PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eetu Matsubich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paha Yhdistys (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Matsubich
vs
Yhdistys

225 cm
22
205 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

187 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Eetu Matsubich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paha Yhdistys!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yhdistys has a takedown stuffed.
Matsubich keeps Yhdistys at a distance using the push kick.
Yhdistys looks gassed!
Yhdistys fails to land the takedown.

Matsubich looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Matsubich wants to pass to mount but Yhdistys is defending the position.
Matsubich knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Yhdistys on the ground.
Matsubich stalling.
Matsubich is pressing down on Yhdistys's thigh, looking to free his foot. Yhdistys is holding on for now.
Matsubich is controlling the pace.
Yhdistys is looking for a sweep. Matsubich is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matsubich decides to stand and escape the position.

Matsubich fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Yhdistys sprawls well initially but Matsubich persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Yhdistys throws a strike from the bottom but Matsubich passes into side control!

Matsubich wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Yhdistys, who protects the arm well.
Matsubich is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Yhdistys's shoulder. That is not cool.

Matsubich decides to stand up, so the ref orders Yhdistys to his feet.

Matsubich closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Matsubich pulls Yhdistys into guard.
Matsubich wants to stand and escape but Yhdistys is having none of it.
Matsubich will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsubich looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yhdistys is one step ahead there.
Yhdistys passes into half guard.
Matsubich tries to get to full guard but Yhdistys has control of the leg.
Matsubich keeping hold of Yhdistys's head, controlling as best he can.
Matsubich has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Yhdistys is working away from the top position though.
Matsubich is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsubich regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Yhdistys.
Matsubich looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Matsubich trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Matsubich really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Matsubich controls Yhdistys momentarily but Yhdistys frees himself.
Yhdistys pushing down on Matsubich's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Yhdistys scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Matsubich taking some punishment here, with Yhdistys in his half guard.
Yhdistys trying to control from Matsubich's half guard. Matsubich has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Yhdistys loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Matsubich controls Yhdistys momentarily but Yhdistys frees himself.
Yhdistys thows a big elbow that misses.
Yhdistys wants to get up but he can't break Matsubich's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Yhdistys throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Matsubich drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Matsubich wants to control from the top but Yhdistys keeps moving.
Matsubich tries to stand but Yhdistys is controlling from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eetu Matsubich dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Yhdistys closes the distance looking to clinch
and Matsubich counters with a good, hard body kick but Yhdistys shrugs it off.

Matsubich changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Yhdistys looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Yhdistys looking for a sweep but Matsubich has passed into full mount! Oh no!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Matsubich working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Matsubich working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Matsubich controlling his opponent.
Matsubich trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yhdistys takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yhdistys defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Matsubich.
Matsubich is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Yhdistys is trying desperately to improve position.
Yhdistys is squirming around, avoiding Matsubich's attempts to control the action.
You get the feeling that Yhdistys really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Matsubich tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Yhdistys flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Matsubich controlling from mount.

That's two 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.
Yhdistys gets back to half guard.
Matsubich is keen to just control but Yhdistys is a slippery customer.
Yhdistys landing a few short strikes.
Matsubich seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Yhdistys does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Yhdistys is pressing down on Matsubich's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Matsubich trying to control the position from guard on top but Yhdistys is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Matsubich slips nicely into half guard.
Yhdistys is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsubich wants to stand up but Yhdistys is controlling the position.
Yhdistys is trying to control but can't.
Eetu Matsubich overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Matsubich seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Matsubich tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Matsubich trying to control the action but Yhdistys is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Yhdistys shoots and misses

and Matsubich counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Yhdistys keeping full guard, as Matsubich tries to pass.
Matsubich preventing the sweep.
Matsubich is looking to work some ground and pound but Yhdistys has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yhdistys with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Matsubich can't handle though.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Yhdistys is on top in guard.

Matsubich has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Yhdistys off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Yhdistys takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Yhdistys cracks the inside of Matsubich's front leg.
Matsubich works Yhdistys's body with a nice hook.
Matsubich moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Matsubich stuffs the takedown.
Eetu Matsubich is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Matsubich decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yhdistys is looking to improve his position.
Yhdistys trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eetu Matsubich dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Matsubich has closed the distance and engaged Yhdistys in a clinch.

Matsubich manages to break the clinch.

Matsubich instigates a clinch.

Matsubich manages to pull guard.
Matsubich is trying to keep Yhdistys in close.
Yhdistys stopping the sweep attempt from Matsubich.
Matsubich is working hard here to advance position.

Matsubich had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Yhdistys is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Matsubich Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Yhdistys's back instead.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Yhdistys manages to reverse the position and now he's in Matsubich's guard. Nice work there by Yhdistys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yhdistys pushes down on Matsubich's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Matsubich trying to control but Yhdistys postures up.
Yhdistys wants to lay and pray for a moment but Matsubich keeps working.
Yhdistys missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Matsubich wants to get back to full guard.
Matsubich trying to control but Yhdistys postures up.
Yhdistys thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Matsubich to regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Matsubich pushes Yhdistys off and scrambles back to his feet.
Yhdistys with a poor takedown

and Matsubich holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Matsubich jumps guard and drags Yhdistys to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Matsubich manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Yhdistys manages to get himself to full guard.
Yhdistys controls Matsubich momentarily but Matsubich frees himself.

Yhdistys had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Matsubich is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Yhdistys Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Matsubich's back instead.
Yhdistys is working the ground and pound. Can Matsubich escape?
Matsubich takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Matsubich rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsubich regains full guard. Nicely done.
Matsubich is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yhdistys with a flurry of punches that miss.
Yhdistys postures up.
Yhdistys pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Matsubich is keeping the position for now.
Yhdistys passes Matsubich's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Matsubich is trying to stand back up but Yhdistys is controlling him
Matsubich wants to control but Yhdistys is keeping busy.

Yhdistys is looking for a kimura but Matsubich is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Yhdistys to get the leverage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Matsubich trying to control from the bottom.
Paha Yhdistys has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Yhdistys connects with a nice short shot to Matsubich's temple.
Matsubich is trying to get back to full guard.
Yhdistys throws a strike but Matsubich avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Yhdistys trying to control the position from guard on top but Matsubich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yhdistys pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Matsubich is keeping the position for now.
Yhdistys wants to control from the top but Matsubich keeps moving.
Matsubich not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eetu Matsubich showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Matsubich 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eetu Matsubich!