PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vihtori Lettunen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sami Sivupotku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lettunen comes to the cage accompanied by Vihtori Lettusen Blues. The crowd seem to be enjoying Sivupotku's choice of entrance music: Guns N' Roses - It's So Easy. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lettunen
vs
Sivupotku

184 cm
22
225 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
20
250 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vihtori Lettunen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sami Sivupotku!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sivupotku shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lettunen looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Sivupotku keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Sivupotku throws a head kick that misses.

Sivupotku tries to keep at a distance but Lettunen has taken the fight into the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sivupotku just misses with a elbow thrown towards Lettunen's brow.
Sivupotku looking for a takedown.
Lettunen fails to pull guard.
Lettunen takes an elbow to the temple.
Lettunen goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sivupotku prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vihtori Lettunen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lettunen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Sivupotku breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sivupotku gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Lettunen counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Lettunen.
Sivupotku tries to pull guard but Lettunen won't allow it.

Sivupotku has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Lettunen regains guard immediately.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lettunen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Lettunen is looking for a triangle but Sivupotku pushes his legs off easily.
Sivupotku trying to control but Lettunen is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lettunen has momentary wrist control but Sivupotku slips an elbow through the middle.
Sivupotku throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lettunen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sivupotku throwing strikes from guard but Lettunen blocks nicely.
Sivupotku thows a big elbow that misses.
Lettunen wants to sweep but no luck.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Lettunen pushes Sivupotku up against the cage in a clinch.

Sivupotku breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sivupotku with a poor takedown
and Lettunen counters with a three punch combo that has Sivupotku backing up. Sivupotku nods at Lettunen to acknowledge the strikes.

Lettunen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sivupotku looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sivupotku can't do much from the bottom here.
Sivupotku 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.
Sivupotku trying to hold on to Lettunen's head to control him but Lettunen postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sivupotku flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Sivupotku missing with punches from the bottom.
Sivupotku trying to control from the bottom.
Sivupotku gets back to full guard.
Sivupotku looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lettunen is one step ahead there.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sivupotku manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lettunen manages to get himself to full guard.

Lettunen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lettunen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sivupotku trying to control but Lettunen is working from the bottom.
Sivupotku content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lettunen wants to sweep here but Sivupotku controlling him for the moment.
Sivupotku slips nicely into half guard.
Sivupotku wants to control but Lettunen is keeping him busy.
Lettunen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Lettunen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sivupotku passes to full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sivupotku can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lettunen is looking to escape.
Lettunen wants to control but Sivupotku is having none of it.
Sivupotku dominating with strikes here.

Sivupotku jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Lettunen manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Lettunen is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Sivupotku's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Sivupotku drops an elbow to the side of Lettunen's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sivupotku moves in looking to clinch but Lettunen pushes him off.
Sivupotku has his takedown stuffed

and Lettunen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sivupotku won't be happy with that.
Sivupotku manages to work his way to half guard, despite Lettunen's best efforts.
Sivupotku tries to get to full guard but Lettunen has control of the leg.
Sivupotku gets back to full guard.
Sivupotku preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Sivupotku escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lettunen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sivupotku will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lettunen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sivupotku looking for a sweep. Not yet Sivupotku, not yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Sivupotku throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Sivupotku looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sivupotku bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lettunen's guard.
Lettunen keeping moving, preventing Sivupotku from controlling successfully.
Lettunen looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sivupotku wanted to stand there but Lettunen had control of the position.
Lettunen keeping moving, preventing Sivupotku from controlling successfully.
Sivupotku is looking to work some ground and pound but Lettunen has wrist control.
Lettunen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sami Sivupotku has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lettunen has Sivupotku pulled in close to control his posture.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Lettunen shoots and misses

and Sivupotku counters with a shoot takedown. Lettunen fights it but they end up in guard.
Sivupotku missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lettunen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sivupotku thows a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sivupotku works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Lettunen wants to get back to full guard.
Lettunen is in trouble now - Sivupotku has advanced to mount!
Sivupotku lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Sivupotku cracks Lettunen with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Sivupotku looking to control but Lettunen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
BOOM! Sivupotku connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sivupotku with good strikes from the mount here!
Lettunen can't escape the position.
Sivupotku fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sivupotku lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Sivupotku with the ground and pound from mount.
Lettunen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Lettunen bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Lettunen passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.

Sivupotku looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lettunen takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sami Sivupotku showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Lettunen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Lettunen tries to keep at a distance but Sivupotku has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sivupotku tries for a takedown. No joy.
Lettunen wants a takedown.

Sivupotku has Lettunen pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Sivupotku pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Lettunen tumbling to the mat - Sivupotku dives into Lettunen's guard.
Sivupotku throws a big right hand that misses.
Sivupotku scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Sivupotku trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sivupotku's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Sivupotku throwing strikes but missing.
Lettunen keeping moving, preventing Sivupotku from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lettunen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Lettunen tries to pass the half guard into mount. Sivupotku knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Lettunen trying to control the action but Sivupotku is working from the bottom.
Lettunen works his way into full mount!
Lettunen trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sivupotku can't escape the position.
Sivupotku bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Lettunen pulls Sivupotku in close to prevent any damage.
Sivupotku with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sivupotku postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sivupotku postures up and lands a big shot to Lettunen's brow.
Sivupotku throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lettunen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Lettunen can't keep his opponent in guard - Sivupotku advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lettunen wants to control but Sivupotku is keeping busy.
Sivupotku stalling.

Sivupotku wants to work for an arm triangle but Lettunen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Lettunen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sivupotku is working away from the top position though.
Sivupotku is looking to take a break and control but Lettunen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lettunen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sivupotku cracks Lettunen with a solid left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Lettunen wants to sweep but no luck.
Vihtori Lettunen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sivupotku trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Lettunen had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Sivupotku is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Lettunen Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Sivupotku's back instead.
Sivupotku breaks Lettunen's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Sivupotku trying to control the position from guard on top but Lettunen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sivupotku throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sivupotku looking to sit in guard and control but Lettunen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sivupotku has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lettunen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sami Sivupotku comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sivupotku winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sami Sivupotku!