PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jari Litmanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Patrycy Szczerbiec (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Litmanen
vs
Szczerbiec

170 cm
19
135 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

169 cm
19
141 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Experienced

Perkele!
Fighters First Nutrition Amsterdam 160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jari Litmanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Patrycy Szczerbiec!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Thiago Cunha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Szczerbiec with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Szczerbiec scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Litmanen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Szczerbiec stalling.
Litmanen tries to get to full guard but Szczerbiec has control of the leg.
Szczerbiec controlling the action here.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Patrycy Szczerbiec hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Litmanen throws a head kick but Szczerbiec moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Szczerbiec.
Litmanen tries a head kick but it misses.
Litmanen pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Litmanen looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Litmanen throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Szczerbiec.
Litmanen finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Litmanen throws a head kick that misses.

Szczerbiec scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Szczerbiec trying to control the action but Litmanen is working from the bottom.
Szczerbiec taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szczerbiec working the ground and pound but Litmanen is defending the strikes.
Litmanen is looking for a sweep.
Litmanen sneaks back into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Litmanen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Litmanen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Litmanen is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Szczerbiec defends well.
Szczerbiec must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Szczerbiec sitting in guard here, content to control.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Szczerbiec postures up and lands a big shot to Litmanen's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szczerbiec not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Litmanen is looking for a triangle but Szczerbiec pushes his legs off easily.
Szczerbiec sitting in guard here, content to control.
Litmanen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Szczerbiec can do anything to dispel that myth.
Litmanen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The fighters are battling for position here. Szczerbiec manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szczerbiec wants to sweep but no luck.

Litmanen drops back looking for a leg! Szczerbiec is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Szczerbiec manages to kick Litmanen off! Litmanen jumps back into Szczerbiec's guard.

Litmanen is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Szczerbiec is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Szczerbiec has escaped and now he's on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Patrycy Szczerbiec will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Litmanen throws a leg kick but Szczerbiec sees it coming and moves out of range.
Szczerbiec takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Litmanen thumps Szczerbiec with a low kick.
Litmanen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Szczerbiec works Litmanen's body with a nice hook.
Litmanen lands a head kick!
Litmanen fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Litmanen throws a leg kick which misses Szczerbiec's front leg but catches the back leg as Szczerbiec tries to avoid it.

Szczerbiec dives in and scores a takedown into Litmanen's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Szczerbiec content to stall in guard here.
Szczerbiec preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Litmanen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Szczerbiec doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Szczerbiec manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Szczerbiec not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Szczerbiec wants to control from the top but Litmanen keeps moving.
Szczerbiec preventing the sweep.
Szczerbiec controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Litmanen wants to sweep but no luck.
Szczerbiec really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Litmanen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Szczerbiec is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Patrycy Szczerbiec hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Litmanen lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Szczerbiec shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Szczerbiec was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Szczerbiec tries to move to mount but Litmanen blocks the move with his legs.
Litmanen tries to improve position but can't.
Szczerbiec trying to control the action but Litmanen is working from the bottom.
Szczerbiec staying calm.
Szczerbiec tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Litmanen tries to bench press Szczerbiec off him but Szczerbiec keeps the position.
Szczerbiec controls the position.
Szczerbiec advances to full mount.
Szczerbiec tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Patrycy Szczerbiec has got the better of the ground game so far.
Szczerbiec trying to control but Litmanen is having none of it.
Szczerbiec tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Litmanen regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szczerbiec perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Szczerbiec not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Szczerbiec with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Szczerbiec is keen to just control but Litmanen is a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Patrycy Szczerbiec was stalling too much, according to the referee.
A head kick misses from Litmanen.
Litmanen scores with a head kick. Szczerbiec tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
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 nice inside leg kick there by Litmanen. That's going to slow Szczerbiec down.
Litmanen pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Litmanen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Litmanen tries to work over Szczerbiec's front leg with a kick but Szczerbiec checks it.
Jari Litmanen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Litmanen throws a push kick but Szczerbiec slaps the foot to one side.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Litmanen enables Szczerbiec to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Litmanen manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Patrycy Szczerbiec will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Litmanen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Litmanen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Szczerbiec checks it well.
Szczerbiec moves out of range as Litmanen throws a body kick.
Szczerbiec missing with a left hand there. Litmanen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Litmanen is looking to chop away at Szczerbiec's legs.

Szczerbiec fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Litmanen sprawls well initially but Szczerbiec persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Litmanen is trying to get back to full guard.
Litmanen is working hard here to advance position.
Szczerbiec looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Szczerbiec sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Litmanen defending well though.
Szczerbiec takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szczerbiec is controlling the pace.
Litmanen is refusing to be controlled, as Szczerbiec sits in half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Patrycy Szczerbiec wasn't active enough on the ground.
Litmanen throws a head kick that misses.
Litmanen thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Szczerbiec if he has to take too many more of those.

Litmanen gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Szczerbiec to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Litmanen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Szczerbiec is aware though and is defending well.

Litmanen is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Szczerbiec defends well.
Jari Litmanen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Szczerbiec slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Szczerbiec trying to control but Litmanen is working from the bottom.
Szczerbiec is in close to Litmanen's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Litmanen being controlled here, momentarily.

Szczerbiec lying in Litmanen's guard like a wet fish here, stalling away. Litmanen decides he's had enough of all that nonsense - he escapes his hips and locks up an armbar! Wow, that was slick! Szczerbiec taps! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jari Litmanen!
A very excited looking Jari Litmanen made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.