PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kai Kanerva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ode Jokinen (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.

Kanerva
vs
Jokinen

175 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

163 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kai Kanerva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ode Jokinen!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jokinen's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Kanerva connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Jokinen scrambles back to his feet.
Kanerva stuffs the takedown.
Jokinen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Jokinen moves forwards but Kanerva connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Kanerva gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Jokinen to score an easy takedown into full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jokinen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kanerva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Jokinen tries to free his leg and advance position but Kanerva is retaining full guard.
Jokinen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Jokinen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Jokinen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Jokinen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kanerva tries to avoid it but Jokinen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kanerva to the ground. Kanerva escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kai Kanerva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ode Jokinen.

Jokinen drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanerva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Jokinen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jokinen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kanerva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kanerva is trying to control the position but Jokinen postures up.
Jokinen throwing strikes from guard but Kanerva blocks nicely.
Kanerva is trying to keep Jokinen in close.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jokinen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jokinen's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Jokinen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kanerva's guard.
Kanerva is looking for a sweep. Jokinen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kanerva is looking to control Jokinen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kanerva avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jokinen sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Kanerva is in trouble now - Jokinen has advanced to mount!
Kanerva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Jokinen on the ground.
Kanerva is working to get back to half guard.
Kanerva tries to hold on but Jokinen postures up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jokinen controlling his opponent.
Kanerva tries to reverse the position but Jokinen maintains control.
Kanerva tries to hold on but Jokinen pushes him away.
Kanerva tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Jokinen dominating with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanerva is wriggling around trying to escape.
Jokinen controlling his opponent.
Jokinen prevents Kanerva from getting the reversal.
Kanerva is working hard here to advance position.
Jokinen content just to control the position here.
Jokinen with shots to the head and body - Kanerva looks very uncomfortable down there.
Jokinen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Jokinen with shots to the head and body - Kanerva looks very uncomfortable down there.
Jokinen tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kanerva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
A nice elbow there by Jokinen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jokinen controlling from the full mount.
Kanerva can't escape the position.
Jokinen content just to control the position here.
A nice elbow there by Jokinen.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jokinen raining down hammerfists from mount.
Kanerva 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.
Nice strikes from Jokinen there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Jokinen wants to pass to mount but Kanerva is defending the position.
Kanerva is refusing to be controlled, as Jokinen sits in half guard.
Kanerva looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ode Jokinen dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Jokinen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kanerva tries to avoid it but Jokinen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kanerva to the ground. Kanerva escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Jokinen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Jokinen won't allow Kanerva to sweep him here.
Kanerva has momentary wrist control but Jokinen slips an elbow through the middle.
Jokinen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kanerva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Jokinen scoring with some ground and pound.
Jokinen postures up.
Jokinen is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Jokinen's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jokinen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Jokinen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kai Kanerva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ode Jokinen.
Jokinen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Jokinen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kanerva.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Jokinen.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jokinen working away.
Kanerva is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanerva prevents Jokinen from improving position.
Kanerva defending against the ground and pound.
Kanerva tries to bench press Jokinen off him but Jokinen keeps the position.
Jokinen working the ground and pound.
Jokinen controlling the position.
Kanerva is trying to get back to half guard.
Kanerva gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jokinen working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Jokinen controlling the position easily from mount.
Let's hope that Jokinen 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanerva is wriggling around trying to escape.
Jokinen landing strikes from the mount and Kanerva is in trouble!
Kanerva takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Jokinen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Jokinen with shots to the head and body - Kanerva looks very uncomfortable down there.
Jokinen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Ode Jokinen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kanerva is bucking up trying to escape but Jokinen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Kanerva in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Kanerva is wriggling around trying to escape.
Jokinen controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jokinen lands a heavy elbow.
Jokinen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Jokinen with the ground and pound from mount.
Kanerva is bucking up trying to escape but Jokinen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kanerva tries to hold on but Jokinen postures up.
Jokinen looking to control and managing it successfully.
Kanerva wants to control but Jokinen is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jokinen punishing his opponent with strikes.
Jokinen avoids the attempt from Kanerva to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ode Jokinen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Kanerva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Kanerva throws a hook but Jokinen avoids it easily.
Jokinen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kanerva is fending him off so far but Jokinen persists. Nope, Kanerva circles away and we're back to standing.
Jokinen needs to keep his hands up - Kanerva had a free shot at his head there.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jokinen is defended easily by Kanerva.
Kanerva scores with a jab. Jokinen acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

It looks like Ode Jokinen has been cut.
Jokinen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Jokinen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kanerva tries to bench press Jokinen off him but Jokinen keeps the position.
Jokinen tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Jokinen controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jokinen scores with punches from side control.
Kanerva is looking to regain half guard here but Jokinen keeps moving and retains side control.
Jokinen lands a few punches from side control.
Kanerva trying to remain calm as Jokinen controls from the top position.
Kanerva sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Kanerva is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Jokinen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Kanerva with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Jokinen stops Kanerva from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jokinen tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kanerva knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Jokinen is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Kanerva trying to control here.
Ode Jokinen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jokinen is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Jokinen is looking to advance position but Kanerva won't allow it.
Jokinen stalling.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Jokinen shoots in looking for a takedown but Kanerva manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Jokinen's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Kai Kanerva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ode Jokinen.
Jokinen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kanerva but Kanerva pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jokinen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kanerva is fending him off so far but Jokinen persists. Nope, Kanerva circles away and we're back to standing.
Jokinen fails with a takedown attempt.
Jokinen closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Jokinen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kanerva scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Jokinen doesn't seem bothered though.
Jokinen takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Jokinen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kanerva sprawls well. Kanerva wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Jokinen gets slowly back to his feet.
Kanerva connects with a single shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kanerva catches Jokinen with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Jokinen is rocked!
Kanerva missing with a left hand there. Jokinen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Jokinen is still on wobbly legs! Can Kanerva finish him?
Kanerva thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kanerva swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Jokinen seems to have recovered his senses.
Kanerva fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Jokinen to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Jokinen looks to clinch but Kanerva throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Jokinen taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Kai Kanerva!