PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pekka Lipponen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benedikt Pushkar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lipponen comes to the cage accompanied by Rainbow - Man on the Silver Mountain. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Lipponen
vs
Pushkar

191 cm
32
272 lbs
22 - 13 - 0

212 cm
31
285 lbs
16 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pekka Lipponen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Benedikt Pushkar!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Radbod Blank and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lipponen misses with an uppercut.

Pushkar scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Lipponen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Pushkar is thwarting Lipponen's attempts to control the position.
Pushkar is keen to just control but Lipponen is a slippery customer.
Pushkar controlling the action here.
Lipponen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lipponen is not content to let Pushkar control the position.

Benedikt Pushkar has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Pushkar checks the leg kick nicely there.
Pushkar shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lipponen as he jumps to the side.
Pushkar shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Lipponen counters with a nice body kick.

Lipponen throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Pushkar was covering up waiting for the punch and Lipponen finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Lipponen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lipponen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Pushkar's head.
Lipponen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
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!
Lipponen throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lipponen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Pushkar is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lipponen is controlling him.
Lipponen content to stall in guard here.
Pushkar is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lipponen is controlling him.
Lipponen pushing down on Pushkar's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Lipponen in particular looking to stall.
Pushkar is trying to stand up here but Lipponen is controlling him well.
Lipponen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Lipponen wants to take a breather but Pushkar is having none of it.
Lipponen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Lipponen trying to control from half guard but Pushkar is working away.
Lipponen trying to pass the guard but Pushkar defending well.
Lipponen trying to control the action but Pushkar is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pushkar pushes Lipponen off and gets back to his feet.
Pushkar walks into a straight right hand from Lipponen.
Pushkar shoots in for a double leg but Lipponen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Pekka Lipponen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benedikt Pushkar.
Lipponen lands a leg kick that knocks Pushkar off balance momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A nice inside leg kick there by Lipponen. That's going to slow Pushkar down.

Lipponen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Lipponen 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lipponen trying to control the position from guard on top but Pushkar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pushkar wants to stand up but Lipponen is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pekka Lipponen dominated that round.
That's time! Lipponen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Pushkar drives through with a takedown into Lipponen's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Pushkar throws a strike but Lipponen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Lipponen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Pushkar wants to stand but Lipponen is controlling the position.
Lipponen 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.
Lipponen has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Pekka Lipponen.
Lipponen throws a leg kick but Pushkar sees it coming and moves out of range.

Pushkar shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Pushkar was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Lipponen manages to work his way to half guard, despite Pushkar's best efforts.
Pushkar is trying to control the action in half guard but Lipponen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Lipponen wants to control but Pushkar is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Lipponen is looking to improve his position.
Pekka Lipponen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lipponen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Pushkar content to stall in guard here.
Lipponen keeping full guard, as Pushkar tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lipponen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lipponen keeping moving, preventing Pushkar from controlling successfully.
Lipponen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pushkar is one step ahead there.
Lipponen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lipponen misses with an attempted mid kick.
Pushkar shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lipponen sprawls well. Lipponen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Pushkar gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pushkar misses with an uppercut. Lipponen saw that one coming.
Lipponen throws a shot from downtown. Pushkar moves away and avoids it.

Pushkar shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Lipponen is trying to defend but Pushkar finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Pushkar looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Lipponen with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Lipponen is refusing to be controlled, as Pushkar sits in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pushkar controlling the pace.

Lipponen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Benedikt Pushkar will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Pushkar shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lipponen as he jumps to the side.
Lipponen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Pushkar.
Pushkar shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Lipponen as he avoids it easily.
Pekka Lipponen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benedikt Pushkar.
Horrible takedown by Pushkar or perhaps it was just good defense by Lipponen which made him look bad.
Pushkar shoots in but no luck this time.
Pushkar shoots in for a double leg but Lipponen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Lipponen darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

It looks like Benedikt Pushkar has been cut.
Lipponen connects with the punch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lipponen thumps Pushkar with a low kick.
Lipponen misses with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pushkar throws a right and a left that both miss.
Lipponen misses the shot to the body.
Pushkar fails with a takedown attempt.
Benedikt Pushkar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pushkar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lipponen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pushkar tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lipponen goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Lipponen tests Pushkar's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Pushkar shoots in for a double leg but Lipponen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Lipponen looks to land a left hand but Pushkar moved out of range nicely.
Pushkar looks to land a left hand but Lipponen moved out of range nicely.
Lipponen blocks the body kick.

Pushkar feints and as Lipponen raises his hands in defense, Pushkar changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Lipponen is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pushkar wants to control from the top but Lipponen keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lipponen has his hands on Pushkar's head, controlling the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pushkar slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Pushkar postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Pekka Lipponen wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Pushkar connects with a crisp jab.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pushkar.
Lipponen cracks a nice hook into Pushkar's ribs.
Lipponen tries to land a leg kick but Pushkar saw it coming and moves away.
Lipponen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Pekka Lipponen is winning the standup battle so far.
Lipponen lands a body shot.
Pushkar shoots in and drives through. Lipponen sprawls well.
Nice takedown defense from Lipponen. No joy for Pushkar on that attempt.
Pushkar looks to score with a jab to the body but Lipponen is just out of range.
Lipponen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Lipponen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Pushkar's sensitive parts.
Lipponen is looking to slow Pushkar down with leg kicks.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A jab from Lipponen misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lipponen thows a body shot but no joy.
Lipponen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pushkar.

Lipponen clinches with his opponent.
Pushkar is working for takedown but Lipponen is calmly controlling the position for now.
Lipponen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A nice right hand lands inside from Lipponen.
Lipponen gets underhooks to prevent Pushkar's takedown attempt.
Lipponen lands with a right to the head.
Lipponen leaning his opponent against the cage.
Pushkar takes a shot to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Lipponen taking a breather.
Lipponen is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Pushkar is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pekka Lipponen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lipponen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28

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