PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kendall Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pikku Näkäräinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Näkäräinen is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Juice Leskinen - Vaasankin veri vapisee. Pikku Näkäräinen told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Alves
vs
Näkäräinen

182 cm
36
148 lbs
30 - 23 - 0

152 cm
26
145 lbs
16 - 7 - 2

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
World class MT
Good gas tank

Brute

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 30 - 23 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kendall Alves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Pikku Näkäräinen!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alves misses with an uppercut
and Näkäräinen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Näkäräinen shoots in but no luck this time.
Alves fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Näkäräinen avoids it really well and circles away.
Alves scores with a shot to the body.

Näkäräinen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Alves really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
You can see the frustration on Alves's face as Näkäräinen controls the position.

Näkäräinen wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Alves, who protects the arm well.
Näkäräinen advances nicely into full mount.
Näkäräinen takes Alves's back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Näkäräinen is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Näkäräinen is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Alves defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Näkäräinen patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Alves looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Alves breaks Näkäräinen's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Alves with a flurry of punches that miss.
Alves working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Näkäräinen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Alves sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Näkäräinen's guard.
Näkäräinen wants to control but Alves is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Alves thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Näkäräinen's head.
Näkäräinen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Alves is working away from the top position though.
Alves is keen to just control but Näkäräinen is a slippery customer.
Alves not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alves thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Näkäräinen's head.
Alves thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Alves throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Alves looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Näkäräinen trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Näkäräinen is trying to get back to full guard.
Näkäräinen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Näkäräinen is trying to control but can't.
Näkäräinen wants to improve his position but Alves is controlling well.
Alves working the head and body with strikes.
Näkäräinen is trying to maintain the position but Alves is very close to passing his half guard.
Alves sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Näkäräinen defending well though.
Alves has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Alves in particular looking to stall.
Alves missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Näkäräinen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Alves.
Alves seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Alves wants to free his trapped foot but Näkäräinen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Näkäräinen is not content to let Alves control the position.
Näkäräinen trying to hold on to Alves's head to control him but Alves postures up.
Alves throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Näkäräinen wants to control but Alves is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Alves trying to control from half guard but Näkäräinen is working away.
Näkäräinen controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Alves trying to control from half guard but Näkäräinen is working away.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Näkäräinen misses with a body shot
and Alves counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Alves connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Näkäräinen looks to land a combination but Alves avoids it well.
Näkäräinen tries to bum rush Alves with a series of wild strikes but Alves uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Näkäräinen pivots, looking for a leg kick but Alves is out of range and Näkäräinen settles back down.
Näkäräinen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Alves on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Näkäräinen. Näkäräinen obviously looking to wear him down.
Pikku Näkäräinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Näkäräinen shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Alves moves out of range of the body kick.
Alves is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Näkäräinen misses with a body shot.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Alves drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Näkäräinen wants to sweep but no luck.
Alves trying to control but Näkäräinen is working from the bottom.
Näkäräinen trying to control the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Näkäräinen wants to sweep but no luck.
Näkäräinen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Alves with a flurry of punches that miss.
Alves trying to control but Näkäräinen is working from the bottom.
Alves postures up in Näkäräinen's guard and throws a big left but Näkäräinen blocks it.
Näkäräinen is trying to control the position but Alves postures up.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Näkäräinen attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Näkäräinen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Näkäräinen feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Alves's calf.
Näkäräinen avoids the body shot from Alves.
No joy there for Näkäräinen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Näkäräinen throws a leg kick but Alves checks it.
Näkäräinen tests Alves's chin there with a solid looking shot.
An inside leg kick from Näkäräinen misses.
Alves swings for the body but Näkäräinen moves out of range.
Alves misses with an uppercut.
Näkäräinen tries to land a front kick but Alves steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Alves fails with the takedown.
A lazy left from Alves finds it's target.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Alves fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Näkäräinen manages to avoid it.
Alves cracks Näkäräinen with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Alves's jab looks to have found its range, popping Näkäräinen under the eye.
Näkäräinen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Alves as he jumps to the side.
Näkäräinen misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Alves to counter with a crisp jab.

Näkäräinen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Näkäräinen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alves keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Näkäräinen looking to control but Alves is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Alves is just holding on here. Näkäräinen manages to take his back.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Näkäräinen is persistently looking for the submission but Alves is defending it well.
Näkäräinen tries to get the hooks in deep but Alves pushed the leg off.
Alves has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Alves just trying to survive but Näkäräinen is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Näkäräinen wants to control but Alves is keeping busy.
Näkäräinen has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Alves's body.

Näkäräinen working from the back looking to end the fight with a rear naked choke. Alves is doing well to defend. Näkäräinen seems to have got his hand under the chin though and he's sunk the choke in! Alves is forced to tap and this one is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Pikku Näkäräinen!
An out of breath Pikku Näkäräinen thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.