PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gordie Green (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erkki Elastinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Elastinen has chosen Cascada - Dangerous as his entrance music. 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.

Green
vs
Elastinen

165 cm
30
140 lbs
20 - 13 - 0

160 cm
31
148 lbs
15 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 20 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gordie Green!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Erkki Elastinen!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, John Roberts and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Elastinen fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Green to the ground. Elastinen is now in Green's guard.
Green wants to stand and escape but Elastinen is having none of it.
Elastinen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Elastinen trying to control but Green is working from the bottom.
Elastinen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Green swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Elastinen prevents Green from getting back to his feet.
Elastinen passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Green wants to get back to his feet but Elastinen drags him back down.
Elastinen tries to advance to mount but can't.

Elastinen is trying to get an arm triangle but Green is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elastinen trying to control the position but Green is working away.
Elastinen has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Green's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Green trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Elastinen wants to control the pace but Green is squirming around nicely.
Green is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Elastinen controlling from the full mount.
Green is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Green is squirming around, avoiding Elastinen's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Green is trying to stand up.
Elastinen tries to control but Green wriggling away.
Green squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Elastinen content just to control the position here.
Elastinen tries to control but Green wriggling away.
Elastinen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Green tries to buck Elastinen off but he can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elastinen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Green is looking to escape.
Green is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

Elastinen with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Green is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Elastinen has hold of Green's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Green manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Green is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Elastinen is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Green has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Green wants to get back to his feet.

Elastinen working for a submission but Green is keeping him at bay.
Green wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Elastinen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Green is looking to escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Elastinen looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erkki Elastinen dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Elastinen dives in and grabs Green's left leg, looking for a takedown. Green pushes down on Elastinen's head and hops out.
Green misses with an uppercut

and Elastinen counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Green throws a knee to the head but misses.
Green misses with a knee to the head.
Green is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Elastinen is defending well for now.

Green's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Green throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Elastinen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Elastinen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Green.
Elastinen closes the distance and clinches up with Green, looking for a takedown. Elastinen pushes Green against the cage but Green circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gordie Green has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Erkki Elastinen.
Elastinen takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Elastinen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Green looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Green wants to get back to his feet.

Elastinen looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Green wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elastinen creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Elastinen is looking to take a break and control but Green is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Green is trying to buck Elastinen off.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Elastinen trying to control the action but Green is working from the bottom.
Erkki Elastinen has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Elastinen tries to advance to mount but Green denies him.
Green wants to get back to his feet but Elastinen drags him back down.
Elastinen tries to move into full mount but can't pass Green's legs.
Elastinen trying to control the action but Green is working from the bottom.

Elastinen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elastinen tries to move to mount but Green blocks the move with his legs.
Green wants to get back to his feet but Elastinen drags him back down.
Elastinen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Green keeps working.
Elastinen prevents Green from escaping the position.
Green gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Elastinen is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Green has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Green trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Elastinen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Elastinen scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Green tries to buck Elastinen off but he can't manage it.
Green is squirming around, avoiding Elastinen's attempts to control the action.
Elastinen won't let Green get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Elastinen content just to control the position here.
Green is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erkki Elastinen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Green swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Elastinen checks a leg kick.
Elastinen shoots for a double leg takedown but Green sprawls well. He's pushed Elastinen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Green throws a head kick but Elastinen moves out of range.
Elastinen doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Green makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Elastinen shoots in for a double leg but Green sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gordie Green has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Erkki Elastinen.
Green lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Elastinen circles away quickly and effectively.

Elastinen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Green tries to kick Elastinen off but Elastinen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Elastinen is pressing down on Green's thigh, looking to free his foot. Green is holding on for now.
Green looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elastinen passes to side control.
Elastinen trying to control the action but Green is working from the bottom.
Green is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Elastinen has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Elastinen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Elastinen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Elastinen taking a breather here.
Elastinen trying to control the action but Green is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Elastinen prevents Green from escaping the position.
Green gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Elastinen trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Green wants to try and get back to his feet.
Elastinen postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Green looks a forlorn figure.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Elastinen has hold of Green's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Green manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Gordie Green has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Green is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Elastinen trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Green is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Green is squirming around, avoiding Elastinen's attempts to control the action.

Elastinen has hold of Green's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Green manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Elastinen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Green is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Green is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Elastinen trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Elastinen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Green is trying to stand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Elastinen pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Elastinen controlling his opponent.
Elastinen tries to control but Green wriggling away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erkki Elastinen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Elastinen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erkki Elastinen!