PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sakari Nurmi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hazan Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nurmi comes into the arena with Turisas -Take the day! blaring out of the sound system. Sakari Nurmi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nurmi
vs
Ali

176 cm
28
172 lbs
14 - 11 - 0

183 cm
30
183 lbs
30 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sakari Nurmi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hazan Ali!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ali misses with a head kick.
Nurmi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nurmi throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Sakari Nurmi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A head kick misses from Nurmi.
Ali waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Nurmi.
Ali swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nurmi slips a straight right by Ali.
Ali misses with a body shot.
Ali misses with a low kick.
Ali tries to land a leg kick but Nurmi saw it coming and moves away.
Nurmi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ali.
Nurmi tries a low kick but Ali avoids it.
Nurmi misses with a low kick.

Nurmi shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ali manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ali is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ali moves into full mount! Nurmi won't be happy about that!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmi is looking to improve his position but Ali isn't that keen on the idea.
Nurmi tries to lock up and control but Ali gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ali controlling from mount.
Nurmi can't escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nurmi is working hard here to advance position.
Ali wants to control the pace but Nurmi is squirming around nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurmi is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ali takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Nurmi is desperately trying to improve his position but Ali has a good base and remains in mount.
Ali controlling the pace for now.
Nurmi tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Ali is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Nurmi has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Nurmi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ali controlling his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nurmi is looking to improve his position but Ali isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nurmi tries to hold on but Ali postures up.
Nurmi can't escape the position.
Ali controlling his opponent.
Nurmi is trying to escape the mount.
Nurmi is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Nurmi is bucking up trying to escape but Ali cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Nurmi tries to lock up and control but Ali gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ali looking to ground and pound but Nurmi is blocking nicely.
Nurmi sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Ali passes to side control.
You can see the frustration on Nurmi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nurmi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ali moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Let's hope that Ali has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Nurmi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ali throws a strike aimed at the side of Nurmi's head but Nurmi avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ali punishes Nurmi's body with a nice straight punch.
Nurmi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nurmi ducks right into an uppercut from Ali.
Nurmi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nurmi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nurmi connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A head kick misses from Nurmi.
Ali throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nurmi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ali defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nurmi.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sakari Nurmi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ali misses the shot to the body.
Ali fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ali tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nurmi.
Ali lands a jab to Nurmi's midsection.
Some wild striking there from Nurmi.
Nurmi throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Ali is trying hard to land a takedown here. Nurmi sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Nurmi misses with a head kick.
Nurmi shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ali as he avoids it easily.
Nurmi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ali manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice takedown defense from Ali. No joy for Nurmi on that attempt.
Nurmi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Ali showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nurmi.
Nurmi just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ali scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ali advances to mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ali looking to control but Nurmi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ali is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Nurmi is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ali controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hazan Ali has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
An inside leg kick lands from Ali.
Nice body kick from Nurmi.
Nurmi fails with a takedown attempt.
Nurmi throws a leg kick
and Ali counters with a nice low kick that buckles Nurmi's knee momentarily.
Ali moves into range and connects with a jab.
Ali is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Nurmi rather than just go for the knockout.
Ali chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Nurmi can pounce on him.
Ali scoring well with a low kick there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nurmi looks to throw a body kick
letting Ali counter with a right hand.

It looks like Sakari Nurmi has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nurmi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ali misses with a low kick.
Ali clobbers Nurmi with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Nurmi closes the distance and clinches up with Ali, looking for a takedown. Nurmi pushes Ali against the cage but Ali circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Ali as Nurmi shoots in.
Ali missing with a left hand there. Nurmi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ali fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nurmi manages to avoid it.
Ali misses the shot to the body.
Ali throws a low kick but it's checked well by Nurmi.
Nurmi takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ali ducks under a wild hook from Nurmi.
Ali chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Nurmi can pounce on him.
Ali scores with a hook.
Nurmi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nurmi tries for a takedown but Ali sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nurmi misses with an attempted mid kick.
Nurmi takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hazan Ali showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sakari Nurmi's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ali looks for the body kick but Nurmi saw that one coming.
Good leg kick by Nurmi there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ali has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Nurmi throws a leg kick but Ali sees it coming and checks it nicely.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Nurmi.
Nurmi shoots and misses
and Ali cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nurmi throws a leg kick that is checked
and Ali counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nurmi shoots in but Ali avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ali misses the jab.
Ali throws a wild body kick that Nurmi sees coming a mile off.
Ali catches Nurmi with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Good leg kick by Nurmi there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ali shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Nurmi throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ali.
Nurmi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ali.
Nurmi misses with a body shot.
Nurmi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Ali throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nurmi moves out of range of the strikes.
A cross from Ali lands.
Ali swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nurmi is looking to clinch but Ali is avoiding it.
Nurmi fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sakari Nurmi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nurmi closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ali counters with a stiff right hand.
Nurmi shoots for a double leg takedown but Ali sprawls well. He's pushed Nurmi's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali throws a push kick but Nurmi slaps the foot to one side.
Nurmi throws a nice looking combination but Ali bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ali leaves Nurmi with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ali pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nurmi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ali as he jumps to the side.
Ali scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
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!
A head kick by Nurmi misses
and Ali counters with a right hand to the body.
Ali scoring well with a low kick there.
Ali's corner calls for a 1-2. Ali obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Sakari Nurmi's cut is getting worse.
Ali moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Ali thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Nurmi misses
and Ali counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ali is looking to land body kicks.

Ali fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nurmi, pushing him back against the cage.
Nurmi blocks a body shot from Ali.

Ali escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ali scores with the left hand. Nurmi knows he should have avoided that one.

Nurmi bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Ali wants to control but Nurmi postures up.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
You can see the frustration on Ali's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ali holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.

Nurmi is trying to get an arm triangle but Ali is defending well.
Sakari Nurmi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Ali's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hazan Ali is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Ali is trying to get back to half guard.
Nurmi fails to land a wild elbow strike.

Nurmi is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ali has escaped the position, nice work there.
Ali tries to control but Nurmi manages to take his back.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Ali defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Ali breaks Nurmi's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hazan Ali comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ali has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hazan Ali!
Hazan Ali seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.