PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Urho Koskela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Valdemar Tuco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tuco has chosen Frank Dellé - Pound Power as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Valdemar Tuco was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Koskela
vs
Tuco

174 cm
19
152 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

165 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Urho Koskela!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Valdemar Tuco!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tuco misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Tuco shoots in but Koskela avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Tuco shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Tuco tries to control but Koskela wriggling away.
Tuco controlling the position easily from mount.
Koskela wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Tuco.
Koskela is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuco looking to ground and pound but Koskela is blocking nicely.

Tuco with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Poor strikes thrown by Tuco there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Koskela tries to reverse the position but Tuco maintains control.
Koskela avoids a series of strikes thrown by Tuco.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Tuco jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Koskela is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Koskela and Tuco has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Tuco tries to advance to mount but Koskela instead regains half guard.

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.
Tuco seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Koskela does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Tuco is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Tuco looks gassed!
Koskela keeping full guard, as Tuco tries to pass.
Koskela not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tuco tries to free his leg and advance position but Koskela is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuco works over Koskela with some ground and pound from guard.
Koskela keeping moving, preventing Tuco from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Koskela tries to clinch but Tuco is having none of it.
Koskela stuffs the takedown.
Urho Koskela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Valdemar Tuco.
Koskela is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Koskela moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Koskela tries to clinch but Tuco is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koskela is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Koskela shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Tuco counters with an inside leg kick.

Koskela rushes Tuco and presses him up against the cage.
Tuco looking for a takedown.
Tuco drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Koskela gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Koskela scores with a nice hook to the head.
Koskela tries to pull guard but Tuco won't allow it.
Tuco changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Koskela fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Koskela tries to clinch

and Tuco counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Tuco throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tuco wants to lay and pray for a moment but Koskela keeps working.
Tuco lands strikes from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valdemar Tuco dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tuco fails with the takedown

and Koskela counters with a shoot takedown. Tuco fights it but they end up in guard.
Tuco is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Koskela stopping the sweep attempt from Tuco.

Tuco has his foot on Koskela's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Koskela works his way back into a safe position though.
Tuco tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Koskela avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tuco wants to hit a switch here but Koskela passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Tuco there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuco is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Tuco has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Koskela is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Koskela wants to clinch

and Tuco counters with a takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tuco goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Koskela has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Tuco but great work by Koskela.
Tuco manages to work his way to half guard, despite Koskela's best efforts.
Valdemar Tuco has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tuco is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Tuco keeping hold of Koskela's head, controlling as best he can.
Tuco is trying to control but can't.
Tuco makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tuco.
Tuco tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tuco looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Tuco can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Koskela controls the pace.
Koskela trying to control the position from guard on top but Tuco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tuco is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Koskela has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Tuco has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Koskela can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Tuco looking for a sweep. Not yet Tuco, not yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Koskela looks to clinch

so Tuco counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Tuco scoring with some ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tuco passes Koskela's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Tuco is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valdemar Tuco showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Tuco closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Tuco lands in his opponent's guard.

Tuco drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Koskela manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Tuco has Koskela in his guard.

Tuco is looking for a triangle here but Koskela uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tuco tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuco is trying to control Koskela's posture but Koskela avoids it.

Koskela stands up and beckons Tuco to his feet.
Koskela stuffs the takedown attempt from Tuco. Tuco gets slowly back to his feet.
Koskela closes the distance but Tuco moves to the side

and Tuco counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Koskela!
Tuco looking to ground and pound but Koskela is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuco looking to control but Koskela is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Koskela avoids a series of strikes thrown by Tuco.
Tuco thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Tuco is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Koskela has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Koskela!
Tuco controls Koskela momentarily but Koskela frees himself.
Koskela trying to control the position from guard on top but Tuco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tuco has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Koskela has passed into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Koskela has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Tuco will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Koskela fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tuco, pushing him back against the cage.
Tuco jumps guard but Koskela stands there with Tuco around his waist. Tuco gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Urho Koskela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Valdemar Tuco.
Koskela throws a head punch that misses.
Tuco changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Koskela fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Tuco missing with a left hand there. Koskela was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Tuco does no damage.

Tuco closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Tuco lands in his opponent's guard.
Tuco stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Koskela swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tuco stands up over Koskela, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Koskela working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tuco.
Tuco wants to control from the top but Koskela keeps moving.
Urho Koskela has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tuco pushing down on Koskela's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Valdemar Tuco comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tuco 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Valdemar Tuco!