PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Pentti Hirvonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dexter Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Hirvonen
vs
Morgan

185 cm
29
196 lbs
21 - 13 - 0

210 cm
28
190 lbs
20 - 8 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Gilop®
Perkele!

Perkele!

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 21 - 13 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pentti Hirvonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dexter Morgan!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morgan looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Morgan throws a sloppy head kick and Hirvonen moves out of range easily.

Hirvonen tries to keep at a distance but Morgan has taken the fight into the clinch.
Morgan looking to slow down the pace here.

Hirvonen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Morgan uses from the top position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Morgan trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hirvonen's guard.
Hirvonen trying to keep a closed guard but Morgan is proving a slippery customer.
Hirvonen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Hirvonen throws his legs up looking for a submission but Morgan uses it to pass to side control.
Hirvonen is looking for a sweep.
Morgan trying to control the action but Hirvonen is working from the bottom.

Morgan stands up and beckons Hirvonen to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hirvonen's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Morgan connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Hirvonen scrambles back to his feet.
Morgan throws a predictable looking body shot
and Hirvonen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Morgan bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Morgan is looking to clinch but Hirvonen is avoiding it.
Morgan misses with a leg kick.
Morgan plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Morgan lands a nice looking kick to the body. Hirvonen takes a step back to recover.
Hirvonen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Morgan.
Morgan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hirvonen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Morgan pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Morgan lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Morgan moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hirvonen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Morgan just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hirvonen is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Morgan to keep the fight standing.

Hirvonen turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Hirvonen manages to end up in side control.
You can see the frustration on Morgan's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hirvonen lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Morgan is not content to let Hirvonen control the position.
Hirvonen fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Hirvonen connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Morgan some visible discomfort.
Morgan stops Hirvonen from passing to mount.
Hirvonen trying to control the action but Morgan is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan taking punishment in the form of punches.
Morgan is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Hirvonen passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Morgan!
Hirvonen lands with some strikes.
Hirvonen tries to control but Morgan wriggling away.
Hirvonen throwing strikes but Morgan recovers to half guard. A much better position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Hirvonen passes to side control.
Morgan wants to control but Hirvonen postures up.
Morgan gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan wants to get back to his feet.
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!
Hirvonen trying to control from half guard but Morgan is working away.
Hirvonen trying to pass the guard but Morgan defending well.
Morgan is trying to get back to full guard.
Hirvonen passes the guard and advances to mount!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hirvonen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pentti Hirvonen dominated that 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.

Morgan dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

It looks like Dexter Morgan has been cut.
Hirvonen checks a low kick from Morgan.
Hirvonen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Morgan lands a jab.
Hirvonen scores with a hook to the body. Morgan takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Hirvonen avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Morgan slips a jab from Hirvonen.
Hirvonen lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Morgan tries to bum rush Hirvonen with a series of wild strikes but Hirvonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Morgan doesn't manage to clinch there - Hirvonen circles away.
Morgan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Morgan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hirvonen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Morgan throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hirvonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Morgan.
Hirvonen misses with an uppercut.
Hirvonen throws a hook but Morgan blocks it.
Good work by Morgan as he checks the leg kick.
Hirvonen fails with a takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Hirvonen or perhaps it was just good defense by Morgan which made him look bad.
Morgan scores with a jab. Hirvonen acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Morgan fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Hirvonen.
Morgan scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Hirvonen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Morgan sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pentti Hirvonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hirvonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Morgan manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Hirvonen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Morgan lands with a thumping leg kick.
Pentti Hirvonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hirvonen. Morgan does a little dance to reset his feet.
Dexter Morgan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hirvonen with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Dexter Morgan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Morgan tries to work over Hirvonen's front leg with a kick but Hirvonen checks it.
Morgan throws a head kick that misses.
Morgan moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hirvonen moves out of range of the body kick.
Nice defenses there by Morgan.
Hirvonen takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hirvonen throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Hirvonen checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Morgan. No joy for Hirvonen on that attempt.
Hirvonen blocks a head kick by Morgan.
An inside leg kick lands from Morgan.
Hirvonen misses with a takedown
and Morgan counters with a straight right hand.
Hirvonen misses with an uppercut.
Morgan throws a front kick aimed at Hirvonen's knee but Hirvonen avoids it well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Morgan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Morgan tries to clinch but Hirvonen is having none of it.

Hirvonen fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Morgan to the ground. Hirvonen is now in Morgan's guard.
Morgan is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Pentti Hirvonen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hirvonen is working Morgan over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hirvonen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hirvonen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hirvonen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Morgan is keeping the position for now.
Hirvonen trying to control but Morgan is working from the bottom.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Morgan has his foot on Hirvonen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hirvonen works his way back into a safe position though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hirvonen forces his way into half guard.
Hirvonen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dexter Morgan will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Dexter Morgan's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Morgan misses with a wild body shot.

Hirvonen is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Morgan's half guard.
Morgan trying to control from the bottom.
Morgan is in trouble now - Hirvonen has advanced to mount!
Hirvonen throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Morgan because Hirvonen loaded up on that one.
Hirvonen working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hirvonen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Hirvonen avoids the attempt from Morgan to control.
Hirvonen lands a big elbow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Morgan sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Hirvonen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hirvonen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Morgan's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hirvonen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hirvonen moves nicely into side control.
Morgan wants to get back to his feet.
Hirvonen working away.
Hirvonen tries to score with some ground and pound. Morgan controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Hirvonen is trying to get an arm triangle but Morgan is defending well.
Morgan dodges the ground and pound from Hirvonen.
Morgan is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan is trying to maintain the position but Hirvonen is very close to passing his half guard.
Hirvonen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hirvonen stops Morgan from getting back to his feet.
Hirvonen trying to advance position but Morgan counters by regaining guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hirvonen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Morgan bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hirvonen's guard.

Morgan stands up and waves to Hirvonen to follow him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morgan moves in looking to clinch but Hirvonen pushes him off.
Morgan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan avoids a kick to the body.
Hirvonen misses with a straight right.
Morgan defending well as Hirvonen loads up on a big left hand.
Hirvonen throws a shot from downtown. Morgan moves away and avoids it.
Morgan tries to work over Hirvonen's front leg with a kick but Hirvonen checks it.
Hirvonen fails to land the takedown.
A head kick from Morgan lands but Hirvonen takes it in his stride.
Morgan throws an overhand right that lands on Hirvonen's shoulder, as Hirvonen tries to avoid the shot.
Hirvonen avoids the body shot from Morgan.
Hirvonen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Morgan swivels and escapes.
Hirvonen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pentti Hirvonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan tries to score with a low kick but Hirvonen moves his leg out of the way.
Hirvonen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Morgan avoids it really well and circles away.
Morgan throws an overhand right that lands on Hirvonen's shoulder, as Hirvonen tries to avoid the shot.
Hirvonen throws a body kick the misses
and Morgan counters with a nice leg kick.
A head kick from Hirvonen lands but Morgan takes it in his stride.

That has opened up Dexter Morgan's cut even more.
Morgan throws a solid leg kick but Hirvonen takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Morgan.

Morgan gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Hirvonen pulls guard effortlessly.

Hirvonen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Morgan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morgan preventing the sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pentti Hirvonen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hirvonen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pentti Hirvonen!
Our winner, Pentti Hirvonen, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.