PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bartlomiej Bartnicki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikola Veljanovski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikola Veljanovski has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Bartlomiej Bartnicki's chin.

Bartnicki
vs
Veljanovski

185 cm
25
245 lbs
5 - 2 - 1

182 cm
25
234 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Experienced

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Bartlomiej Bartnicki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nikola Veljanovski!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch but Bartnicki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Veljanovski is looking to clinch.

Bartnicki gets tackled into the cage by Veljanovski. Veljanovski maintains the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Veljanovski.

Veljanovski breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Veljanovski tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bartnicki was well out of range. Poor timing from Veljanovski.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bartnicki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nikola Veljanovski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Veljanovski has closed the distance and engaged Bartnicki in a clinch.

Veljanovski breaks from the clinch.
Bartnicki slips a jab from Veljanovski.
Veljanovski waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bartnicki.
Veljanovski throws a leg kick

and Bartnicki decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Veljanovski's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bartnicki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bartnicki tries to free his leg and advance position but Veljanovski is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veljanovski keeping moving, preventing Bartnicki from controlling successfully.
Bartnicki is really struggling to control Veljanovski but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Bartnicki looking to pass the guard.
Veljanovski keeping moving, preventing Bartnicki from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Bartlomiej Bartnicki just wasn't active enough.
Bartnicki fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bartnicki moves in looking to clinch but Veljanovski pushes him off.
Veljanovski misses with a looping left.
Veljanovski is looking to clinch but Bartnicki is avoiding it.

Veljanovski clinches up with Bartnicki and pushes him back against the cage.
Veljanovski's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Veljanovski's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Veljanovski clinches.

Veljanovski breaks the clinch.
Bartnicki swats away the attempt to clinch by Veljanovski.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Bartnicki blocks the low kick.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bartnicki paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Veljanovski misses with a looping right.
Veljanovski loads up on a big right hand but Bartnicki slips the punch.
Bartnicki avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Veljanovski throws a chopping leg kick but Bartnicki manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Veljanovski fails with an attempt to clinch.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bartnicki paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bartnicki avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Bartnicki keeps the fight on the outside.
Bartnicki circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Veljanovski fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bartnicki, pushing him back against the cage.
Veljanovski stalls.
Bartnicki wants a takedown.
Veljanovski is pressed up against the cage. Bartnicki has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Veljanovski down to the mat. Veljanovski avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bartlomiej Bartnicki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Veljanovski is looking to clinch but Bartnicki is avoiding it.

Veljanovski fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bartnicki, pushing him back against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Veljanovski.
Veljanovski throws an elbow that misses.
Veljanovski gets underhooks to prevent Bartnicki's takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikola Veljanovski dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Veljanovski fails with an attempt to clinch.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch but Bartnicki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Veljanovski tries to clinch up.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bartnicki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bartnicki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Veljanovski is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Veljanovski wants to clinch.

Bartnicki closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Veljanovski to the mat! Veljanovski manages to get full guard.
Bartnicki stops Veljanovski from standing up.
Bartnicki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bartnicki is looking to advance position but Veljanovski has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Bartnicki really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Veljanovski is looking to stand but Veljanovski has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
Bartnicki sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Veljanovski tries to stand and escape but Bartnicki is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Veljanovski prevents Bartnicki from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bartnicki is working hard here to advance position.
Bartnicki has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Veljanovski is working away from the top position though.

Bartnicki actively working from the bottom here.
Bartnicki on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bartnicki tries to get out of the position.
Veljanovski tries to stand and escape but Bartnicki is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bartnicki tries to roll over but Veljanovski keeps him under control.
Veljanovski tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Bartnicki wants to control but Veljanovski is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Veljanovski tries to stand and escape but Bartnicki is controlling the position.
Bartnicki is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bartnicki actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bartnicki is looking for a sweep. Veljanovski is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
It looks like Veljanovski is going to stand back up.
Bartnicki is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bartlomiej Bartnicki dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Bartnicki tries to keep at a distance but Veljanovski has taken the fight into the clinch.
Veljanovski content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Veljanovski fails to land.
Veljanovski working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Veljanovski fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bartnicki prevents Veljanovski from breaking the clinch.
Veljanovski slows down the pace here.

Veljanovski's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veljanovski tries to clinch but Bartnicki moves out of range.
Veljanovski fails in his attempt to clinch.
Veljanovski moves in looking to clinch but Bartnicki pushes him off.
Veljanovski is looking to clinch.
Veljanovski tries to bum rush Bartnicki with a series of wild strikes but Bartnicki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nikola Veljanovski is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Veljanovski fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bartnicki, pushing him back against the cage.
Veljanovski misses with a short punch on the inside.
Bartnicki has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Veljanovski after a bit of a struggle.
Bartnicki tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Veljanovski breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bartnicki staying out of range there.
Veljanovski throws a nice looking combination but Bartnicki bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Veljanovski closes the distance and pushes Bartnicki back into the cage.
Bartnicki blocks an uppercut.
Bartnicki wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bartlomiej Bartnicki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Veljanovski displaying some good clinch control by pressing Bartnicki up against the cage.

Veljanovski manages to break the clinch.
Veljanovski wants to clinch.
Veljanovski tries to clinch but Bartnicki is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veljanovski tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bartnicki manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Veljanovski doesn't manage to clinch there - Bartnicki circles away.
Bartnicki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bartnicki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bartnicki avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Veljanovski missing with a left hand there. Bartnicki was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Veljanovski moves into the clinch successfully.
Veljanovski is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bartnicki.
Bartnicki blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bartnicki wants a takedown.
Veljanovski is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Bartnicki has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Veljanovski avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bartnicki is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Veljanovski is defending well.
Veljanovski displaying some good clinch control by pressing Bartnicki up against the cage.
Veljanovski lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Bartnicki backwards.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Veljanovski.
Veljanovski throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Veljanovski fails to land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikola Veljanovski comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Veljanovski 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikola Veljanovski!