PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dick Valentine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sakari Nurmi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Valentine's entrance music is I Buy the Drugs. A fine choice. Nurmi has chosen Turisas -Take the day! as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Valentine
vs
Nurmi

181 cm
31
180 lbs
19 - 13 - 0

176 cm
31
172 lbs
16 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 19 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dick Valentine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sakari Nurmi!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Paul Aken and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valentine tries to clinch up but Nurmi circles away and keeps his distance.
Valentine throws a hook to the side of Nurmi's head but Nurmi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A jab from Valentine does it's job there.

It looks like Sakari Nurmi has been cut.
Valentine throws the left hand but Nurmi avoids the punch easily.
Valentine wants to clinch up but Nurmi keeps it at a distance.
Valentine tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nurmi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nurmi takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Valentine tries to clinch but Nurmi moves away
and Nurmi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nurmi circles away from the clinch attempt

and Nurmi counters with a shoot takedown. Valentine fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Nurmi trying to control but Valentine is working from the bottom.
Nurmi postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmi throws a big right hand that misses.
Valentine trying to control the position.
Nurmi throws a big right hand that misses.
Nurmi trying to control the position from guard on top but Valentine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Valentine working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nurmi.

Nurmi drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Valentine dives on top into guard.
Nurmi keeping moving, preventing Valentine from controlling successfully.
Nurmi controls Valentine momentarily but Valentine frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentine trying to control but Nurmi is working from the bottom.
Valentine looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Dick Valentine.
Valentine misses with a looping left.
Valentine throws a jab but it's blocked by Nurmi.
Nice shot by Valentine.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nurmi gets the takedown into side control.
Nurmi working the head and body with strikes.
Nurmi lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Valentine down.
Valentine is not content to let Nurmi control the position.
Nurmi tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Nurmi looks up at the clock and then as Valentine takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Nurmi smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Nurmi tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Nurmi tries to move to mount but Valentine blocks the move with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valentine defending against the ground and pound.
Nurmi postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Nurmi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valentine keeps working.
Nurmi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Nurmi goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Valentine has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Nurmi but great work by Valentine.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nurmi can't do much from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Valentine wants to control but Nurmi is keeping him busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Valentine looking to control but instead Nurmi has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sakari Nurmi will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Sakari Nurmi's cut.
That's time! Valentine's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Valentine tries to clinch but Nurmi moves away
and Nurmi counters with a left to the body.
Valentine fails with an attempt to clinch.
Valentine blocks the body kick.
Sakari Nurmi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Valentine doesn't manage to clinch there - Nurmi circles away.
Valentine lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Nurmi circles away quickly and effectively.
Nurmi takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nurmi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Valentine on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Valentine moves in looking to clinch but Nurmi pushes him off.
Valentine misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nurmi is looking to score with low kicks.
Valentine throws a nice looking combination but Nurmi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Valentine fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmi defending well as Valentine loads up on a big left hand.
Valentine wants to clinch.
Valentine is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Nurmi.
Valentine throws a head kick but Nurmi moves out of range.

Valentine closes the distance and clinches.
Nice elbow from Valentine.
Nurmi lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Nurmi avoids the elbow strike from Valentine, against the cage.
Valentine lands a good knee to the midsection. Nurmi won't want to take too many of those.
Valentine tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nurmi avoids a wild elbow strike from Valentine.
Valentine gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Valentine throws an elbow but it's blocked.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Valentine just misses with a elbow thrown towards Nurmi's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentine connects with a nasty looking knee right to Nurmi's face.
Nurmi managing to block the knees to the body from Valentine.
Valentine misses with a body punch.
Valentine pushes off an throws an elbow but Nurmi leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Valentine.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nurmi blocks an elbow strike.
Valentine is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Valentine throws an elbow but it misses.
A short body shot lands from Nurmi as the two fighters clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Valentine lands a nice uppercut.
Valentine blocks a body shot from Nurmi.
Valentine avoiding damage as Nurmi throws knees to the body.
Valentine throws a punch but it's blocked by Nurmi.
Nurmi presses Valentine against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Valentine with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Valentine lands an elbow inside.
Valentine with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Nurmi scores with a knee to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Nurmi takes an elbow to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentine creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Nurmi goes for a takedown in the clinch but Valentine prevents it.
Nurmi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nurmi avoids the elbow strike from Valentine, against the cage.
Valentine gets through Nurmi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Nurmi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nurmi has Valentine pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Valentine manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Valentine lands an elbow inside.
Nurmi tries to pull guard but Valentine won't allow it.
Dick Valentine has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sakari Nurmi.
Nurmi scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Nurmi has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Valentine clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Nurmi is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Valentine defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Nurmi is trying to stick to Valentine's back but Valentine is turning into Nurmi. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Nurmi's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Valentine.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nurmi looking for a sweep. Not yet Nurmi, not yet.
Valentine trying to control the position from guard on top but Nurmi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Valentine sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Valentine drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Valentine jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Valentine trying to control but Nurmi is working from the bottom.
Valentine sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Nurmi's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dick Valentine dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sakari Nurmi'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. This is the final round!

Valentine throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Valentine moves into the clinch.
Knees to the body from Nurmi.
Nurmi has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Valentine seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Nurmi can turn it around.
Nurmi can't get the takedown.
Nurmi lands an elbow that stopped Valentine in his tracks for a moment.
Nurmi goes for a takedown in the clinch but Valentine prevents it.
Nurmi is trying to stall.

Valentine escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nurmi moves out of range of the strikes.
Valentine tries to clinch up

and Nurmi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Valentine's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nurmi passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmi tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Valentine is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Nurmi asserts his dominance and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Valentine's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Valentine is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nurmi goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Valentine rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Nurmi's guard! Nice work there by Valentine!
Nurmi keeping moving, preventing Valentine from controlling successfully.
Valentine trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Valentine looking to sit in guard and control but Nurmi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Valentine trying to keep a closed guard but Nurmi is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nurmi's corner is telling him to maintain position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nurmi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Nurmi drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Valentine manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Nurmi has Valentine in his guard.
Nurmi being controlled here, momentarily.
Valentine won't allow Nurmi to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurmi pulls Valentine in close to prevent any damage.
Nurmi not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Valentine wants to control from the top but Nurmi keeps moving.
Valentine throws a big right hand that misses.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Valentine doesn't manage to clinch there - Nurmi circles away.
Valentine tries to clinch up but Nurmi circles away and keeps his distance.
Valentine tries to clinch
and Nurmi counters with a one-two to the body.
Nurmi circles away from the clinch attempt
and Nurmi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Valentine misses with a shot to the body
and Nurmi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sakari Nurmi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Nurmi 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sakari Nurmi!
Sakari Nurmi decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.