PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Valeri Popo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antti Koskelainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Popo
vs
Koskelainen

200 cm
22
260 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

192 cm
22
230 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Valeri Popo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antti Koskelainen!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Tarja Halkonen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Koskelainen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Popo wants to pass the guard but Koskelainen is keeping the position.

Koskelainen is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Popo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Popo wants to control from the top but Koskelainen keeps moving.

Popo decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Koskelainen, up you get!
Koskelainen tries a head kick but it misses.

Popo looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Popo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Koskelainen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Popo is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popo stops Koskelainen from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Popo wants to control from the top but Koskelainen keeps moving.
Koskelainen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Popo's guard.
Popo trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Koskelainen looking to pass the guard.
Popo wants to sweep here but Koskelainen controlling him for the moment.
Koskelainen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Popo is looking to stand up but Koskelainen isn't so interested in that idea.

Koskelainen has gone for a leg lock! Popo slips out almost immediately though and dives into Koskelainen's guard.
Koskelainen looks gassed!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Koskelainen is looking to sweep but instead, Popo has passed into half guard.
Koskelainen wants to improve his position but Popo is controlling well.
Popo winds up and cracks Koskelainen with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Koskelainen looks like he's trying to stand up.
Popo trying to control the action but Koskelainen is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popo is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Koskelainen is trying to get back to full guard.
Popo has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Popo punishing his opponent with strikes.
Koskelainen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Koskelainen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

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.
Popo scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Popo controlling from mount.
Koskelainen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Koskelainen tries to hold on but Popo pushes him away.
Popo landing strikes from the mount and Koskelainen is in trouble!
Koskelainen tries to reverse the position but Popo maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valeri Popo dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Popo gets the takedown into side control.

Popo thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Koskelainen is trying to improve his position.
Popo landing strikes.
Koskelainen is trying to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Koskelainen manages to work his way to half guard, despite Popo's best efforts.
Koskelainen is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Koskelainen is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Popo pulls his head out easily.
Popo controlling the action here.
Popo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Koskelainen keeps working.
Koskelainen is looking for a sweep. Popo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Koskelainen is trying to control but Popo passes into side control!
Koskelainen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Popo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Popo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Koskelainen keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Popo swats away the attempt to clinch by Koskelainen.
Koskelainen with a lazy takedown attempt

and Popo counters by clinching up.
Popo misses with a punch to the body.
Koskelainen tries to score a body lock takedown but Popo shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Koskelainen.
Koskelainen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Popos head.
Koskelainen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Popo tries to score a body lock takedown but Koskelainen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Koskelainen throws a head punch that misses.
Koskelainen can't get the takedown.
Valeri Popo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antti Koskelainen.
Popo tries to stall but Koskelainen uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Popo is pressed up against the cage. Koskelainen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Popo down to the mat. Popo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Koskelainen decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koskelainen trying to control the action but Popo is working from the bottom.
Koskelainen tries to pass the half guard into mount. Popo knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Koskelainen is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Koskelainen is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Popo doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Koskelainen.
Popo looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Koskelainen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Popo wants to get back to his feet.
Popo is looking to control Koskelainen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Popo avoid being mounted?

Koskelainen is looking for a kimura here.
Popo gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Valeri Popo will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Popo closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Popo is looking for a kimura here.
Koskelainen is staying active underneath Popo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Koskelainen tries to roll over but Popo keeps him under control.
Popo is taking a breather. Koskelainen says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Koskelainen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Koskelainen trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Koskelainen regains half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koskelainen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Koskelainen looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Popo passes into half guard.

Koskelainen actively working from the bottom here.
Koskelainen trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Popo manages to pass to mount!
Popo controlling the pace for now.
Koskelainen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Koskelainen bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Koskelainen passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Koskelainen landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Koskelainen trying to control the action but Popo is working from the bottom.
Koskelainen lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koskelainen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Popo keeps working.
Popo is trying to control Koskelainen's posture but Koskelainen avoids it.
Popo takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Popo looking for a sweep but Koskelainen has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Koskelainen wants to take Popo's back here but Popo is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.

Koskelainen jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Popo is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Popo and Koskelainen has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Popo is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Koskelainen tries for a kimura but Popo is defending well.

Koskelainen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Antti Koskelainen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Popo tries to improve position but can't.
Koskelainen is putting a hurting on Popo here, landing some big shots from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antti Koskelainen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Popo has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!