PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Derek Speed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Timo Yo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Speed kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Pretty Lights / I Know The Truth. Yo has chosen Yö - Likaiset Legendat as his entrance music. 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.

Speed
vs
Yo

178 cm
21
178 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

182 cm
22
175 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Derek Speed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Timo Yo!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yo misses the shot to the body.
Speed misses with a body shot
and Yo counters with a left to the body.
Speed swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Yo tries for a takedown but Speed sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Yo is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Speed.
Yo takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Speed throws a body punch but Yo moves out of range.
Speed lands a head shot.
Yo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Speed avoids it really well and circles away.
Derek Speed has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Timo Yo.
Yo tries to clinch
enabling Speed to counter with a crisp jab.
Yo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Speed defends it nicely.
Yo staying out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Speed ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Speed. Yo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yo keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Speed.
Yo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Speed was well out of range. Poor timing from Yo.
Derek Speed seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yo just misses with a punch to the body.
Yo slips a jab from Speed.
A punch lands to the side of Yo 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Speed throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Speed moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Speed throws the left hand but Yo avoids the punch easily.
Yo just misses with a punch to the body.
Donk. Speed catches Yo right on the button with a cross.
Yo looks to land a right hand but Speed moved out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Speed feints a jab promting Yo to slip. Speed then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Yo slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Speed connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Yo's hands.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Speed lands with an uppercut that bounces Yo off the ropes and back into range.
Speed is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Yo.
Speed connects with a good right hand that stumbles Yo. Yo circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Yo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Speed.
Speed bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Yo's head.

Yo shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Speed wants to get back to full guard but Yo has passed into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Speed is looking for a sweep.
Yo working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Yo tries to move into full mount but can't pass Speed's legs.
Yo fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Yo misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Yo looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Speed is avoiding damage well.
Yo throws an elbow but Speed slips to the side and avoids it well.
Yo works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Yo tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Speed is not content to let Yo control the position.
Yo throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Speed can't do much from the bottom here.
Yo is looking to take a break and control but Speed is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derek Speed dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Speed takes a swing at Yo's ribcage but misses.
Speed misses with a wild body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yo. Speed does a little dance to reset his feet.
Speed will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Speed throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Speed scores with a hook.
A looping hook to the body misses from Speed. Yo does a little dance to reset his feet.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Speed fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yo manages to avoid it.
Yo misses with a straight left.
Yo misses with a takedown attempt - Speed sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Speed missing with a left hand there. Yo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yo connects with a body shot.
Yo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Speed.
Speed throws a series of punches but Yo moves out of range.
Speed misses with a jab, cross combination.
Yo moves out of range as Speed strikes.
Yo lands a jab to the head.
Nice takedown defense from Speed. No joy for Yo on that attempt.
Speed takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Yo lands a nice looking body shot.
Speed throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Speed takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Yo scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Yo takes a swing at Speed's ribcage but misses.
Speed misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Speed throws a hook but Yo blocks it.
Speed lands a jab-cross combination.
Yo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Speed rather than just go for the knockout.
Speed cracks a nice hook into Yo's ribs.
Speed looks to land a combination but Yo avoids it well.
Yo lands with a nice body punch.
Yo scores with a shot to the body.
Derek Speed is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Speed throws a body punch but Yo moves out of range.
Yo has a takedown stuffed.
Derek Speed has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Timo Yo.
A punch combination from Speed misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Speed misses with a lunging right hand
letting Yo counter with a right hand.
A big left from Speed misses.
Speed takes a jab right on the kisser.
Yo wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Speed misses with an uppercut. Yo saw that one coming.
Speed throws a good cross that connects.
Yo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Speed needs to keep his hands up - Yo had a free shot at his head there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Speed throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Speed fails to land with a series of punches.
Yo misses with an uppercut.
Speed misses with an uppercut
and Yo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Yo.
Yo scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Yo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Speed throws a hook but Yo avoids it easily.
Yo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Speed throws a lazy uppercut
and Yo counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Yo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Speed sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Yo somewhat.
Speed throws a hook but Yo avoids it easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Speed ducks under a wild hook from Yo.
Yo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Speed pinned against the ropes. Speed gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timo Yo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

No luck for Yo with that takedown attempt.
A shot to the liver by Speed. Beautiful body shot.
Yo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Speed is fending him off so far but Yo persists. Nope, Speed circles away and we're back to standing.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Yo.
Derek Speed has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Timo Yo.
Speed throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Speed looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The crowd cheers as Speed lands an impressive looking overhand right. Yo doesn't seem phased though.
Yo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Speed.
Speed stuffs the takedown attempt from Yo. Yo gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Yo trying to control the position but Speed is working away.
Yo working the strikes but Speed uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Yo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Speed does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Speed slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Speed avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Yo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yo preventing the sweep.
Speed trying to keep a closed guard but Yo is proving a slippery customer.
Yo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Speed keeping full guard, as Yo tries to pass.
Yo won't allow Speed to sweep him here.
Timo Yo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Speed bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Yo's guard.
Speed has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yo is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Yo is looking for a triangle here but Speed uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Speed stands up and beckons Yo to his feet.
Speed waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Yo.
Speed throws a leg kick but Yo checks it.
Speed throws a hook but Yo blocks it.
Speed throws a big shot that misses.
Yo punishes Speed's body with a nice straight punch.
Speed looks to score with a jab to the body but Yo is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Speed throws a shot from downtown. Yo moves away and avoids it.
Yo misses with an uppercut. Speed saw that one coming.
Yo scores with a jab. Speed acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Speed ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Yo moves away.
Speed ducks under a wild hook from Yo.
Speed defending well as Yo loads up on a big left hand.
Speed lands a jab to Yo's midsection.

Yo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Speed swings wildly with an uppercut but Yo uses good head movement to avoid it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A head punch on the inside from Speed fails to land.

Speed escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Speed.

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 Derek Speed.
I think Speed 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 for Timo Yo!
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Timo Yo!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Timo Yo!

Timo Yo wins by unanimous decision!
Timo Yo was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.