PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kurtis Hugs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joonas Saarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hugs comes to the cage accompanied by Ready to Die- Andrew W.K.. On his way into the cage it seems that Kurtis Hugs has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Kurtis Hugs seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Hugs
vs
Saarinen

180 cm
19
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

179 cm
20
165 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kurtis Hugs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Joonas Saarinen!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Vladimir Khabensky and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch lands to the side of Hugs 's head but he takes it in his stride.
No luck for Hugs with that takedown attempt.
Saarinen lands with a right hand.
Saarinen blocks a leg kick.
Hugs sizes up Saarinen with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Kurtis Hugs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hugs pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Saarinen shoots in and drives through. Hugs sprawls well.

Hugs shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Saarinen wants to get back to his feet.
Hugs tries to pass the half guard into mount. Saarinen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Saarinen is looking for a sweep. Hugs is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Saarinen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Saarinen wants to control but Hugs is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Saarinen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hugs stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Saarinen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hugs is working hard here to advance position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hugs jabs Saarinen right on the nose. Saarinen blinks but takes it well.
Saarinen shoots for a takedown but Hugs saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hugs explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Hugs drops Saarinen with a left right combo! Hugs follows him down to the ground into side control.

Saarinen is rocked!

It looks like Joonas Saarinen has been cut.
Saarinen looks gassed!
Hugs just content to control the position.
Saarinen is still in real trouble! Can Hugs finish him?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saarinen is looking for a sweep.
Saarinen seems to have recovered his senses.
Hugs content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Hugs is looking to take a break and control but Saarinen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen tries to buck Hugs off but Hugs is having none of it.
Hugs scores with a couple of short elbows.
Hugs advances to mount.
Hugs raining down shots from the mount!
Hugs lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hugs trying to control but Saarinen is having none of it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
A nice elbow there by Hugs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hugs breaks from Saarinen's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Hugs fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Hugs controlling from the full mount.
Hugs prevents Saarinen from getting the reversal.
Hugs looking to control and managing it successfully.
Saarinen is trying to escape the mount.
A nice elbow there by Hugs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Saarinen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Saarinen slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Saarinen slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hugs wants to control from the top but Saarinen keeps moving.
Hugs won't allow Saarinen to sweep him here.
Saarinen is pulling down on Hugs's head to control his posture.
Saarinen lands some strikes from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saarinen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Saarinen pushes Hugs off and scrambles back to his feet.

Saarinen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hugs, pushing him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurtis Hugs dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joonas Saarinen's cut.
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.

Hugs fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hugs.
Saarinen ducks right into an uppercut from Hugs.
Hugs takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Kurtis Hugs is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saarinen throws a series of punches but Hugs moves out of range.
Hugs misses with a hook.
Saarinen checks a leg kick nicely.
Saarinen fails to land the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hugs scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Saarinen blocks a head kick by Hugs.
Saarinen looks for a takedown but Hugs sprawls well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hugs connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Hugs throws a shot to the body.
Saarinen checks a leg kick nicely.
Hugs fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Saarinen manages to avoid it.

Saarinen has closed the distance and engaged Hugs in a clinch.
Saarinen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Saarinen.
Hugs letting Saarinen take a breather here.
Saarinen lands an elbow inside that Hugs shrugs off.
Saarinen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Saarinen blocking some punches.
Saarinen landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Hugs misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen landing knees to the head.
Saarinen blocks an uppercut.
Saarinen scores with a shot to the side of Hugs's head.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Saarinen tries for a takedown but Hugs manages to get underhooks.
Kurtis Hugs has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joonas Saarinen.

Hugs breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hugs fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Saarinen has Hugs up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice elbow from Saarinen.
Saarinen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Saarinen lands with a short shot to the head.
Saarinen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hugs smiles and moves away.
Saarinen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hugs paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Saarinen instigates a clinch.
Saarinen looking for a takedown.
Saarinen drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Good body shot from Saarinen.
Saarinen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hugs fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Saarinen looks to land a combination but Hugs avoids it well.
Hugs shoots in for a double leg but Saarinen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Saarinen looks for a takedown but Hugs sprawls well.
A left lands for Hugs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hugs misses with a combination

and Saarinen moves into the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Hugs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Hugs looking to slow down the pace here.
Hugs manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Hugs breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Saarinen ducks straight into an uppercut from Hugs and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Saarinen maanges to regain guard straight away.
Hugs postures up and lands a big shot to Saarinen's brow.
Hugs 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.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hugs advances to half guard.
Hugs is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Hugs wants to take a breather but Saarinen is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kurtis Hugs will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Joonas Saarinen's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Hugs fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Saarinen sprawls well initially but Hugs persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Saarinen is looking to improve his position.
Hugs trying to control the pace.
Hugs is nestled in close to Saarinen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Hugs trying to pass the guard but Saarinen defending well.
Saarinen is refusing to be controlled, as Hugs sits in half guard.
Saarinen trying to control from the bottom.
Hugs tries to pass the half guard into mount. Saarinen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hugs throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Saarinen on the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saarinen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Check out the look on Saarinen's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Hugs gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hugs keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Saarinen working Hugs over with strikes.

Saarinen wants to work for an arm triangle but Hugs is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Hugs wants to sweep but Saarinen has passed to side control!
Saarinen scoring with punches from side control.
Saarinen in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Saarinen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hugs is trying to get back to half guard.
Hugs gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Hugs takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Kurtis Hugs overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hugs can't escape the position.
Saarinen throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Hugs because Saarinen loaded up on that one.
Hugs throwing hammer fists to the chest of Saarinen. What's that going to do exactly?
Hugs is wriggling around trying to escape.
Hugs sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Hugs taking some punishment here, with Saarinen in his half guard.
Hugs makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hugs.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Saarinen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen is fighting to break Hugs's control of his arms but Hugs is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Saarinen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hugs is keeping the position for now.
Hugs is trying to control the position but Saarinen postures up.
Saarinen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hugs's head.
Saarinen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Joonas Saarinen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hugs looking to hit a scissor sweep but Saarinen is one step ahead there.
Hugs working a defensive guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hugs throws a right and a left that Saarinen avoids nicely.
Hugs missing with a left hand there. Saarinen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Hugs shoots and misses
and Saarinen counters with a one-two to the body.
No luck for Saarinen with that takedown attempt.
Hugs throws a hook but Saarinen avoids it easily.
Saarinen throws a head kick that misses.
Saarinen wants to clinch up but Hugs keeps it at a distance.
Hugs swats away the attempt to clinch by Saarinen.
Saarinen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hugs pinned against the cage. Hugs gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Saarinen throws a one two combo.
Saarinen doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Hugs counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kurtis Hugs showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hugs, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurtis Hugs!