PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Pekka Routalempi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bryan Fury (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bryan Fury will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Routalempi
vs
Fury

176 cm
31
161 lbs
9 - 11 - 0

188 cm
26
163 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pekka Routalempi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bryan Fury!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Igor Prikhodko and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fury clinches with his opponent.

Routalempi turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Fury is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Routalempi is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Fury knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Routalempi tries to advance position but instead Fury slips a leg back in to half guard.
Routalempi wants to stand up but Fury manages to regain full guard.
Routalempi wants to pass the guard but Fury is keeping the position.
Routalempi might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Routalempi trying to control but Fury is working from the bottom.

Fury looking for a guillotine here but Routalempi defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fury is looking for a triangle but Routalempi pushes his legs off easily.
Routalempi passes Fury's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Routalempi seems to be working for a kimura but Fury defends the submission attempt.
Routalempi is keen to just control but Fury is a slippery customer.
Fury is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Routalempi is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Fury has managed to free his arm - good work.
Routalempi stalling away here and it's allowed Fury to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Routalempi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Routalempi gets to his feet. Fury looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fury with a lazy takedown attempt
and Routalempi counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Fury misses with a takedown attempt
and Routalempi counters with a stiff right hand.
Fury throws a hook to the side of Routalempi's head but Routalempi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Fury is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

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

Routalempi is looking for a triangle here but Fury uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Routalempi is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Fury is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Routalempi is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Routalempi wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Routalempi is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Routalempi is refusing to be controlled, as Fury sits in half guard.
Routalempi moves into full guard.
Routalempi keeping full guard, as Fury tries to pass.

Fury drops back looking for a leg! Routalempi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Routalempi manages to kick Fury off! Fury jumps back into Routalempi's guard.
Fury throwing strikes but missing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fury tries to free his leg and advance position but Routalempi is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pekka Routalempi dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A telegraphed right hand from Fury misses the target.
Bryan Fury seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Routalempi lands a leg kick that knocks Fury off balance momentarily.
Fury has his takedown stuffed
and Routalempi counters with a left and a right that stings Fury.
Fury tries to close the distance and clinch up but Routalempi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fury fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Routalempi manages to avoid it.
Fury falls off balance throwing a combination
and Routalempi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Routalempi lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Fury backs up against the cage.
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!
Fury slips a jab and a cross from Routalempi.
Routalempi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Fury shoots in looking for a takedown. Routalempi tries to sprawl out of it but Fury keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Routalempi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Routalempi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Routalempi circles away from the clinch attempt.

Routalempi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Fury sprawls well initially but Routalempi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Routalempi is looking for a kimura here.

Routalempi is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Fury sees it coming and defends easily.

Routalempi is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Routalempi tries to stand but can't do so whilst Fury controls his leg.
Routalempi trying to pass the guard but Fury defending well.

Routalempi is trying to work for a kimura but Fury is defending well.
Routalempi is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Routalempi wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Fury uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Routalempi pushing down on Fury's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Pekka Routalempi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Routalempi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Fury's head.
Routalempi is pressing down on Fury's thigh, looking to free his foot. Fury is holding on for now.

Routalempi is trying to work for a kimura but Fury is defending well.

Fury manages to escape and get back to his feet!
The fight stays on the outside here - Fury looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Routalempi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice cross by Routalempi.

Routalempi gets caught napping as Fury dives in and scores a takedown. Routalempi manages to retain guard.

Routalempi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fury trying to stand up but can't free himself from Routalempi's guard.
Fury postures up in Routalempi's guard and throws a big left but Routalempi blocks it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Fury has gone for a leg lock! Routalempi slips out almost immediately though and dives into Fury's guard.
Routalempi stopping the sweep attempt from Fury.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pekka Routalempi dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Fury dodges the punch combination from Routalempi.

Routalempi gets a double leg takedown into Fury's guard.
Routalempi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fury swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Routalempi postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Fury is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Routalempi, into his guard.
Routalempi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Routalempi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Fury manages to get himself to full guard.
Routalempi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fury keeping full guard, as Routalempi tries to pass.

Routalempi drops back, looking for a kneebar! Fury looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Fury looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Fury!
Routalempi tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Fury tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Routalempi is looking for a sweep.
Routalempi regains half guard.

Fury is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Routalempi is trying to get back to full guard.
Routalempi is on the bottom, trying to hold on to half guard. He's throwing a few small shots here, to keep his opponent honest.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Routalempi is pressing down on Fury's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Fury content to stall in guard here.

Fury is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Fury is working Routalempi over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Routalempi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Fury sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Routalempi's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Routalempi is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Fury pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Routalempi is defending against the submission attempts here by Fury.

Fury is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Pekka Routalempi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Routalempi wants to control but Fury is keeping busy.
Routalempi controlling the position well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Fury is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Routalempi sees it coming and defends easily.
Routalempi trying to control here.

Fury is looking for a kimura here.

Fury is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Routalempi has managed to free his arm - good work.
Routalempi trying to control from the bottom.
Bryan Fury has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Routalempi wants to get back to his feet.
Routalempi is trying to control but can't.

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 Pekka Routalempi.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Routalempi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pekka Routalempi!
Pekka Routalempi bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.