PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mica Makaaja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mayo Kermode (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Makaaja's entrance music is BassLovers United - I Can't Dance. A fine choice. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Makaaja
vs
Kermode

180 cm
32
215 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

185 cm
26
220 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Tab out

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 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mica Makaaja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mayo Kermode!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Nard Betker and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kermode has Makaaja up against the cage in a clinch.
Makaaja tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kermode just stands there and leans against the cage.
Kermode tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kermode misses with a knee to the head.
Kermode pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Kermode tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Makaaja avoids it.
Kermode misses with a knee strike.
Makaaja blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kermode looking to throw knees to the head but Makaaja is blocking nicely.
Kermode landing knees to the body.
Makaaja jumps guard but Kermode turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Kermode using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Makaaja has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kermode tries a knee to the head but Makaaja blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kermode tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Makaaja avoids it.
Makaaja jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kermode walks away with a smile on his face. Makaaja gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mica Makaaja. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kermode throws a head kick that misses.
Kermode fails with an attempt to clinch.

Kermode tries to keep at a distance but Makaaja has taken the fight into the clinch.
Makaaja fails to pull guard.

Makaaja successfully pulls guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Makaaja looking for a guillotine here but Kermode defends easily.
We've been hearing good reports from Makaaja's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Makaaja has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Kermode is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Makaaja.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kermode is looking to take a break and control but Makaaja is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
My spies in Johny Fighting Temple inform me that Kermode has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makaaja tries to improve position but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Makaaja manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Kermode gets full guard.
Makaaja pushes down on Kermode's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Makaaja is trying to control the action in half guard but Kermode is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Makaaja is stalling here. Kermode is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Makaaja seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Kermode has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Makaaja struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makaaja manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Makaaja wants to take a breather but Kermode is having none of it.

Kermode is defending against the submission attempts here by Makaaja.

Makaaja seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Kermode has recovered full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Makaaja drops back, looking for a kneebar! Kermode looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Kermode looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Kermode!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kermode clinches up against the cage.
Makaaja jumps guard but Kermode stands there with Makaaja around his waist. Makaaja gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Makaaja tries to pull guard but Kermode holds him up against the cage and eventually Makaaja drops back down to his feet.
Makaaja avoiding damage as Kermode throws knees to the body.
Kermode throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Makaaja blocks it with crossed arms.
Kermode missing with knees to the body.
Kermode is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Makaaja is defending well for now.
Makaaja tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kermode smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mica Makaaja. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kermode lands with a good body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makaaja has his takedown stuffed
and Kermode counters with a lovely shot to the body.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Kermode enables Makaaja to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Kermode manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Kermode is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Makaaja trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Makaaja trying to control the position from guard on top but Kermode is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kermode keeping full guard, as Makaaja tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makaaja trying to control the position from guard on top but Kermode is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Makaaja not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Mica Makaaja just wasn't active enough.

Kermode has Makaaja up against the cage in a clinch.
Kermode lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Mica Makaaja has been cut.
Makaaja is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kermode to keep the fight standing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Makaaja blocks an elbow strike from Kermode.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kermode tries a knee to the head but Makaaja blocks it.
Kermode lands an elbow just above Makaaja 's eye.
Kermode throws a knee to the head but misses.
Makaaja fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kermode throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Kermode throws an elbow that misses.
Kermode looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Kermode misses with a knee to the head.
Kermode misses with a knee to the head.
Kermode tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Makaaja avoids it.
Makaaja jumps guard but Kermode stands there with Makaaja around his waist. Makaaja gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Makaaja is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kermode to keep the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makaaja avoids a wild elbow strike from Kermode.
Makaaja is trying to pull guard but Kermode turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kermode obliges.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
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!
Kermode unloads a knee to the mid-section. Makaaja lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Kermode gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Kermode with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Makaaja jumps guard but Kermode turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Makaaja tries to pull guard but Kermode holds him up against the cage and eventually Makaaja drops back down to his feet.
Kermode with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mayo Kermode showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mica Makaaja's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Makaaja ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Makaaja swats away the attempt to clinch by Kermode.
Kermode lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Kermode drives through and clinches with Makaaja against the cage.
A knee to the head by Kermode.
Makaaja blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kermode with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kermode connects with a knee to the head.
Kermode tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kermode using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Makaaja has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kermode misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makaaja on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Makaaja tries to pull guard but Kermode forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Kermode unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Kermode throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Kermode lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Mica Makaaja's cut is getting worse.
Kermode lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Mica Makaaja's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Kermode misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Makaaja.
Kermode with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Kermode just misses with a elbow thrown towards Makaaja's brow.
Kermode landing knees to the head.
Kermode misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kermode tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kermode landing knees to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kermode.
Kermode tries a knee to the head but Makaaja blocks it.
Kermode throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
With the fighters up against the cage, Kermode throws an elbow but misses.
Makaaja blocks an elbow strike.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kermode lands an elbow inside that Makaaja shrugs off.
Kermode pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Kermode using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Kermode trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knees to the body from Kermode.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kermode misses with a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kermode.
Kermode looking to throw knees to the head but Makaaja is blocking nicely.
Makaaja tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kermode smiles and moves away.
Kermode is looking to clinch.
Kermode tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Makaaja manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Kermode has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kermode creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Makaaja's defenses.
Makaaja avoids the elbow strike from Kermode, against the cage.
Kermode scores with a knee to the head.

Jeez, Mica Makaaja's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Kermode trying to land knees to the body.
Kermode throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Makaaja blocks it with crossed arms.
Makaaja tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kermode smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mica Makaaja. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kermode tries to clinch but Makaaja is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kermode is looking to clinch but Makaaja is avoiding it.
Mica Makaaja has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mayo Kermode is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Makaaja changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kermode tries to avoid it but Makaaja manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kermode to the ground. Kermode escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mayo Kermode comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kermode winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 26:30
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 26:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mayo Kermode!
A victorious Mayo Kermode thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.