PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marduk Thorn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reiska Pekka Retale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thorn comes into the arena with Rob Dougan - Clubbed to Death blaring out of the sound system. The crowd seem to be enjoying Retale's choice of entrance music: The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up. Reiska Pekka Retale has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Thorn
vs
Pekka Retale

165 cm
28
150 lbs
17 - 8 - 0

169 cm
28
154 lbs
22 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Merciless Gladiators

Perkele!
Milwaukee's Best 160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Marduk Thorn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Reiska Pekka Retale!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksandr Martynov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thorn moves into the clinch.
Retale told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Thorn blocks an elbow strike from Retale.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Thorn.
Thorn unloads a knee to the mid-section. Retale lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Retale missing with knees to the body.
A shot in the inside from Retale.
Retale is struggling to control the position.
Retale scores with a shoulder strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A knee to the head by Thorn.

It looks like Reiska Pekka Retale has been cut.
Retale tries to stall but Thorn uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Retale letting Thorn take a breather here.
Thorn tries a knee to the head but Retale blocks it.
Thorn avoiding damage as Retale throws knees to the body.
Thorn stalling in the clinch but Retale improves position.
Thorn throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Retale blocks it with crossed arms.
Thorn tries to break the clinch but Retale is controlling the position.
Thorn scores with a nice hook to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A knee to the head by Thorn.
Retale stalling the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Retale lands with a right to the head.
Thorn throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Retale blocks it with crossed arms.
Retale takes a knee right on the jaw!
Thorn lands with a right to the head.
Retale with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Retale lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Retale tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Retale lands a hook to the side of the head.
With the fighters up against the cage, Retale throws an elbow but misses.
Retale throws an elbow but it misses.
Retale misses with an elbow strike.
Thorn throws a head punch that misses.
Retale lands with a short shot to the head.
Retale using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Retale on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Thorn misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Retale misses with a knee strike.
Retale blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Thorn tries to land knees in the clinch but Retale avoids the damage to the body.
Retale scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Retale landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Retale works on Thorn's body with a couple of short punches.
Retale blocks a body shot from Thorn.
Thorn misses with a knee strike.
Retale doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Thorn dodges an elbow strike from Retale.
Thorn blocks an elbow strike from Retale.
Retale can't find room to land a body shot as Thorn controls the action.
Thorn wants to get back to striking at distance but Retale won't allow it.
Thorn takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Marduk Thorn has been cut.
Thorn missing with knees to the body.
Thorn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Retale avoids it.
Thorn tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Retale misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thorn.
Retale throws an elbow that misses.
Thorn blocks the elbow strike.
Thorn tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Retale tries to land a knee to the head but Thorn blocks with his arms.
A nice right hand lands inside from Retale.
Thorn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Retale avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Retale landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Thorn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Retale avoids it.
Good body shot from Retale.
Thorn is breathing heavily.
Thorn is trying to push Retale away but Retale has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Retale.
Retale pushes Thorn back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Thorn lands a hook to the side of the head.
The referee is keeping an eye on Retale - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Thorn tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Retale's elbow.
Retale cracks Thorn with a nice body shot.
Retale tries a body shot but Thorn blocks it.
Retale pushes Thorn back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Knees to the body from Thorn.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Retale presses Thorn against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Thorn tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Retale's elbow.
Retale throws an elbow but it misses.
Retale lands with a right to the head.
Retale avoiding damage as Thorn throws knees to the body.
Thorn misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Retale.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Retale.
A right hand to the body from Thorn.
Thorn lands a knee to the head.
Still in the clinch, Retale scores with a nice short uppercut.
Thorn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Retale avoids it.
Retale makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Thorn looking to throw knees to the head but Retale is blocking nicely.
Still in the clinch, Retale scores with a nice short uppercut.

Thorn is rocked!
A short uppercut from Retale.
Oh Thorn is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Retale working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Retale.
Thorn has a couple of punches blocked by Retale.
A right hand to the body from Retale.
Retale on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Thorn misses with a knee to the head.
A right handed body shot lands from Retale.
Retale lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Retale lands a big knee! That's hurt Thorn! Oh, he's all over the place! Retale lands another knee that sends Thorn to the floor and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:47 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Reiska Pekka Retale!
During a confident post fight interview, Reiska Pekka Retale thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.