PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sandro Zito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oskari Jokinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jokinen is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Prodigy - Firestarter. Sandro Zito had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Zito
vs
Jokinen

186 cm
21
194 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

190 cm
23
195 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Organic Extracts
Golden Lilium

Dark Knight Design
Dark Knight Design

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sandro Zito!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Oskari Jokinen!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zito misses with a few strikes there.
Jokinen throws a solid leg kick but Zito takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Jokinen.
Zito fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Jokinen manages to avoid it.
Jokinen throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Zito's head.
Zito will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Zito closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Jokinen to the mat! Jokinen manages to get full guard.
Zito trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Jokinen throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Zito escapes and throws Jokinen's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Jokinen is trying to get back to half guard.

Zito is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Jokinen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Jokinen gets back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zito is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Jokinen is pressing down on Zito's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Jokinen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Jokinen looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Zito puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Jokinen wants to get back to full guard.
Zito thows a huge punch but Jokinen dodges it nicely.
Jokinen wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Zito wants to control but Jokinen is keeping him busy.

Zito is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Jokinen has managed to free his arm - good work.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Jokinen wants to get back to full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Zito just misses with a punch to the body.
Zito lands with a right hand.
Nice shot by Zito.
Zito throws a right hand that Jokinen ducks under and follows up with a left that Jokinen also avoids with ease.

Zito closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Jokinen is trying to control Zito's posture but Zito avoids it.
Jokinen tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jokinen sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Jokinen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Zito sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Jokinen's guard.

Jokinen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Zito is trying to control the action in half guard but Jokinen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zito stalling away here and it's allowed Jokinen to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Zito avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Jokinen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zito moves into full guard.

Jokinen drops back, looking for a kneebar! Zito looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Zito looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Zito!
Zito is looking to take a break and control but Jokinen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Jokinen is looking to regain half guard here but Zito keeps moving and retains side control.

Zito thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
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 Sandro Zito will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Jokinen scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Zito decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Jokinen wants to get back to full guard.
Zito not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Zito tries to pass the half guard into mount. Jokinen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Zito is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Jokinen tries to get to full guard but Zito has control of the leg.
Zito looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jokinen trying to control here.
Zito works his way into full mount!
Jokinen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Zito goes for an armbar but Jokinen turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Jokinen.
Jokinen wants to control from the top but Zito keeps moving.
Zito wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jokinen pushes down on Zito's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Zito is looking to improve his position.
Zito has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Jokinen is working away from the top position though.
Jokinen wants to free his trapped foot but Zito is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Zito slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Jokinen postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jokinen advances position into side control!
Jokinen trying to control the position but Zito is working away.
Zito is trying to control Jokinen's posture but Jokinen avoids it.
Jokinen is looking to take a break and control but Zito is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Jokinen goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Zito has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Jokinen but great work by Zito.
Zito wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jokinen keeps working.
Zito slows the pace down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Jokinen is trying to improve his position.

Zito is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Jokinen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Jokinen is looking to regain half guard here but Zito keeps moving and retains side control.
Jokinen is trying to work for a sweep but Zito has mounted him!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jokinen wants to control but Zito is having none of it.
Jokinen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sandro Zito dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Zito fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jokinen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Zito checks it well.
Oskari Jokinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zito throws a right hand that Jokinen ducks under and follows up with a left that Jokinen also avoids with ease.
Jokinen throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Zito.
Good leg kick by Jokinen there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Zito fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Zito feints and as Jokinen raises his hands in defense, Zito changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Jokinen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Jokinen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zito gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Zito stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jokinen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zito won't allow Jokinen to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jokinen has his foot on Zito's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Zito works his way back into a safe position though.
Jokinen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Jokinen wants to sweep but no luck.
Zito pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jokinen is keeping the position for now.
Zito trying to control the position from guard on top but Jokinen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zito wants to pass the guard but Jokinen is keeping the position.
Zito trying to control but Jokinen is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zito throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Zito moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Zito tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Zito bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Jokinen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Zito wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jokinen keeps working.
Zito controlling from side mount.
Jokinen sneaks back into half guard.
Zito prevents Jokinen from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jokinen is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Zito's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Zito's back!
Zito is really stuck here.

Zito is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Jokinen keeps control of the position as Zito tries to break free.
Zito is working hard here to advance position.

Jokinen is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zito manages to reverse the position and now he's in Jokinen's guard. Nice work there by Zito.
Oskari Jokinen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zito trying to control but Jokinen is working from the bottom.
Jokinen trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Zito stays in close to Jokinen's body and controls the position.
Zito wants to control from the top but Jokinen keeps moving.
Zito pushing down on Jokinen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Oskari Jokinen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Zito has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sandro Zito!