PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Lerba Schmeizel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aleksi Hihnavaara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Schmeizel kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Zorba the Greek. Hihnavaara has chosen Kallio Vice as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Schmeizel
vs
Hihnavaara

184 cm
24
162 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

175 cm
33
158 lbs
15 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lerba Schmeizel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aleksi Hihnavaara!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hihnavaara is looking to clinch.
Schmeizel tries a head kick but it misses.
Hihnavaara avoids the head kick by Schmeizel.

Hihnavaara gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Hihnavaara avoids the elbow strike from Schmeizel, against the cage.
Hihnavaara is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Schmeizel to keep the fight standing.
Schmeizel creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hihnavaara's defenses.
Hihnavaara tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Schmeizel lands an elbow just above Hihnavaara 's eye.
Schmeizel avoiding damage as Hihnavaara throws knees to the body.
Hihnavaara creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Hihnavaara unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Schmeizel misses with an elbow strike.
Schmeizel managing to block the knees to the body from Hihnavaara.

Schmeizel pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Schmeizel avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Hihnavaara takes the fight into the clinch.
Hihnavaara blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hihnavaara tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hihnavaara throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Schmeizel on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hihnavaara is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Schmeizel pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Schmeizel lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Schmeizel throws a knee to the head but misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Schmeizel just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hihnavaara's brow.
Hihnavaara is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Schmeizel is defending well for now.
Schmeizel avoids the elbow strike from Hihnavaara, against the cage.
Hihnavaara slows down the pace here.
Hihnavaara misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Schmeizel.
Hihnavaara misses with a knee to the head.
Schmeizel creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hihnavaara's defenses.
Hihnavaara lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Schmeizel is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Schmeizel creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hihnavaara's defenses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hihnavaara lands with a right to the head.
Schmeizel throws an elbow that misses.
Hihnavaara managing to block the knees to the body from Schmeizel.
Hihnavaara missing with knees to the body.
Schmeizel lands an elbow inside that Hihnavaara shrugs off.
Hihnavaara tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Schmeizel avoids it.
Hihnavaara blocking some punches.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Hihnavaara just misses with a elbow thrown towards Schmeizel's brow.
Schmeizel looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Hihnavaara utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hihnavaara jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Schmeizel walks away with a smile on his face. Hihnavaara gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Lerba Schmeizel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aleksi Hihnavaara.
Hihnavaara tries to close the distance and clinch up but Schmeizel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Schmeizel fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hihnavaara closes the distance looking to clinch
and Schmeizel counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schmeizel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hihnavaara swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hihnavaara takes a swing at Schmeizel's ribcage but misses.
Hihnavaara blocks a head kick by Schmeizel.
Hihnavaara tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Schmeizel counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Hihnavaara is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Hihnavaara blocks a head kick by Schmeizel.
Hihnavaara takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Hihnavaara throws a jab when Schmeizel was well out of range.
Hihnavaara throws an overhand right that lands on Schmeizel's shoulder, as Schmeizel tries to avoid the shot.
Hihnavaara tries to clinch but Schmeizel moves out of range.
A head kick from Schmeizel lands but Hihnavaara takes it in his stride.
Hihnavaara tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Schmeizel counters with an inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schmeizel tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hihnavaara tries to clinch there but Schmeizel circles away.
Schmeizel wants to clinch up but Hihnavaara keeps it at a distance.
Schmeizel avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hihnavaara tries to clinch up

and Schmeizel counters by moving into the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Hihnavaara just misses with a elbow thrown towards Schmeizel's brow.
Schmeizel with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Schmeizel misses with an elbow strike.
Hihnavaara misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Schmeizel.
Hihnavaara trying to stall but Schmeizel improves his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Schmeizel is looking to control Hihnavaara's arms but Hihnavaara gets an underhook and turns him. Now Schmeizel has his back to the cage.
Schmeizel throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Schmeizel is pushing Hihnavaara up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Hihnavaara is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Schmeizel is defending well for now.
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 Lerba Schmeizel will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

The fighters circling - Hihnavaara throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hihnavaara tries to close the distance and clinch up but Schmeizel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hihnavaara looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hihnavaara tries to clinch up.
Schmeizel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hihnavaara tries to close the distance and clinch up but Schmeizel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hihnavaara tries to clinch but Schmeizel is having none of it.
Schmeizel throws a sloppy head kick and Hihnavaara moves out of range easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hihnavaara is defended easily by Schmeizel.
Schmeizel throws a body kick that misses.
Aleksi Hihnavaara seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Schmeizel gets a clinch.
Hihnavaara looking to stall.
Hihnavaara missing with knees to the body.
Hihnavaara has Schmeizel pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schmeizel misses with an elbow over the top.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Hihnavaara.
Schmeizel misses with an elbow over the top.
Hihnavaara keeps control of Schmeizel as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hihnavaara takes an elbow to the forehead.
Nice elbow from Schmeizel.
Hihnavaara takes an elbow to the forehead.
Hihnavaara blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Schmeizel avoids a wild elbow strike from Hihnavaara.
Schmeizel lands an elbow inside that Hihnavaara shrugs off.
Hihnavaara creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Schmeizel misses with a knee to the head.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hihnavaara is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Schmeizel is defending well for now.
Schmeizel looking to slow down the pace here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schmeizel blocks an elbow strike.
Schmeizel managing to block the knees to the body from Hihnavaara.
Schmeizel avoids the elbow strike from Hihnavaara, against the cage.
Schmeizel tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hihnavaara is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Hihnavaara looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Schmeizel trying to land knees to the body.
Hihnavaara creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Schmeizel lands an elbow inside.
Hihnavaara misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Schmeizel.

Schmeizel breaks from the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Hihnavaara rushes Schmeizel and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hihnavaara goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Schmeizel tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hihnavaara avoids it.
Hihnavaara taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hihnavaara misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hihnavaara throws an elbow that misses.
Hihnavaara misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Schmeizel.
Schmeizel can't find room to land a body shot as Hihnavaara controls the action.
Schmeizel tries to land knees in the clinch but Hihnavaara avoids the damage to the body.
Schmeizel lands an uppercut.
Schmeizel just leaning against Hihnavaara, taking a breather.
Schmeizel lands a nice uppercut.
Schmeizel pushes off an throws an elbow but Hihnavaara leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Schmeizel avoids a wild elbow strike from Hihnavaara.
Schmeizel avoiding damage as Hihnavaara throws knees to the body.
Schmeizel misses with a knee to the head.
Hihnavaara blocks an elbow strike.
Hihnavaara can't break the clinch.

Schmeizel breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Schmeizel takes the fight into the clinch.
Schmeizel tries to break free but Hihnavaara pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hihnavaara avoids a wild elbow strike from Schmeizel.
Schmeizel dodges an elbow strike from Hihnavaara.
Schmeizel tries to land knees in the clinch but Hihnavaara avoids the damage to the body.
Hihnavaara misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Aleksi Hihnavaara seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Schmeizel tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Schmeizel on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Schmeizel throws an elbow but misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hihnavaara misses with an elbow over the top.
Hihnavaara swings wildly with an uppercut but Schmeizel uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hihnavaara jumps guard but Schmeizel turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Hihnavaara throws an elbow that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hihnavaara looking to throw knees to the head but Schmeizel is blocking nicely.
Hihnavaara throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Schmeizel blocking some punches.
Hihnavaara looks to throw an elbow but misses.
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 Lerba Schmeizel will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hihnavaara blocks the body kick.
Hihnavaara looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Schmeizel is fending him off so far but Hihnavaara persists. Nope, Schmeizel circles away and we're back to standing.
Hihnavaara tries to clinch there but Schmeizel circles away.
Hihnavaara tries to clinch up but Schmeizel circles away and keeps his distance.
Hihnavaara wants to clinch up but Schmeizel keeps it at a distance.

Schmeizel moves into the clinch.
Schmeizel is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hihnavaara is defending well for now.
Hihnavaara jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Schmeizel walks away with a smile on his face. Hihnavaara gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Schmeizel tries a head kick but it misses.
Hihnavaara fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hihnavaara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Schmeizel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Schmeizel misses with a head kick.
Schmeizel misses the jab.
Aleksi Hihnavaara is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Schmeizel throws a jab but it's blocked by Hihnavaara.
Schmeizel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hihnavaara swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Schmeizel shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hihnavaara as he avoids it easily.
Lerba Schmeizel is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schmeizel swats away the attempt to clinch by Hihnavaara.
Schmeizel thows a body kick. Hihnavaara tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Hihnavaara closes the distance looking to clinch

and Schmeizel counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Schmeizel.
Schmeizel lands a damaging elbow.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hihnavaara throws an elbow but misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Schmeizel just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hihnavaara's brow.
Hihnavaara looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Schmeizel avoids a wild elbow strike from Hihnavaara.
Hihnavaara lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Schmeizel misses with a knee to the head.
Schmeizel prevents Hihnavaara from breaking the clinch.
Hihnavaara blocks the elbow strike.
Schmeizel is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schmeizel with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hihnavaara blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hihnavaara lands a knee to the body.
Schmeizel throws an elbow but it's blocked.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Schmeizel misses with a short punch on the inside.
Schmeizel blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hihnavaara blocks an elbow strike from Schmeizel.
Schmeizel on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hihnavaara throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Hihnavaara tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Schmeizel's elbow.
Schmeizel avoiding damage as Hihnavaara throws knees to the body.
Hihnavaara avoids the elbow strike from Schmeizel, against the cage.
Hihnavaara is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Schmeizel is defending well for now.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Hihnavaara obliges.
Schmeizel tries a knee to the head but Hihnavaara blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hihnavaara has Schmeizel pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Schmeizel manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Lerba Schmeizel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aleksi Hihnavaara.

Schmeizel breaks from the clinch.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Schmeizel.
Hihnavaara stuffs the takedown.
Hihnavaara misses with the combination.
Schmeizel tries a head kick but it misses.
Schmeizel fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hihnavaara avoids it really well and circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Hihnavaara instigates a clinch.
Schmeizel throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hihnavaara blocks it with crossed arms.
Stalling in the clinch from Hihnavaara.
Schmeizel blocks a body shot from Hihnavaara.
Schmeizel takes an elbow to the temple.
Aleksi Hihnavaara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schmeizel connects with a nasty looking knee right to Hihnavaara's face.
Hihnavaara misses with an elbow over the top.
Schmeizel creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hihnavaara's defenses.
Schmeizel throws an elbow that misses.
Schmeizel with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Lerba Schmeizel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nice elbow from Hihnavaara.
Hihnavaara tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Schmeizel avoids it.
Hihnavaara lands a damaging elbow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Schmeizel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Schmeizel tries to clinch up but Hihnavaara circles away and keeps his distance.
Hihnavaara wants to clinch up but Schmeizel keeps it at a distance.
Hihnavaara misses with a series of wild punches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Schmeizel ducks under a wild hook from Hihnavaara.
Schmeizel fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hihnavaara avoids it really well and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Aleksi Hihnavaara.
I think Schmeizel 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!