PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Seamus Heaney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mica Makaaja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Makaaja has chosen BassLovers United - I Can't Dance as his entrance music. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Heaney
vs
Makaaja

178 cm
30
212 lbs
18 - 9 - 1

180 cm
28
215 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 18 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Seamus Heaney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mica Makaaja!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Alec Ball and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Heaney misses with a body shot.
Makaaja takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Heaney shoots and misses

and Makaaja decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Heaney's guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Makaaja wants to control from the top but Heaney keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Heaney lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Makaaja!
Makaaja tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Makaaja bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Makaaja controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Heaney pulls Makaaja in close to his closed guard and prevents Makaaja from doing any damage or advancing position.
Makaaja trying to control but Heaney is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makaaja wants to pass the guard but Heaney is keeping the position.
Heaney keeping moving, preventing Makaaja from controlling successfully.

Mica Makaaja has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Heaney misses with a looping right.
Heaney misses with a hook

and Makaaja counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Heaney!

Makaaja swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Heaney is now in Makaaja's guard. A big mistake from Makaaja there, giving up the dominant position!

Makaaja working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Heaney doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Heaney manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heaney throwing strikes from guard but Makaaja blocks nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Heaney distracts Makaaja with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Heaney throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Heaney has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Heaney pushes down on Makaaja's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Heaney is pressing down on Makaaja's thigh, looking to free his foot. Makaaja is holding on for now.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Makaaja looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Heaney working over Makaaja with some ground and pound. Makaaja looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Heaney tries to pass to full mount but Makaaja defends it.
Heaney sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Makaaja defending well though.
Makaaja is refusing to be controlled, as Heaney sits in half guard.

Makaaja looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Makaaja is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Heaney pulls his head out easily.
Heaney thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Heaney lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Makaaja has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Heaney is working away from the top position though.
Makaaja has hold of Heaney's hands but Heaney slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Heaney lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Makaaja keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Makaaja looking for submissions off his back.
Makaaja is staying active underneath Heaney, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Makaaja moves into full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Heaney trying to control but Makaaja is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heaney looking to pass the guard.
Heaney working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Heaney scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Makaaja avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Heaney postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Makaaja looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Heaney cracks Makaaja with a solid left hand.
Makaaja has momentary wrist control but Heaney slips an elbow through the middle.

Makaaja is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Heaney wants to control from the top but Makaaja keeps moving.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Heaney avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
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 Seamus Heaney will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Heaney gets a double leg takedown into Makaaja's guard.
Heaney landing some decent shots from guard.
Heaney loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Heaney with a flurry of punches that miss.
Heaney lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Makaaja had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Heaney defends it easily.

Makaaja is looking for a triangle but Heaney pushes his legs off easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Heaney lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Makaaja looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Makaaja is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Heaney is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heaney with a nice head shot there.
Makaaja utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Makaaja had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Heaney defends it easily.
Heaney loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Makaaja looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Heaney wants to control from the top but Makaaja keeps moving.
Heaney is really struggling to control Makaaja but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Makaaja not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Makaaja is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Makaaja utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Heaney lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Heaney throws a big elbow that misses.

Makaaja had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Heaney defends it easily.
Makaaja keeping full guard, as Heaney tries to pass.
Heaney loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Heaney accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Makaaja avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Heaney stands up over Makaaja, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Heaney with a flurry of punches that miss.

Makaaja looking for subs off his back but Heaney has passed one foot through into half guard.
Heaney tries to pass the half guard into mount. Makaaja knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Makaaja looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Makaaja trying to control here.
Heaney working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

It looks like Mica Makaaja has been cut.

Makaaja is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Heaney pulls his head out easily.

Makaaja is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Heaney pulls his head out easily.
Heaney is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Makaaja taking some punishment here, with Heaney in his half guard.

Makaaja looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Heaney working the head and body with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Makaaja looking for submissions off his back.
Heaney is looking to advance position but Makaaja won't allow it.
Makaaja is looking to improve his position.
Heaney sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Makaaja defending well though.
Heaney is nestled in close to Makaaja, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The fighters are battling for position here. Makaaja manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Heaney lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Heaney avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Heaney with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Heaney working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Makaaja is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seamus Heaney dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mica Makaaja's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Heaney looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Heaney swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Heaney misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Makaaja.
Nice takedown defense from Heaney. No joy for Makaaja on that attempt.
Makaaja ducks right into an uppercut from Heaney.
Heaney looks to score with a jab to the body but Makaaja is just out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Makaaja.

Heaney looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Makaaja!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heaney connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Heaney breaks from Makaaja's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Makaaja tries to lock up and control but Heaney gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Seamus Heaney overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Makaaja really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Heaney lands a nice shot to the head.
Heaney working Makaaja over with strikes here.

Makaaja is rocked!

That has opened up Mica Makaaja's cut even more.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Makaaja can't escape the position.
Makaaja is still in real trouble! Can Heaney finish him?
Heaney softens up his opponent with a couple of shots there and then CRACK! One massive shot lands there and Makaaja is out cold! Heaney jumps to his feet and celebrates on the cage with the fans, who are, quite frankly, going absolutely mental!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Seamus Heaney!
As Seamus Heaney got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: Clearly Holmes is the better fighter but I have a much better manager so I'd liek to thank Kevin Johnson for making this win happen, Holmes you need a new manager!'.