PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rick Espinoza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Heikki Jaaskelainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Jaaskelainen's choice of entrance music: Girl in a Uniform. Heikki Jaaskelainen is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Espinoza
vs
Jaaskelainen

160 cm
19
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
18
140 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rick Espinoza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Heikki Jaaskelainen!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jaaskelainen connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

It looks like Rick Espinoza has been cut.
Espinoza lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Espinoza.
Jaaskelainen throws a head kick that misses.
Jaaskelainen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Espinoza tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Espinoza throws a nice inside leg kick.
Espinoza moves out of range of the strikes.
Espinoza circles away from the clinch attempt
and Espinoza counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Jaaskelainen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Jaaskelainen lands in his opponent's guard.
Jaaskelainen wants to stand but Espinoza is controlling his posture from full guard.
Jaaskelainen won't allow Espinoza to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espinoza is trying to hold Jaaskelainen in close to prevent damage but Jaaskelainen has managed to pass into half guard.
Espinoza trying to control from the bottom.

Espinoza is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Jaaskelainen pulls his head out easily.
Espinoza regains full guard. Nicely done.

Jaaskelainen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Espinoza working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Jaaskelainen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Jaaskelainen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Espinoza is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Jaaskelainen slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Espinoza.
Espinoza is trying to get back to full guard.

Espinoza looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza is looking to improve his position.
Jaaskelainen tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Espinoza actively working from the bottom here.

Jaaskelainen decides to stand up.

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.
Jaaskelainen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Espinoza shoots for a double leg takedown but Jaaskelainen sprawls well. He's pushed Espinoza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jaaskelainen lands a jab to the head.
Espinoza fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Jaaskelainen manages to avoid it.
Espinoza throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jaaskelainen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jaaskelainen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Espinoza avoids the head kick by Jaaskelainen.
Espinoza goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Espinoza shoots in looking for a takedown. Jaaskelainen tries to sprawl out of it but Espinoza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Jaaskelainen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
No joy there for Espinoza, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Jaaskelainen falls off balance throwing a combination
and Espinoza counters with a good low kick that Jaaskelainen was not able to check.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heikki Jaaskelainen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rick Espinoza's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Espinoza tries to clinch but Jaaskelainen is having none of it.
Jaaskelainen tries a head kick but it misses.

Espinoza rushes Jaaskelainen and presses him up against the cage.
Jaaskelainen gets underhooks to prevent Espinoza's takedown attempt.
Espinoza wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Espinoza is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Jaaskelainen pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Jaaskelainen works on Espinoza's body with a couple of short punches.
Jaaskelainen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Jaaskelainen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Jaaskelainen stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Still in the clinch, Jaaskelainen scores with a nice short uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espinoza's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Espinoza wants to break free but Jaaskelainen has control.
Espinoza's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Jaaskelainen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Espinoza.
A head kick by Jaaskelainen misses
and Espinoza counters with a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Jaaskelainen or perhaps it was just good defense by Espinoza which made him look bad.
Espinoza fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Espinoza tries to clinch up.
Espinoza throws a right hand that Jaaskelainen ducks under and follows up with a left that Jaaskelainen also avoids with ease.

Espinoza has taken the fight to the clinch.

Espinoza ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Espinoza no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Jaaskelainen won't allow Espinoza to sweep him here.
Espinoza is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Espinoza is working an open guard so Jaaskelainen takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza tries to clinch
and Jaaskelainen counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Jaaskelainen throws a big shot that misses.
Espinoza misses with a few strikes there.
Espinoza looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Espinoza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jaaskelainen missing with a left hand there. Espinoza was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Good shot there by Jaaskelainen.
Espinoza misses with a takedown attempt
and Jaaskelainen counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Jaaskelainen takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Jaaskelainen throws a lazy head kick

and Espinoza counters with a takedown into side control.
Espinoza trying to control the action but Jaaskelainen is working from the bottom.
Jaaskelainen is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza tries to advance to mount but can't.
Espinoza tries to stand but Jaaskelainen is controlling his head.

Espinoza working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Espinoza goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Jaaskelainen rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Espinoza's guard! Nice work there by Jaaskelainen!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Espinoza working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Jaaskelainen has passed into half guard!
Espinoza wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Espinoza dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rick Espinoza'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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Jaaskelainen misses with a head kick.

Jaaskelainen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Jaaskelainen prevents Espinoza from standing back up.
Jaaskelainen wants to take a breather but Espinoza is having none of it.
Espinoza wants to improve his position but Jaaskelainen is controlling well.
Espinoza is controlling Jaaskelainen's trapped leg to prevent Jaaskelainen from advancing to side control.

Espinoza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Espinoza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Espinoza has a hand on Jaaskelainen's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Jaaskelainen takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Jaaskelainen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

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.
Espinoza is trying desperately to improve position.
Jaaskelainen looking to control and managing it successfully.
Espinoza working to try and regain half guard.
Espinoza tries to lock up and control but Jaaskelainen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Jaaskelainen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Jaaskelainen wants to control the pace but Espinoza is squirming around nicely.
Espinoza tries to reverse the position but Jaaskelainen maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jaaskelainen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Espinoza trying desperately to get to his feet.
Espinoza tries to hold on but Jaaskelainen pushes him away.
Espinoza keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jaaskelainen controlling his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Heikki Jaaskelainen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Jaaskelainen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Heikki Jaaskelainen!