PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Otto Kaikkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rozafa Arben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kaikkonen comes to the cage accompanied by Duran Duran - WIld Boys. Arben has chosen P.O.D. - The Messenjah as his entrance music. Otto Kaikkonen could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Rozafa Arben's chin.

Kaikkonen
vs
Arben

187 cm
37
205 lbs
16 - 30 - 0

198 cm
31
205 lbs
17 - 16 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 30 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Otto Kaikkonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 16 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rozafa Arben!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Vladimir Khabensky and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arben keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Arben checks a low kick from Kaikkonen.
A combination from Kaikkonen does no damage.
Kaikkonen fails with a takedown attempt.
Kaikkonen looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kaikkonen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Arben counters with a leg kick.
Kaikkonen throws an off balance right hand
and Arben counters with a leg kick.
Kaikkonen takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Kaikkonen misses with a combination
and Arben counters with a nice low kick that buckles Kaikkonen's knee momentarily.
Kaikkonen falls off balance throwing a combination
and Arben counters with a low kick, right behind Kaikkonen 's knee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arben throws a head kick that misses.
Kaikkonen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Arben counters with a big head kick but Kaikkonen shrugs it off.
A head kick misses from Arben.
Kaikkonen closes the distance looking to clinch
and Arben counters with a two punch combo.
Kaikkonen misses with a hook to the body
and Arben makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Rozafa Arben is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Arben moves out of range of the body kick.
Kaikkonen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kaikkonen listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Kaikkonen doesn't manage to clinch there - Arben circles away.
Kaikkonen just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kaikkonen throws a leg kick
and Arben makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Kaikkonen is breathing heavily.
Kaikkonen throws a body punch but Arben moves out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Arben lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Kaikkonen misses with a straight right.
Kaikkonen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Otto Kaikkonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Arben darts in and clinches Kaikkonen up against the cage.
Kaikkonen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kaikkonen is looking to break free of the clinch but Arben has double underhooks.

Arben manages to break the clinch.
Kaikkonen tries to clinch up but Arben circles away and keeps his distance.
Arben lands a head kick. Kaikkonen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
An inside leg kick lands from Arben.
Arben lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arben connects with a high kick.
Arben scores with a leg kick.
Kaikkonen swinging wildly here.
Kaikkonen throws a solid leg kick but Arben takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kaikkonen.
Arben lands a head kick!
Arben lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
No luck for Kaikkonen with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Otto Kaikkonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Arben.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arben throws a head kick that Kaikkonen semi-blocks.
Arben lands a leg kick that knocks Kaikkonen off balance momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Arben, right into the meat.
Arben lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
A slapping leg kick lands for Arben.
Kaikkonen takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Arben thumps Kaikkonen with a low kick.
Arben scores with a leg kick.
Arben throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kaikkonen shoots in but Arben avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Arben dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kaikkonen. That did some damage!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rozafa Arben dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Arben connects with a high kick.
Arben lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Kaikkonen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Arben counters with an outside leg kick.
Arben checks the leg kick nicely there.
Kaikkonen on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Arben. Arben obviously looking to wear him down.
Arben throws a head kick but Kaikkonen moves out of range.
Kaikkonen throws a low kick but Arben avoids it.
Kaikkonen is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Kaikkonen drives through with a takedown into Arben's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Arben manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kaikkonen manages to get himself to full guard.
Arben sitting in guard here, content to control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Arben passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaikkonen trying to remain calm as Arben controls from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Arben decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Arben lands a head kick!
Kaikkonen misses with a head kick.
Arben lands a high kick!
Arben throws a head kick that half lands.
Arben throws a nice head kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Arben throws a sloppy head kick and Kaikkonen moves out of range easily.
Kaikkonen throws a leg kick
and Arben counters with a leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Arben.
Arben throws a head kick that half lands.
Arben fakes the leg kick and cracks Kaikkonen in the body.
Arben stuns Kaikkonen with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Arben lands a right hook to the body.
Arben throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Kaikkonen's head.
A head kick from Arben lands but Kaikkonen takes it in his stride.

Kaikkonen is rocked!
Kaikkonen takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Oh Kaikkonen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Arben lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaikkonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Arben manages to avoid it.
Arben avoids the head kick by Kaikkonen.

Arben has Kaikkonen up against the cage in a clinch.
Kaikkonen seems to have got his legs back now.
Arben misses with a knee to the head.
Arben with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Arben breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Arben lands a head kick. Kaikkonen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Kaikkonen throws an off balance right hand
and Arben counters with a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arben thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Kaikkonen if he has to take too many more of those.
Arben blocks a head kick by Kaikkonen.
Kaikkonen takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Arben moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kaikkonen takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Arben lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Kaikkonen backs up against the cage.
Otto Kaikkonen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Arben lands a head kick. Kaikkonen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Arben throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Kaikkonen's head.
Arben lands a high kick!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rozafa Arben showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Kaikkonen tries to clinch
and Arben counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kaikkonen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kaikkonen misses with a hook to the body
and Arben makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Arben gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Arben content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Arben has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Arben lands a nice knee to the body.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kaikkonen avoiding damage as Arben throws knees to the body.
Arben is stalling here.
Arben working Kaikkonen over with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Kaikkonen is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Kaikkonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kaikkonen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Arben pushes Kaikkonen away with a front kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arben throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Kaikkonen throws a leg kick but Arben checks it.
Kaikkonen closes the distance and clinches up with Arben, looking for a takedown. Kaikkonen pushes Arben against the cage but Arben circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Kaikkonen is looking to wear down Arben with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Arben.
An inside leg kick lands from Arben.
Kaikkonen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kaikkonen is defended easily by Arben.
Arben throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Arben cracks the inside of Kaikkonen's front leg.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Arben connects with a solid leg kick.
Arben scores with a head kick.
Arben throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Kaikkonen's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaikkonen on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Arben throws a head kick that Kaikkonen semi-blocks.
Rozafa Arben is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Arben lands a head kick!
Kaikkonen throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Arben counters with a low kick, right behind Kaikkonen 's knee.
Arben lands a head kick. Kaikkonen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Arben lands with a kick to the temple. Kaikkonen shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Kaikkonen throws a combination that misses
and Arben counters with a head kick. That will keep Kaikkonen thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rozafa Arben seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Arben clinches.
Arben missing with knees to the body.
Arben holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kaikkonen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kaikkonen avoiding damage as Arben throws knees to the body.

Arben breaks the clinch.
Kaikkonen swinging wildly here.

Arben darts in and clinches Kaikkonen up against the cage.
Otto Kaikkonen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A frustrated look appears on Kaikkonen's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Arben with an attempt at a knee that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kaikkonen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Arben stalls.
Arben tries to land a knee to the head but Kaikkonen blocks with his arms.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rozafa Arben comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Arben 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rozafa Arben!
An out of breath Rozafa Arben thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.