PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sami Saari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thor Wasshammar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wasshammar is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Saari
vs
Wasshammar

170 cm
21
177 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

178 cm
21
182 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Meet the Future
No Contest Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sami Saari!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Thor Wasshammar!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wasshammar avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Saari tries to clinch up.
Saari slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Wasshammar showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Saari.
Wasshammar throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Saari throws a poor cross that misses
and Wasshammar counters with a straight right hand.
Saari misses with a hook

and Wasshammar counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Wasshammar.
Wasshammar showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Wasshammar throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Wasshammar with a flurry of punches that miss.
Wasshammar in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Wasshammar stopping the sweep attempt from Saari.
Wasshammar has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wasshammar keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Saari's head.
Wasshammar stops Saari from standing up.
Saari is trying to control the position but Wasshammar postures up.
Wasshammar is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Saari is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Saari knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Wasshammar on the ground.
Wasshammar trying to control but Saari is working from the bottom.
Wasshammar sitting in guard here, content to control.
Wasshammar wants to control from the top but Saari keeps moving.
Saari looking to hit a scissor sweep but Wasshammar is one step ahead there.
Wasshammar working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Wasshammar with a flurry of punches that miss.
Wasshammar trying to control but Saari is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wasshammar is standing up over Saari. Saari looks to escape but Wasshammar dives into side control.
Wasshammar is chipping away with strikes.
Saari is looking to regain half guard here but Wasshammar keeps moving and retains side control.
Wasshammar working away.
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!

Wasshammar working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
You can see the frustration on Saari's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Saari sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Wasshammar lands strikes from half guard.
Wasshammar tries to pass the half guard into mount. Saari knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wasshammar is looking to take a break and control but Saari is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Wasshammar is thwarting Saari's attempts to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wasshammar takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wasshammar wants to control but Saari is keeping him busy.
Saari is looking to control Wasshammar's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Saari avoid being mounted?
Saari is looking to escape.
Wasshammar seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Saari does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Wasshammar passes into side control, despite Saari's attempt to control the position.
Saari can't do much from the bottom here.
Wasshammar looks up at the clock and then as Saari takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Wasshammar smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Wasshammar in side control lands a decent elbow.
Saari is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wasshammar looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Saari is avoiding damage well.
Saari tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Wasshammar wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Wasshammar working the ground and pound from side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Saari tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Wasshammar wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Wasshammar works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Wasshammar working the ground and pound from side control.
Saari tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Wasshammar wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Saari is trying to control Wasshammar's posture but Wasshammar avoids it.
Wasshammar lands an elbow.
Wasshammar is looking to take a break and control but Saari is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
An elbow from Wasshammar crashes against the mat.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Saari tries to improve position but can't.
Wasshammar in side control lands a decent elbow.

Wasshammar working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Saari is trying to control Wasshammar's posture but Wasshammar avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thor Wasshammar dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Saari fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wasshammar keeps the fight on the outside.
Saari ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Wasshammar moves away.
Wasshammar walks into a jab.

Wasshammar moves into the clinch.
Saari misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Saari misses with the head strike.
Wasshammar blocking some punches.
Wasshammar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Saari trying to stall but Wasshammar improves his position.
Saari tries a body shot but Wasshammar blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Saari.
Saari lands a left hand that snaps the head of Wasshammar backwards.

It looks like Thor Wasshammar has been cut.
Wasshammar cracks Saari with a nice body shot.
The referee is keeping an eye on Saari - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saari blocking some punches.
Wasshammar tries to pull guard but Saari forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Saari is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Wasshammar blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Wasshammar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Saari throws a predictable looking body shot
and Wasshammar connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Saari will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sami Saari is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Saari is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Wasshammar.
Saari scores with a nice head shot.
Wasshammar looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Saari misses with a jab, cross combination.
Wasshammar connects with the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saari drops his hands momentarily and Wasshammar takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Saari misses with a hook. Wasshammar ducked under it nicely.
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!
Wasshammar looks for a takedown but Saari sprawls well.
Wasshammar moves in looking to clinch but Saari pushes him off.
Sami Saari seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wasshammar misses with an uppercut. Saari saw that one coming.
Wasshammar ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Saari tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wasshammar swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Saari comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Nice shot by Saari.
Wasshammar uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saari.
Saari throws a body punch but Wasshammar moves out of range.
Wasshammar ducks under a wild hook from Saari.
Saari looks to score with a jab to the body but Wasshammar is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saari moves out of range as Wasshammar strikes.
Wasshammar tests Saari's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Wasshammar keeps the fight on the outside.
Saari throws a body punch but Wasshammar moves out of range.
Saari swings for the body but Wasshammar moves out of range.
Sami Saari is winning the standup battle so far.
Saari cracks Wasshammar with a right hand to the side of the head.
Saari avoids the body shot from Wasshammar.
Wasshammar swats away the attempt to clinch by Saari.
Saari throws a body punch but Wasshammar moves out of range.
A decent looking cross lands there for Saari.
Wasshammar lands with a straight right. Saari didn't see that one coming.
Wasshammar has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saari looks to score with a jab to the body but Wasshammar is just out of range.
Saari takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Wasshammar ducks under a wild hook from Saari.
Wasshammar throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Saari stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saari throws an off balance right hand
and Wasshammar cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Wasshammar takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Wasshammar ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Wasshammar scores with a jab to the body.
Saari ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Wasshammar moves away.
Saari fails in his attempt to clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Saari wants to clinch up but Wasshammar keeps it at a distance.
Saari throws a series of punches but Wasshammar avoids them all with ease.
Saari misses with a lunging right hand
and Wasshammar counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Wasshammar blocks a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sami Saari dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Thor Wasshammar'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.

Saari lands with a nice combination. Wasshammar backs away looking to recover.

Wasshammar closes the distance and pushes Saari back into the cage.
Saari tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Wasshammar has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A short right from Wasshammar on the inside.
Saari misses with the head strike.
Wasshammar is looking to take this one to the mat.
Saari trying to stall but Wasshammar improves his position.
A right hand to the body from Saari.
Saari tries to throw a body punch but Wasshammar avoids it by throwing Saari back against the cage.
Wasshammar tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
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!
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Saari can't find room to land a body shot as Wasshammar controls the action.
Saari tries to throw a body punch but Wasshammar avoids it by throwing Saari back against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Wasshammar.
Saari lands a hook that snaps the head of Wasshammar backwards.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wasshammar throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Saaris head.
Wasshammar struggles to land a body shot inside as Saari controls his hands.
Saari is trying to stall.
Saari has a couple of punches blocked by Wasshammar.
Saari working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Wasshammar is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Saari pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Wasshammar's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Wasshammar blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Saari stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Saari is trying to break the clinch but Wasshammar is controlling him.
Wasshammar struggles to land a body shot inside as Saari controls his hands.
Saari lands a nice uppercut.
Saari fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Wasshammar goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sami Saari has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saari controlling the action here for a moment.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saari is trying to maintain a safe position but Wasshammar gets an underhook and turns Saari into the cage.
Wasshammar has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Saari after a bit of a struggle.
Sami Saari has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thor Wasshammar.
Saari misses with a punch on the inside.
Saari lands a body punch.
Saari lands with a left to the head.
Saari lands with a left to the head.
Saari gets through Wasshammar's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short right from Wasshammar.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Saari.
Saari lands a body shot.
Wasshammar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A short right from Wasshammar on the inside.
Wasshammar is trying to push Saari away but Saari has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saari lands an uppercut.
Wasshammar works on Saari's body with a couple of short punches.
Saari is trying to maintain a safe position but Wasshammar gets an underhook and turns Saari into the cage.
Saari is pushing Wasshammar up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Saari lands a hook that snaps the head of Wasshammar backwards.
A short uppercut from Wasshammar.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Wasshammar blocking some punches.
Wasshammar doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Wasshammar.
Saari is trying to break free.
Saari pushes Wasshammar back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saari throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Saari lands with a short punch from the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Wasshammar.
Saari makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Wasshammar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Saari connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Saari sizes up Wasshammar with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Wasshammar is rocked!
A lazy left from Saari finds it's target.
Wasshammar is still on wobbly legs! Can Saari finish him?
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Saari feints a kick and comes over the top with a right hand, followed by a left hook - both land, sending Wasshammar crashing to the mat! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Sami Saari!
Sami Saari retains his welterweight title!