PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Iso Kalu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Timo Mikkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mikkonen comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Eilinen, huominen, yhteinen kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kalu
vs
Mikkonen

185 cm
18
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Iso Kalu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Timo Mikkonen!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A good leg kick by Mikkonen.
Kalu misses with a looping right.
Kalu tries to clinch up.

Kalu closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kalu lands in his opponent's guard.
Kalu with a nice head shot there.
Mikkonen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kalu's guard.

Kalu throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Mikkonen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Mikkonen trying to control but Kalu is working from the bottom.
Kalu looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Mikkonen puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Mikkonen tries to stand but can't do so whilst Kalu controls his leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Kalu manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Mikkonen is looking to stand up but Kalu won't let him.
Kalu trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Kalu is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Mikkonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Kalu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kalu escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mikkonen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kalu has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Mikkonen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kalu swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mikkonen passes into half guard.
Kalu slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Kalu escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mikkonen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kalu 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.
Kalu is pulling down on Mikkonen's head. It's preventing any offense from Mikkonen, at least for the moment.
Mikkonen wants to stand but Kalu is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kalu is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Mikkonen looks like he's trying to stand up.
Kalu is looking to advance position but Mikkonen won't allow it.
Kalu slows the pace down in half guard.
Kalu looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Mikkonen is trying to stand back up but Kalu is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Mikkonen looks gassed!
Kalu performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Kalu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mikkonen keeps working.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mikkonen tries to clinch there but Kalu circles away.
Mikkonen shoots and misses

and Kalu counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Kalu pushing down on Mikkonen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Mikkonen wants to get back to his feet.
Kalu controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Iso Kalu dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mikkonen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Kalu counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Mikkonen!
Mikkonen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kalu can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mikkonen is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mikkonen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mikkonen trying desperately to get to his feet.
Kalu with a couple of short strikes.
Kalu trying to control but Mikkonen is having none of it.
Mikkonen is looking to improve his position but Kalu isn't that keen on the idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mikkonen regains half guard.
Kalu working Mikkonen over with strikes.
Kalu prevents Mikkonen from improving his position.
Kalu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mikkonen keeps working.
Mikkonen is trying to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Kalu seems content to control.
Mikkonen works his way to full guard. Good work.
Mikkonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mikkonen is breathing heavily.
Kalu is working Mikkonen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Mikkonen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kalu pushes down on Mikkonen's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Kalu is looking for a kimura but Mikkonen is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kalu to get the leverage.
Kalu is tying to control. Mikkonen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Mikkonen regains full guard. Nicely done.

Kalu is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Kalu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mikkonen looking for a sweep. Not yet Mikkonen, not yet.
Kalu trying to control the position from guard on top but Mikkonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Iso Kalu overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kalu stops Mikkonen from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mikkonen is looking for a triangle but Kalu pushes his legs off easily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Kalu feints and as Mikkonen raises his hands in defense, Kalu changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Mikkonen has his foot on Kalu's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kalu works his way back into a safe position though.

Mikkonen had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Kalu is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Mikkonen Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Kalu's back instead.

Mikkonen is looking for the choke from the back position but Kalu is controlling his hands well.

Mikkonen is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Kalu is defending well though. Mikkonen let's go of the attempt for now.

Mikkonen looking for the rear naked choke. And he's got it! Kalu taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Timo Mikkonen!