PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rich Varner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kristian Ukkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rich Varner has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Varner
vs
Ukkonen

183 cm
19
169 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

176 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rich Varner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kristian Ukkonen!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ukkonen just misses with a punch to the body.
A big left from Ukkonen misses.
Varner gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Ukkonen tries to bum rush Varner with a series of wild strikes but Varner uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ukkonen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ukkonen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Varner stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Varner tries to bum rush Ukkonen with a series of wild strikes but Ukkonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Ukkonen takes the fight into the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Varner's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Varner's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Ukkonen lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Varner or not.
Varner looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Varner's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ukkonen breaks the clinch.
Kristian Ukkonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Varner takes one on the button.
Ukkonen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Varner misses with a hook.
Varner slips a jab from Ukkonen.
Varner takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Ukkonen misses with a series of wild punches.
Ukkonen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Varner circles away quickly and effectively.
A swing and a miss from Varner.
Varner misses with a straight left.
Ukkonen scores with the left hand. Varner knows he should have avoided that one.
Ukkonen misses with an uppercut. Varner saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Varner throws a right and a left that Ukkonen avoids nicely.
Varner bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ukkonen throws an overhand right that lands on Varner's shoulder, as Varner tries to avoid the shot.
Ukkonen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ukkonen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Varner throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ukkonen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ukkonen blocks a jab.
Varner misses with a hook. Ukkonen ducked under it nicely.
Varner slips a straight right by Ukkonen.
Ukkonen throws a right hand that misses
and Varner counters with a series of strikes. Ukkonen will be more careful next time no doubt.
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!
Ukkonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Varner manages to avoid it.
Ukkonen misses with a double jab
and Varner cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ukkonen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Varner moves out of range as Ukkonen throws a body kick.
Ukkonen takes a swing at Varner's ribcage but misses.
Varner connects with a single shot there.

Ukkonen has closed the distance and engaged Varner in a clinch.

Ukkonen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Varner tries to bum rush Ukkonen with a series of wild strikes but Ukkonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ukkonen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Varner.

Ukkonen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Varner blocks an uppercut.

Ukkonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Varner looks to land a combination but Ukkonen avoids it well.
Varner throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Varner misses the shot to the body.
Ukkonen cracks Varner with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Ukkonen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Varner, pushing him back against the cage.
Ukkonen swings wildly with an uppercut but Varner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ukkonen works on Varner's body with a couple of short punches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ukkonen misses with a short punch on the inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Varner is trying to force a seperation but Ukkonen has the dominant position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Varner.
Ukkonen leaning his opponent against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kristian Ukkonen dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ukkonen misses with a straight right.
A shot to the body from Ukkonen misses
and Varner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Varner misses with a straight left.
Ukkonen moves away from the strike by Varner.
Ukkonen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The fighters circling - Ukkonen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Varner avoids the body shot from Ukkonen.
Ukkonen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ukkonen throws a front kick aimed at Varner's knee but Varner avoids it well.
Ukkonen moves away from the strike by Varner.
Varner gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ukkonen throws a hook but Varner blocks it.
Ukkonen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ukkonen throws a right hand that Varner ducks under and follows up with a left that Varner also avoids with ease.
Varner blocks a head kick by Ukkonen.
Ukkonen misses with an uppercut.
Varner fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ukkonen manages to avoid it.
Ukkonen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Varner avoids the body shot from Ukkonen.
Varner fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ukkonen manages to avoid it.
Varner takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Ukkonen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Varner jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Ukkonen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ukkonen misses with a hook
and Varner counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Varner keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A big left from Varner misses.
Ukkonen goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A head kick misses from Ukkonen.
Varner just misses with a punch to the body.
Varner slips a jab from Ukkonen.
Varner throws an overhand right that lands on Ukkonen's shoulder, as Ukkonen tries to avoid the shot.
A slow jab from Varner misses its intended target.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Varner throws an overhand right that lands on Ukkonen's shoulder, as Ukkonen tries to avoid the shot.
Ukkonen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Varner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ukkonen throws a big shot that misses.
Ukkonen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Varner. Varner circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Varner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ukkonen misses with a right hand
and Varner counters with a nice uppercut.
Varner swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ukkonen misses with a straight left.
Ukkonen throws a sloppy head kick and Varner moves out of range easily.
Ukkonen throws an overhand right that lands on Varner's shoulder, as Varner tries to avoid the shot.
Ukkonen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Varner.
A head kick misses from Ukkonen.
Ukkonen is breathing heavily.
Varner throws an overhand right that lands on Ukkonen's shoulder, as Ukkonen tries to avoid the shot.
Ukkonen misses with a looping left.
Ukkonen misses with a looping right.
Ukkonen takes a swing at Varner's ribcage but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ukkonen misses with a hook
letting Varner counter with a right hand.
Ukkonen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ukkonen throws a jab but it's blocked by Varner.
Ukkonen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ukkonen misses with a wild body shot.
Varner drops Ukkonen with a huge uppercut! Ukkonen drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Varner is raining down punches and the ref stops the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rich Varner!
After winning the bout, Rich Varner thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.