PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nick Abulak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matti Lykke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Abulak
vs
Lykke

221 cm
23
295 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

215 cm
21
260 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nick Abulak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matti Lykke!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lykke takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Lykke throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Abulak.
Abulak misses with a body kick.
Abulak throws a low kick, looking for Lykke's leg but Lykke calmly moves out of range.
Lykke throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Abulak.
Abulak closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lykke circles away.

Abulak instigates a clinch.
Abulak is trying to push Lykke away but Lykke has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Lykke displaying some good clinch control by pressing Abulak up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Abulak's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Abulak pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Abulak tries to work over Lykke's front leg with a kick but Lykke checks it.
Abulak shoots in looking for a takedown. Lykke tries to sprawl out of it but Abulak keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lykke manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Abulak gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Lykke moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Abulak. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Abulak wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Abulak's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lykke decides to pull guard.
Abulak is fighting to break Lykke's control of his arms but Lykke is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lykke looking to hit a scissor sweep but Abulak is one step ahead there.
Lykke is controlling Abulak's posture.
Lykke looking for a sweep. Not yet Lykke, not yet.
Abulak wants to control from the top but Lykke keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Nick Abulak wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Abulak shoots in and drives through. Lykke sprawls well.

Abulak drives through and clinches with Lykke against the cage.
Lykke is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Abulak to keep the fight standing.

Abulak's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Abulak clinches with his opponent.

Abulak lands a takedown into guard.
Abulak loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lykke throws his legs up looking for a submission but Abulak uses it to pass to side control.
Lykke manages to get back to half guard.
Lykke is staying active underneath Abulak, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lykke tries to roll over but Abulak keeps him under control.
Abulak trying to pass the guard but Lykke defending well.
Lykke is trying to get back to full guard.
Abulak wants to pass the guard but Lykke is defending well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lykke wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Abulak dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lykke keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Abulak throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Abulak gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Abulak wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Abulak gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Lykke regains guard.
Abulak connects with a couple of short punches.
Lykke bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Abulak's guard.
Lykke trying to control the position from guard on top but Abulak is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Abulak working a defensive guard here.
Lykke trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lykke trying to control but Abulak is working from the bottom.
Lykke throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Abulak keeping moving, preventing Lykke from controlling successfully.
Lykke working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Abulak is looking for a triangle but Lykke pushes his legs off easily.
Lykke throws a big right hand that misses.
Lykke trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lykke lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Abulak is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lykke works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abulak is refusing to be controlled, as Lykke sits in half guard.

Abulak makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Abulak darts in and clinches Lykke up against the cage.
Lykke tries to pull guard but Abulak won't allow it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Abulak wants to break free but Lykke has control.
Lykke has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Abulak is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Lykke has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Abulak is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Nick Abulak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matti Lykke.
Abulak is trying to force a seperation but Lykke has the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lykke keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Abulak's efforts to push away.

Lykke is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Abulak can't fight it off and eventually Lykke manages to take the fight to the floor. Abulak looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Lykke tries to free his leg and advance position but Abulak is retaining full guard.
Lykke is looking to advance position but Abulak has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Lykke is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lykke really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Lykke is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Lykke is squirming around, avoiding Abulak's attempts to control the action.
Lykke is in a horrible position here. Abulak smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Abulak wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Abulak wants to control the pace but Lykke is squirming around nicely.

Abulak is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the 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 Nick Abulak will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Abulak throws a low kick but Lykke moves out of range easily.

Abulak shoots in and bounces Lykke off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Abulak has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Lykke is proving hard to escape from.
Abulak trying to control the position from guard on top but Lykke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lykke pulls Abulak in close to prevent any damage.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Abulak wants to pass the guard but Lykke is keeping the position.
Nick Abulak overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lykke is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Nick Abulak just wasn't active enough.
Abulak lands a nice leg kick that just misses Lykke's sensitive parts.
Lykke takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lykke stuffs the takedown.
Abulak has his takedown stuffed

and Lykke counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Abulak!
Abulak wants to hold on but Lykke pushes him away.
Abulak is wriggling around trying to escape.
Lykke with the ground and pound from mount.
Lykke wants to control the pace but Abulak is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Abulak wants to hold on but Lykke pushes him away.
Lykke scoring with strikes but Abulak is staying in there.
Abulak holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Lykke tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Lykke cracks Abulak with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Lykke lands a nice shot to the head.
Lykke landing shots from mount.
Lykke working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Abulak in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Abulak is in a horrible position here. Lykke smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Abulak is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lykke lands a nice shot to the head.
Abulak is in a horrible position here. Lykke smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Lykke has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Abulak tries to hold on but Lykke postures up.
Abulak taking shots to the head.
Lykke lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Lykke looking to control and managing it successfully.
Abulak is squirming around, avoiding Lykke's attempts to control the action.
Lykke postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Abulak looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lykke landing strikes, looking to finish!
Lykke punishing his opponent with strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Abulak wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Lykke.
Lykke with good strikes from the mount here!
Abulak squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Lykke landing strikes from the mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Abulak is looking to get to half guard.
Lykke working Abulak over with strikes here.
Lykke controlling his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matti Lykke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Abulak 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for Matti Lykke!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight for Matti Lykke!
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight for Matti Lykke!

Matti Lykke wins by unanimous decision!
A relieved looking Matti Lykke thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.