PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Torsti Karjala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Hammer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jack Hammer has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Karjala
vs
Hammer

183 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Demonic Drugs
Demonic Drugs

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Torsti Karjala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jack Hammer!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hammer looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Karjala!
Karjala trying desperately to get to his feet.
Hammer trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Karjala is trying to get to the ropes to help him get back to his feet.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Karjala is in a horrible position here. Hammer smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Karjala is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Hammer controlling from mount.
The referee warns Karjala that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Karjala wants to try and get back to his feet.
Karjala is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karjala is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hammer landing strikes, looking to finish!
Karjala is trying to stand up.
Hammer takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Karjala is squirming around, avoiding Hammer's attempts to control the action.
Hammer has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hammer breaks from Karjala's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Hammer tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Karjala on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Karjala tries to get out of the position.
Hammer wants to control the pace but Karjala is squirming around nicely.
Hammer controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Karjala'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.
Karjala is squirming around, avoiding Hammer's attempts to control the action.
Hammer is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Hammer looking to ground and pound but Karjala is blocking nicely.
Karjala is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Hammer breaks from Karjala's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Hammer controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Jack Hammer just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Karjala takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Hammer stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Karjala.
Nice sprawl there from Karjala as Hammer shoots in.
Hammer shoots in but no luck this time.
Karjala stalks Hammer and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Hammer's face. Hammer staggers backwards, shaken.
Karjala looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nice takedown defense from Karjala. No joy for Hammer on that attempt.
Torsti Karjala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Hammer.

Karjala has Hammer up against the ropes in a clinch.

Hammer breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karjala lands a left and a right that sends Hammer crashing to the canvas! Karjala dives into mount looking to finish!

It looks like Jack Hammer has been cut.
Hammer is looking to improve his position but Karjala isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Karjala is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
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!
Hammer works the jab nicely.
Karjala does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Karjala moves in looking to clinch but Hammer pushes him off.
Hammer lands with a nice body punch.
Karjala misses with a wild combination.
Hammer lands a head kick!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Karjala throws a good cross that connects.
Karjala is looking to clinch but Hammer is avoiding it.
Karjala tries to clinch but Hammer moves out of range.
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 Torsti Karjala will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jack Hammer's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Karjala fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hammer misses with a double jab

and Karjala counters with a series of strikes that sends Hammer to the canvas! Karjala follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!
Karjala trying to control the position from guard on top but Hammer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karjala has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hammer is proving hard to escape from.

Hammer is edging up against the ropes. He's using the ropes to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Hammer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Karjala looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karjala throws a lazy head kick

and Hammer counters by clinching up.
Karjala prevents a takedown attempt there.
Hammer wants to get back to striking at distance but Karjala won't allow it.
Hammer wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hammer tries to pull guard but Karjala holds him up against the ropes and eventually Hammer drops back down to his feet.
Karjala tries to break the clinch but Hammer is controlling the position.
Hammer is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Karjala stops a takedown attempt from Hammer.
Torsti Karjala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Hammer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Karjala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Karjala jabs Hammer right on the nose. Hammer blinks but takes it well.

Karjala clinches with his opponent.
Karjala gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hammer.

Hammer is trying to trip Karjala. He has hold of a leg but Karjala is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Hammer persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Karjala is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Karjala pulls Hammer in to control the position.
Hammer slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hammer stands and throws Karjala's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karjala is being controlled here.
Hammer is putting a hurting on Karjala here, landing some big shots from side control.
Hammer prevents Karjala from escaping the position.
Karjala is looking to get back to his feet here but Hammer is keeping cool and he's managed to take Karjala's back.
Karjala staying busy and making it hard for Hammer to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Hammer is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Karjala is defending well though. Hammer let's go of the attempt for now.
Karjala looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Hammer controls the position.
Hammer is looking to control Karjala but Karjala is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Karjala wants to get back to his feet.
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 Torsti Karjala will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jack Hammer's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Karjala keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Hammer is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Karjala.
Hammer has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Karjala throws a head kick but Hammer moves out of range.
Karjala throws a sloppy head kick

and Hammer holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Hammer drags the fight down to the ground.
Karjala would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Karjala decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Hammer shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Karjala pinned against the cage. Karjala gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Karjala gets a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Karjala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Karjala throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
A low kick from Karjala is predictable there

and Hammer counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hammer.
Hammer won't allow Karjala to get back to his feet.
Karjala keeping moving, preventing Hammer from controlling successfully.
Karjala is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hammer trying to control the position from guard on top but Karjala is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammer stops Karjala from standing up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hammer throws a left and a right that both miss
and Karjala counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hammer doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Karjala counters with a straight right hand.
Torsti Karjala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Hammer.
Karjala is looking to land body kicks.
Hammer misses the shot to the body.
Hammer tries to close the distance and clinch but Karjala swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Horrible takedown by Hammer or perhaps it was just good defense by Karjala which made him look bad.
Hammer lands a head kick. Karjala smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Hammer throws a sloppy head kick and Karjala moves out of range easily.
Torsti Karjala is winning the standup battle so far.
Karjala fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hammer moves into the clinch successfully.

Karjala breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Torsti Karjala seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Karjala moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Hammer gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hammer throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Hammer is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hammer is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Karjala has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hammer looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Karjala decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hammer, up you get!
Hammer blocks a head kick by Karjala.
Hammer misses with a takedown attempt
and Karjala counters with a two punch combo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hammer lands a front kick.

Karjala clinches up with Hammer and pushes him back against the ropes.
Hammer wants to get back to striking at distance but Karjala won't allow it.
Karjala prevents Hammer from breaking the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Hammer.

Karjala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Karjala clinches but Hammer breaks the clinch
and Hammer counters with a slapping leg kick.
Jack Hammer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hammer thows a left - swing and a miss!

Karjala has taken the fight to the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Torsti Karjala showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Karjala, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Torsti Karjala!