Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sauli Niinisto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Robert Henry!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Fedor Mirinova and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Niinisto avoids a punch combination nicely.
Niinisto thumps Henry with a low kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Henry misses the target.
Niinisto wants to clinch.
The fighters circling - Henry throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Niinisto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Henry thows a body shot but no joy.
Henry misses with a wild combination.
Niinisto thumps Henry with a low kick.
Henry fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Henry throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niinisto connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Henry throws a leg kick which misses Niinisto's front leg but catches the back leg as Niinisto tries to avoid it.
Henry avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Niinisto throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Niinisto has closed the distance and engaged Henry in a clinch.
Henry takes an elbow to the temple.
Niinisto is looking to control Henry's arms but Henry gets an underhook and turns him. Now Niinisto has his back to the cage.
Niinisto using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Henry blocks the elbow strike.
Niinisto lands a damaging elbow.
Niinisto dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Niinisto misses with an elbow strike.
Henry on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niinisto lands an elbow that stopped Henry in his tracks for a moment.
Henry blocks the elbow strike.
Niinisto stalling.
Niinisto creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Henry's defenses.
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!
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Niinisto just misses with a elbow thrown towards Henry's brow.
Niinisto tries to land knees in the clinch but Henry avoids the damage to the body.

Henry gets control of Niinisto's arms and successfully pulls guard. Henry will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Niinisto postures up.
Henry is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Henry's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Robert Henry was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Henry tries to bum rush Niinisto with a series of wild strikes but Niinisto uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Henry swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Niinisto counters with a nice low kick that buckles Henry's knee momentarily.
Niinisto lands with a nice combination. Henry backs away looking to recover.
Robert Henry seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Henry circles away from the clinch attempt.
Niinisto looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Henry tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Niinisto was well out of range. Poor timing from Henry.
Henry slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Niinisto uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Henry.
Henry misses with a straight left.
Henry is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Niinisto.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Niinisto throws a sloppy head kick and Henry moves out of range easily.
Henry throws a hook but Niinisto avoids it easily.
Niinisto fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Henry throws a right and a left that Niinisto avoids nicely.
Niinisto lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Henry throws an overhand right that lands on Niinisto's shoulder, as Niinisto tries to avoid the shot.
Sauli Niinisto is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Niinisto closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Henry avoids the elbow strike from Niinisto, against the cage.
Henry tries for a takedown but Niinisto manages to get underhooks.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henry looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Henry takes an elbow to the forehead.
Niinisto lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sauli Niinisto 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.

An inside leg kick from Niinisto misses.
Niinisto doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Nice cross by Henry.
Henry lands with a hook. Niinisto tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Niinisto lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Niinisto throws a sloppy head kick and Henry moves out of range easily.
Henry misses with a looping right.
Henry misses the shot to the body.
Niinisto bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Niinisto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice body punch from Henry.
Henry throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Niinisto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Henry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Henry throws a looping overhand right but Niinisto ducks down to avoid it.
That kick from Niinisto tenderised Henry's leg. Henry is trying to keep his angry face on.
Niinisto fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Henry is out of range.
Robert Henry is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Niinisto moves into the clinch.
Henry avoids the elbow strike from Niinisto, against the cage.

Henry escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sloppy strikes from Henry. Those never looked like landing.
A big right from Henry misses.
Henry misses with a right hand
and Niinisto counters with an inside leg kick.
Niinisto chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Henry tests Niinisto's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry scores with a body shot.

Niinisto has managed to clinch.
Niinisto lands a damaging elbow.
Niinisto tries to land knees in the clinch but Henry avoids the damage to the body.
Henry blocks an elbow strike from Niinisto.
Niinisto wants to stall.
Niinisto throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Henry wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Niinisto just misses with a elbow thrown towards Henry's brow.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Niinisto.
Niinisto throws an elbow but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Niinisto throws an elbow but misses.
Henry has had enough of the clinch but Niinisto keeps him there for the moment.
Niinisto unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Niinisto lands a nice elbow.

Henry breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Henry throws a right hand that misses
and Niinisto counters with a right hand to the body.
A jab from Henry misses.
Henry lands with an overhand left.
Henry smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Henry shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Niinisto is trying to defend but Henry finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Niinisto on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry wants to pass the guard but Niinisto is defending well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Henry seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Niinisto tries to get to full guard but Henry has control of the leg.
Henry thows a huge punch but Niinisto dodges it nicely.
Niinisto is trying to stand back up but Henry is controlling him
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henry wants to control but Niinisto is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Henry not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Niinisto blocking the ground and pound attempt from Henry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Henry showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Niinisto throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Henry.
Robert Henry seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Niinisto scores with a head kick. Henry tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Henry jabs Niinisto to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A solid leg kick lands there for Niinisto.
Henry is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Niinisto.
Niinisto tries to close the distance and clinch but Henry swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Niinisto lands with a thumping leg kick.
Niinisto on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Henry misses with a two punch combination.
Henry throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Henry throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Henry takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Henry darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry throwing shots but Niinisto is blocking nicely.
Henry throwing shots but Niinisto is blocking nicely.
Henry looks to land a strike but Niinisto avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Henry missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Henry postures up in Niinisto's guard and throws a big left but Niinisto blocks it.
Henry postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Henry is looking to work some ground and pound but Niinisto has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henry loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Henry is fighting to break Niinisto's control of his arms but Niinisto is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niinisto avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Henry throws a strike but Niinisto rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Henry is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Henry not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Henry throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Niinisto keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Henry scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Henry lands a nice short elbow.
Henry throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Henry is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Henry throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Henry looks to land a strike but Niinisto avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Henry postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Henry wants to control from the top but Niinisto keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry postures up in Niinisto's guard and throws a big left but Niinisto blocks it.
Henry is looking to work some ground and pound but Niinisto has wrist control.
Robert Henry has got the better of the ground game so far.
Henry trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Henry tries to free his leg and advance position but Niinisto is retaining full guard.
Henry distracts Niinisto with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Niinisto preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Henry working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Niinisto preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Henry trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Henry is looking to work some ground and pound but Niinisto has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Niinisto takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Henry misses with a body shot.
Henry swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Henry swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Niinisto throws a quick inside leg kick.

Henry drives through with a takedown into Niinisto's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Niinisto looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Henry won't allow Niinisto to get back to his feet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Henry accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Henry lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Henry throws a big right hand that misses.
Niinisto working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Henry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niinisto utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Henry tries to free his leg and advance position but Niinisto is retaining full guard.
Henry missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Henry slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Henry in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Niinisto is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Niinisto dodges the ground and pound from Henry.
Henry working the body and head with strikes.
Henry grinds an elbow into Niinisto's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry lands a nice forearm strike.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Henry postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Henry working the body and head with strikes.
Niinisto is trying to improve his position.
Henry has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Henry working the ground and pound effectively.
Henry pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niinisto is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Henry putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Henry is landing with some decent strikes but Niinisto is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Niinisto is rocked!
Henry has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Henry unloads with some vicious shots from mount and Niinisto wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Henry celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:36 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Robert Henry!