PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Antti Kantola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Rogan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Rogan has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kantola
vs
Rogan

176 cm
26
182 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

185 cm
27
180 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Perkele!

Untouchable Fight Nutrition

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 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antti Kantola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joe Rogan!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Marco Blurström and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rogan sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Kantola.
Rogan throws a big shot that misses.
Kantola defending well as Rogan loads up on a big left hand.
Rogan fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kantola has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Rogan lands a high kick!
Rogan stalks Kantola and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Kantola's face. Kantola staggers backwards, shaken.
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!
Kantola getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Rogan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kantola swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rogan tries to clinch up.
Kantola lands with a cross.
Kantola lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Kantola just misses with a punch to the body.
Kantola lands a really nice looking cross but Rogan seems unphased.
Kantola works Rogan's body with a nice hook.
Kantola connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Rogan's hands.
Kantola avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rogan checks a leg kick nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogan moves out of range of the body kick from Kantola.
Kantola takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Rogan keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kantola.
Rogan throws a series of strikes that have Kantola backpedaling.
Kantola on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Kantola is rocked!

Kantola closes the distance and clinches.
Oh Kantola is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rogan lands with a left to the head.
Kantola stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rogan as Kantola tries to tie him up.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rogan prevents a body shot from Kantola.
Rogan working aggressively here.
Kantola seems to have got his legs back now.
Kantola misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kantola misses with an elbow strike.
Kantola has Rogan pressed against the cage.
Rogan lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogan prevents the takedown attempt.
Kantola tries a body shot but Rogan blocks it.
Rogan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kantola tries to pull guard but Rogan won't allow it.
Rogan holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Rogan digs a right hand into Kantola's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Kantola's gas tank.
Kantola prevents a body shot from Rogan.
Kantola fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antti Kantola. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kantola working aggressively here.
Rogan gets through Kantola's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kantola jumps guard but Rogan stands there with Kantola around his waist. Kantola gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kantola fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rogan throws a head punch that misses.
Rogan tries to work over Kantola's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Kantola is trying to maintain a safe position but Rogan gets an underhook and turns Kantola into the cage.
Rogan managing to block the knees to the body from Kantola.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Kantola lands a nice uppercut.
Kantola misses with a punch on the inside.

Kantola wants the takedown. Rogan is fighting it off but Kantola persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Rogan's guard against the cage.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rogan is on top in guard.
Rogan preventing the sweep.
Kantola keeping moving, preventing Rogan from controlling successfully.
Rogan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Kantola has his foot on Rogan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rogan works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogan controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Rogan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
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!
Kantola controls Rogan momentarily but Rogan frees himself.
Rogan stopping the sweep attempt from Kantola.
Rogan tries to stand but Kantola is controlling from the bottom.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rogan with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joe Rogan will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rogan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kantola pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kantola throws a hook to the side of Rogan's head but Rogan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kantola fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Kantola lands a body shot.
Kantola lands with a right hand.
Rogan swats away the attempt to clinch by Kantola.
Rogan fails to land with a series of punches.
Kantola wants to clinch.
Rogan staying out of range there.
Rogan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kantola.
Joe Rogan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rogan cracks Kantola with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Kantola moves into the clinch.
Kantola digs a right hand underneath Rogan's ribcage. Rogan let out a lung full of air as it connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogan blocking some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rogan.
Kantola manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Kantola stalling in the clinch but Rogan improves position.
A short uppercut from Rogan.
Rogan working aggressively here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Rogan throws an elbow that misses.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kantola creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kantola trying to stall but Rogan improves his position.
Kantola blocks an elbow strike from Rogan.
Kantola fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kantola is trying to maintain a safe position but Rogan gets an underhook and turns Kantola into the cage.
Kantola lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Kantola swings wildly with an uppercut but Rogan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice body punch from Kantola.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rogan blocks an elbow strike from Kantola.
Rogan trying to stall but Kantola improves his position.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kantola throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Kantola scores with a hook to the body.
Kantola content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Kantola lands with a light punch inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kantola dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A hook to the body from Kantola.
Rogan lands a left hand.
Rogan scores with a shoulder strike.
Rogan letting Kantola take a breather here.
Kantola blocks a body shot from Rogan.
Kantola throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Rogans head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kantola.
Rogan lands a left hand.
Rogan struggles to land a body shot inside as Kantola controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogan controlling the action here for a moment.
Rogan is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Kantola misses with some punches.
Rogan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rogan stalling in the clinch but Kantola improves position.
Rogan can't find room to land a body shot as Kantola controls the action.
Rogan lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kantola prevents a body shot from Rogan.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kantola blocks an uppercut.
Kantola misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rogan.
Kantola tries to land knees in the clinch but Rogan avoids the damage to the body.
Rogan leaning his opponent against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antti Kantola dominated that second round.
That's time! Kantola's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Rogan swats away the attempt to clinch by Kantola.

Kantola closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rogan wants to get back to his feet.
Kantola has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Rogan!
Rogan regains half guard.
Rogan is looking to improve his position.

Kantola is working for a kimura but Rogan is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rogan tries to kick Kantola off but Kantola keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Kantola wants to free his trapped foot but Rogan is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Kantola seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Kantola trying to control from half guard but Rogan is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rogan is looking for a sweep. Kantola is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Kantola trying to control from half guard but Rogan is working away.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Antti Kantola just wasn't active enough.
A bone on bone clash there as Kantola blocks the leg kick.

Kantola moves into the clinch.
Kantola trying to land knees to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Rogan takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Rogan swings wildly with an uppercut but Kantola uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rogan trying to control the position but instead, Kantola has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rogan into the cage.
Kantola tries to pull guard but Rogan won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kantola is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rogan is keeping busy.
Come on Rogan - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Kantola lands a body punch.
Rogan taking a breather.
Rogan softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Kantola jumps into guard, dragging Rogan to the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kantola manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rogan manages to get himself to full guard.
Kantola stopping the sweep attempt from Rogan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kantola looking to pass the guard.
Antti Kantola overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kantola trying to control the position from guard on top but Rogan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rogan tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kantola won't allow Rogan to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rogan keeping moving, preventing Kantola from controlling successfully.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Rogan throws his legs up looking for a submission but Kantola uses it to pass to side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antti Kantola showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kantola 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antti Kantola!
Antti Kantola took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Perkele! for their support in the buildup to the fight.