PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Juhani Virtanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Havas Mitautas (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.

Virtanen
vs
Mitautas

168 cm
23
142 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
23
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Juhani Virtanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Havas Mitautas!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Chris Edwards and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Virtanen misses with a low kick.
Mitautas throws a head kick that half lands.
Virtanen moves out of range of the body kick from Mitautas.
Virtanen on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Virtanen blocks a head kick by Mitautas.
Mitautas throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Virtanen closes the distance but Mitautas moves to the side
and Mitautas counters with a low kick, right behind Virtanen 's knee.
Mitautas blocks a low kick nicely.
A big left from Mitautas misses.
Virtanen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mitautas checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Virtanen is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitautas moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Juhani Virtanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Virtanen moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Virtanen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mitautas lands with a kick to the ribs.

Mitautas gets tackled into the cage by Virtanen. Virtanen maintains the clinch.
Mitautas is trying to maintain a safe position but Virtanen gets an underhook and turns Mitautas into the cage.
Virtanen stalling in the clinch.
Virtanen throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Virtanen lands a nice uppercut.
Mitautas taking a breather.
Virtanen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen misses with an elbow strike.
Virtanen lands a right hand that snaps the head of Mitautas backwards.
Virtanen looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Virtanen creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Mitautas avoids a wild elbow strike from Virtanen.
With the fighters up against the cage, Virtanen throws an elbow but misses.
Virtanen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Virtanen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mitautas blocks the elbow strike.
Virtanen tries to stall but Mitautas uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Virtanen lands an elbow inside that Mitautas shrugs off.

It looks like Havas Mitautas has been cut.
Mitautas blocks an uppercut.
Mitautas lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Virtanen displaying some good clinch control by pressing Mitautas up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitautas wants to stall.
Mitautas working aggressively here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mitautas.
A short right from Virtanen on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Mitautas fails to land.
Virtanen leaning against his opponent.
Mitautas blocks an elbow strike.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Virtanen as Mitautas tries to tie him up.
Virtanen being controlled against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitautas tries to stall but Virtanen uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Mitautas blocks the elbow strike.
Virtanen tries to land knees in the clinch but Mitautas avoids the damage to the body.
Mitautas trying to stall but Virtanen improves his position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Havas Mitautas.
Virtanen moves in looking to clinch but Mitautas pushes him off.
Mitautas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mitautas misses with a kick to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mitautas doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Virtanen tries to close the distance and clinch but Mitautas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mitautas misses with a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Juhani Virtanen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Havas Mitautas's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Some bone on bone action there as Virtanen checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Virtanen avoids the body shot from Mitautas.
Mitautas fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Virtanen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Virtanen is looking to score with low kicks.
Virtanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mitautas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Virtanen is looking to clinch.

Virtanen drives through and clinches with Mitautas against the cage.
Virtanen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A shot in the inside from Virtanen.
Virtanen blocking some punches.
Mitautas misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mitautas dodges an elbow strike from Virtanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
With the fighters up against the cage, Virtanen throws an elbow but misses.

Mitautas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mitautas checks a leg kick.
Virtanen tries to clinch but Mitautas is having none of it.
Virtanen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Virtanen checks the leg kick.
Mitautas throws a body kick that misses.
Mitautas circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mitautas throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Virtanen blocks a head kick by Mitautas.
Virtanen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mitautas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A clash of legs there as Virtanen blocks the low kick.
Mitautas misses with a head kick.
Virtanen tries to clinch up
and Mitautas counters with a head kick. That will keep Virtanen thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Mitautas avoids a kick to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Virtanen throws out a leg kick but Mitautas moves out of range and Virtanen only half commits.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen moves in looking to clinch but Mitautas pushes him off.
Virtanen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mitautas tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Virtanen is able to avoid easily.
A solid leg kick lands there for Mitautas.
Mitautas fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Virtanen checks it well.
Virtanen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mitautas avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Mitautas. Virtanen shrugs it off though.
Havas Mitautas seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Virtanen gets a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Virtanen misses with an elbow over the top.
Virtanen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Virtanen holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Virtanen throws an elbow but it misses.
Virtanen misses with a short punch on the inside.
A short body shot lands from Mitautas as the two fighters clinch.
Mitautas avoiding damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Virtanen blocking some punches.
Virtanen creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Mitautas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Havas Mitautas will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Havas Mitautas's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Virtanen tries to clinch but Mitautas is having none of it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Mitautas.
Mitautas will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Mitautas throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Virtanen misses with a body kick.
Virtanen is looking to clinch but Mitautas is avoiding it.
Mitautas thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Virtanen if he has to take too many more of those.
Mitautas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mitautas throws a head kick that Virtanen semi-blocks.
A low kick from Mitautas misses
and Virtanen counters with an inside leg kick.
Virtanen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Virtanen darts in and clinches Mitautas up against the cage.
Juhani Virtanen has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Mitautas is looking to control Virtanen's arms but Virtanen gets an underhook and turns him. Now Mitautas has his back to the cage.
Mitautas is stalling here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mitautas.
Mitautas tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mitautas is trying to maintain a safe position but Virtanen gets an underhook and turns Mitautas into the cage.
Virtanen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Mitautas avoids the elbow strike from Virtanen, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Virtanen looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Mitautas trying to stall but Virtanen improves his position.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Virtanen.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Mitautas has a couple of punches blocked by Virtanen.
Mitautas has a couple of punches blocked by Virtanen.
Virtanen lands an elbow that stopped Mitautas in his tracks for a moment.
Virtanen lands with a short shot to the head.
Mitautas wants to get back to striking at distance but Virtanen won't allow it.
Virtanen looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Virtanen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Mitautas struggles to land a body shot inside as Virtanen controls his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitautas working hard to break the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Virtanen.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Virtanen throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Mitautas working hard to break the clinch.
Virtanen is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Virtanen throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Virtanen throws an elbow but it misses.
Virtanen misses with an elbow strike.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Mitautas stalling in the clinch but Virtanen improves position.
Virtanen misses with an elbow over the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen misses with an elbow over the top.
Mitautas wants to stall.
Mitautas holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Virtanen misses with a punch to the body.
Virtanen throws an elbow that misses.

Mitautas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mitautas misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mitautas throws a solid leg kick but Virtanen takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Mitautas.
Virtanen clobbers Mitautas with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Virtanen wants to clinch up but Mitautas keeps it at a distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Havas Mitautas.
I think Mitautas has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight for Havas Mitautas!
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight for Juhani Virtanen!
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight for Havas Mitautas!

Havas Mitautas wins by split decision!