PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kaarlo Sonninen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kuure (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kuure comes into a darkened arena with his song building. I'm Coming Home kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Sonninen
vs
Kuure

182 cm
22
190 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

175 cm
29
185 lbs
19 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

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 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kaarlo Sonninen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kuure!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Paulsen Ambrosius and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sonninen looks for a takedown but Kuure sprawls well.
Sonninen misses with a double jab.
Kuure misses with an uppercut

and Sonninen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Sonninen is looking to advance position but Kuure won't allow it.
Sonninen lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kuure trying to control from the bottom.
Sonninen is looking to stall here but Kuure recovers full guard.
Sonninen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonninen wants to control from the top but Kuure keeps moving.
Sonninen wants to pass the guard but Kuure is keeping the position.
Sonninen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sonninen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kuure's guard.
Sonninen wants to free his trapped foot but Kuure is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Sonninen throws a strike but Kuure avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Sonninen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonninen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sonninen is stalling in the full guard.

Sonninen drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kuure dives on top into guard.
Kuure controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Kuure stops Sonninen from standing up.
Sonninen trying to control the position.
Kuure stops Sonninen from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sonninen keeping full guard, as Kuure tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kuure avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sonninen working a defensive guard but Kuure passes into half guard.
Sonninen looks like he's trying to stand up.
Sonninen holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Sonninen is trying to stand.
Sonninen trying to control but Kuure postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuure has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Sonninen's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Kuure landing shots from mount.
Kuure sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Sonninen is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonninen squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Kuure looking to control but Sonninen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaarlo Sonninen dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sonninen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kuure moves out of range of the strikes.
Kuure dodges the punch combination from Sonninen.
Kuure misses with a body shot.
Kuure connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Kuure shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Kuure slaps away a takedown attempt from Sonninen, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Sonninen feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sonninen trying to control but Kuure is working from the bottom.
Kuure is adopting a defensive guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaarlo Sonninen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sonninen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kuure works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sonninen is looking to advance position but Kuure has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Sonninen regains half guard.
Sonninen tries to kick Kuure off but Kuure keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonninen trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Kuure is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sonninen defends it well.
Sonninen wants to get back to full guard.

Kuure stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Sonninen to get to his feet.
A head kick misses from Kuure.
Sonninen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kuure as he jumps to the side.
Sonninen looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A left and a right from Kuure both land. Nice combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sonninen scores with a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonninen dives in and grabs Kuure's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kuure pushes down on Sonninen's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kaarlo Sonninen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonninen takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Kuure cracks a nice hook into Sonninen's ribs.
Kuure takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Kuure throws a right and a left that Sonninen avoids nicely.

Sonninen feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Kuure keeping full guard, as Sonninen tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kuure is pulling down on Sonninen's head. It's preventing any offense from Sonninen, at least for the moment.

Sonninen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kuure has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sonninen has managed to get both his arms back between Kuure's legs - danger averted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonninen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sonninen looking to pass the guard.
Sonninen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kuure keeping moving, preventing Sonninen from controlling successfully.
Sonninen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonninen wants to control from the top but Kuure keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaarlo Sonninen dominated that second round.
That's time! Sonninen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Sonninen misses with a series of wild punches.
Kuure throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sonninen takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Sonninen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kuure tries to avoid it but Sonninen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kuure to the ground. Kuure escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nice sprawl there from Kuure as Sonninen shoots in.
Sonninen with a nice cross.
Sonninen throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kuure thumps Sonninen with a low kick.
Sonninen checks a low kick from Kuure.
Sonninen misses with a looping left.
Kuure takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Kuure cracks Sonninen with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Sonninen misses with the combination.
Kuure thuds a left hand into Sonninen's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Kuure. No joy for Sonninen on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kaarlo Sonninen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonninen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kuure stuns Sonninen with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A jab from Sonninen misses.
Kuure chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Sonninen misses with a hook. Kuure ducked under it nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Sonninen. Those never looked like landing.
Kuure scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kuure scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Sonninen checks a leg kick.
Kuure throws a front kick that sends Sonninen stumbling back into the cage.
Sonninen throws a jab but it's blocked by Kuure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Kuure.
Kuure will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kuure stuffs the takedown attempt from Sonninen. Sonninen gets slowly back to his feet.
Sonninen throws a one two combo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sonninen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kuure sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sonninen somewhat.
Sonninen misses with a double jab.
Kuure dips to his left and cracks Sonninen with an uppercut!
Sonninen avoids the head kick by Kuure.
Kuure has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sonninen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kuure manages to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kuure. Sonninen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sonninen throws a body punch but Kuure moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonninen throws a series of punches but Kuure moves out of range.
Kuure is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sonninen misses with a looping right.
Sonninen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kuure but Kuure pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sonninen takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Kuure uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Sonninen has time to react.
Sonninen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sonninen misses with a takedown
and Kuure counters with a leg kick.
A lazy left from Kuure finds it's target.
Kuure throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sonninen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Sonninen throws a shot from downtown. Kuure moves away and avoids it.
Kuure cracks Sonninen with an open hand slap.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sonninen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sonninen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Kuure cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sonninen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kuure throws a half hearted mid kick.
Kuure misses with a body kick.
Kuure misses with a looping right.
Sonninen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Kuure lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sonninen's sensitive parts.
Sonninen has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Kuure finds it's way round the side to connect with Sonninen's head.

It looks like Kaarlo Sonninen has been cut.
Sonninen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kuure sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sonninen somewhat.
Sonninen ducks under a wild hook from Kuure.
Kaarlo Sonninen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kuure looks to land a right hand but Sonninen moved out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kuure comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sonninen 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kaarlo Sonninen!