PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Keni Susi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitchell Pearsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Susi comes to the cage accompanied by Metallica - Hero of the Day. This should be a great matchup!

Susi
vs
Pearsen

175 cm
31
158 lbs
22 - 19 - 0

170 cm
27
159 lbs
15 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 22 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Keni Susi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mitchell Pearsen!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pearsen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pearsen wants it to stay on the feet.

Pearsen moves into range and clinches up with Susi.
Susi blocking some punches.
Pearsen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Pearsen swings wildly with an uppercut but Susi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pearsen struggles to land a body shot inside as Susi controls his hands.
Susi blocking some punches.
Susi tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Pearsen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Pearsen working aggressively here.
Pearsen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Susi backwards.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Pearsen.
Pearsen'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.

Pearsen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pearsen lands a jab to the nose.
Susi defending well as Pearsen loads up on a big left hand.
Pearsen looks to throw the jab but Susi is out of range.
Pearsen misses with an uppercut. Susi saw that one coming.
Pearsen tries to clinch but Susi is having none of it.
Mitchell Pearsen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Pearsen darts in and clinches Susi up against the cage.
Pearsen misses with the head strike.
Susi has Pearsen pressed against the cage, preventing Pearsen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Pearsen lands with a light punch inside.
Susi tries to pull guard but Pearsen forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keni Susi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Susi fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Susi tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Pearsen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Pearsen has Susi pressed against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Pearsen as the two fighters clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Susi prevents a body shot from Pearsen.
Pearsen stalling.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pearsen.
Pearsen lands a right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pearsen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pearsen throws a punch but it's blocked by Susi.
Pearsen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Pearsen misses with a punch to the body.
A short uppercut from Pearsen.
Pearsen tries to break the clinch but Susi is controlling the position.
A head punch on the inside from Pearsen fails to land.
Susi tries to pull guard but Pearsen forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen lands a hook that snaps the head of Susi backwards.
Pearsen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pearsen struggles to land a body shot inside as Susi controls his hands.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pearsen.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Pearsen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Susi's elbow.
Susi is trying to pull guard but Pearsen has him pressed against the cage.
Pearsen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Susi's elbow.
A left hand lands to the body for Pearsen.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Susi.
A head punch on the inside from Pearsen fails to land.
A nice left hand lands by Pearsen.
Susi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen tries to work over Susi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Pearsen throws a head punch that misses.

Pearsen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Susi throws out a loose jab but Pearsen uses good head movement to avoid it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Pearsen rushes Susi and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Susi tries to pull guard but Pearsen forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Pearsen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pearsen throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Susi counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pearsen won't be happy with that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pearsen is trying to get back to half guard.

Susi is trying to get an arm triangle but Pearsen is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pearsen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitchell Pearsen dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pearsen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Susi ducks under a wild hook from Pearsen.
Susi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Susi shoots in and drives through. Pearsen sprawls well.
Pearsen stuffs the takedown attempt from Susi. Susi gets slowly back to his feet.
Pearsen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A decent looking cross lands there for Pearsen.
Jab by Pearsen.
Susi shoots in looking for a takedown. Pearsen tries to sprawl out of it but Susi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pearsen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keni Susi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Susi swats away the attempt to clinch by Pearsen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Susi dives in and grabs Pearsen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Pearsen pushes down on Susi's head and hops out.

Pearsen clinches.
Pearsen swings wildly with an uppercut but Susi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pearsen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Pearsen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Pearsen stalls.
Pearsen gets through Susi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen is trying to push Susi away but Susi has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Susi is trying to pull guard but Pearsen turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Pearsen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Mitchell Pearsen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Pearsen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pearsen stuffs the takedown.
Susi shoots in and drives through. Pearsen sprawls well.
Pearsen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Susi.
Pearsen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Susi.
Susi shoots for a double leg takedown but Pearsen sprawls well. He's pushed Susi's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Pearsen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Susi.
Susi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Pearsen forces Susi back against the cage and clinches.
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!
Susi is trying to pull guard but Pearsen turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen stalling in the clinch but Susi improves position.
Pearsen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pearsen dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Susi blocks a body shot from Pearsen.
Susi's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Susi has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Pearsen uses from the top position.
Pearsen postures up.
Pearsen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Susi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Susi looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Pearsen passes into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen laying and praying for a moment but Susi takes advantage and regains half guard.

Susi is defending against the submission attempts here by Pearsen.
Susi regains full guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitchell Pearsen 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Pearsen scores with a nice head shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Pearsen misses the target.
Susi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Susi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pearsen.
Susi fails with a takedown attempt.
Pearsen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Pearsen has managed to clinch.
Pearsen has a couple of punches blocked by Susi.
Pearsen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Susi tries to pull guard but Pearsen holds him up against the cage and eventually Susi drops back down to his feet.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Susi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Pearsen to the mat! Pearsen manages to get full guard.

Susi postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Pearsen is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Susi, into his guard.
Pearsen tries to free his leg and advance position but Susi is retaining full guard.
Pearsen tries to stand but Susi is controlling from the bottom.

Susi working for a triangle but Pearsen defends it easily.

Susi is looking for a triangle but Pearsen pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pearsen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Susi has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pearsen has managed to get both his arms back between Susi's legs - danger averted.
Pearsen tries to free his leg and advance position but Susi is retaining full guard.

Susi is looking for a triangle here but Pearsen uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Susi is looking for a sweep.
Pearsen tries to move into full mount but can't pass Susi's legs.
Susi struggling a bit here.
Pearsen advances to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Susi tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Susi is looking to escape.
Susi throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Pearsen wants to get back to his feet but Susi is holding on tight.
Pearsen landing strikes, looking to finish!

Pearsen gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pearsen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Susi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pearsen circles away.
Keni Susi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mitchell Pearsen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keni Susi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Susi fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Pearsen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mitchell Pearsen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pearsen 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mitchell Pearsen!
A very excited looking Mitchell Pearsen made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.