PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jarkko Keimonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Staal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Keimonen
vs
Staal

210 cm
18
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

196 cm
25
263 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

KAISER

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jarkko Keimonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marcus Staal!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Keimonen.
Keimonen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Staal tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Keimonen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Keimonen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Staal throws a sloppy head kick and Keimonen moves out of range easily.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Keimonen, right into the meat.
Staal misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A good leg kick by Keimonen.
Keimonen closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Staal takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Staal darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Staal looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Staal sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Staal is working for a submission of some sort.
Still in half guard, Staal seems content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Marcus Staal hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Keimonen throws a body punch but Staal moves out of range.
Keimonen lands with a hook. Staal tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Staal ducks right into an uppercut from Keimonen.
A slapping leg kick lands for Keimonen.
Staal fails in his attempt to clinch.
Jarkko Keimonen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
An inside leg kick lands from Keimonen.

Staal gets a clinch.
Keimonen is looking to control Staal's arms but Staal gets an underhook and turns him. Now Keimonen has his back to the cage.
Staal is trying to push Keimonen away but Keimonen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal is trying to push Keimonen away but Keimonen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Keimonen is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Keimonen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Staal prevents Keimonen from breaking the clinch.
Keimonen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Staal looking for a takedown.
Staal tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Keimonen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Keimonen wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Keimonen dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Staal managing to block the knees to the body from Keimonen.

Staal breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Staal uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Keimonen.
Keimonen blocks a jab.
Jarkko Keimonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Keimonen lands with a kick to the temple. Staal shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Keimonen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Keimonen, right into the meat.
A nice inside leg kick there by Keimonen. That's going to slow Staal down.
Keimonen fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Staal tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Keimonen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Keimonen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Keimonen lands a leg kick that knocks Staal off balance momentarily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Keimonen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Staal's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Staal takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
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 Jarkko Keimonen will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Staal throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Keimonen was covering up waiting for the punch and Staal finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Staal slips nicely into half guard.
Staal takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Staal stands up and beckons Keimonen to join him on the feet.
Staal tries to clinch there but Keimonen circles away.
Keimonen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Keimonen lands with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keimonen misses with a head kick.
Nice straight punches there by Keimonen. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Keimonen.
The fight stays on the outside here - Staal looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Marcus Staal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
That kick from Keimonen tenderised Staal's leg. Staal is trying to keep his angry face on.
Staal throws a leg kick but Keimonen moved away.
Staal has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Keimonen.
Keimonen scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Keimonen scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Jab by Keimonen.
Keimonen goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Keimonen takes a swing at Staal's ribcage but misses.
Staal wants to clinch up but Keimonen keeps it at a distance.
Keimonen is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Keimonen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Keimonen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keimonen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Staal moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Staal tries to clinch but Keimonen moves out of range.
Staal is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Staal shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Keimonen pinned against the cage. Keimonen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A slapping leg kick lands for Keimonen.

Staal feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Staal prevents Keimonen from getting back to his feet.
Staal looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Keimonen is working an open guard so Staal takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Jarkko Keimonen is winning the standup battle so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keimonen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Keimonen cracks a nice hook into Staal's ribs.
Keimonen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Keimonen throws a head kick that half lands.
Keimonen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Staal takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Keimonen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Keimonen lands a jab to Staal's midsection.
Keimonen throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Keimonen tenderised Staal's leg. Staal is trying to keep his angry face on.
Keimonen throws a right hand that Staal ducks under and follows up with a left that Staal also avoids with ease.

Staal shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Staal stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Keimonen connects with an inside leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Staal shoots in and drives through. Keimonen sprawls well.
Staal takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Keimonen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Keimonen cracks a nice hook into Staal's ribs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Marcus Staal will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Staal avoids the head kick by Keimonen.
Keimonen throws a head kick that Staal semi-blocks.
Keimonen scores with a body shot.
Keimonen scores with a body shot.
Nice jab there from Keimonen.
Staal on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Keimonen throws a series of punches but Staal moves out of range.

Staal looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Keimonen!
Staal controlling from the full mount.
Marcus Staal has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Staal controlling from mount.
Keimonen tries to hold on but Staal postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staal tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Marcus Staal hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Staal throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Keimonen's waist but Keimonen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Staal off to one side.
Staal on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Staal pushes Keimonen up against the cage in a clinch.
Keimonen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Staal tries to pull guard but Keimonen forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Staal misses with a body punch.
Staal being controlled against the cage.
Staal is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Keimonen to keep the fight standing.
Jarkko Keimonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marcus Staal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Staal fails to pull guard.
Keimonen stalling in the clinch but Staal improves position.
Staal throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Staal blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Staal is trying to pull guard but Keimonen turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Keimonen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keimonen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Staal backwards.
Keimonen can't break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Staal comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Staal has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!