PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joey Karate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eerikki Kurki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Karate
vs
Kurki

188 cm
21
190 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

180 cm
21
197 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Joey Karate!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Eerikki Kurki!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karate slips a jab from Kurki.
Karate misses with a takedown
and Kurki counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kurki connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Kurki lands a nice shot that snaps Karate's head back.
Kurki jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Karate takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Karate has his takedown stuffed
and Kurki cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kurki has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Kurki throws a lazy right hand but Karate sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Karate feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Kurki looking for a guillotine here but Karate defends easily.
Kurki looking for a sweep. Not yet Kurki, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kurki has his foot on Karate's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Karate works his way back into a safe position though.
Karate throws a big elbow that misses.
Karate advances position into side control!
Kurki throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Kurki tries to bench press Karate off him but Karate keeps the position.
Kurki sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Karate is trying to control. Kurki wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kurki works his way to full guard. Good work.
Karate connects with a couple of short punches.
Karate has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Kurki tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Karate trying to control the position from guard on top but Kurki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karate slips nicely into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kurki lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.
Karate seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kurki does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kurki trying to control here.
Karate sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kurki defending well though.
Kurki wants to improve his position but Karate is controlling well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Kurki trying to control here.
Karate sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Kurki is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Karate sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kurki defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karate tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kurki knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Kurki manages to get to full guard.
Karate wants to control from the top but Kurki keeps moving.

Kurki throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Karate trying to control the position from guard on top but Kurki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Karate got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kurki has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Karate has managed to get both his arms back between Kurki's legs - danger averted.
Karate trying to control the position from guard on top but Kurki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karate throws a big elbow that misses.
Kurki looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Karate trying to control the position from guard on top but Kurki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karate looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

We're going to have a standup here because Joey Karate wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Kurki throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Karate sees it coming and avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eerikki Kurki dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kurki lands a really nice looking cross but Karate seems unphased.
Kurki works the jab nicely.
Karate gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kurki counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Karate throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kurki's waist but Kurki gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Karate off to one side.
Karate displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kurki throws out the jab.
Joey Karate is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kurki throws a hook but Karate blocks it.
Karate avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Karate slips a straight right by Kurki.
Kurki pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A punch combination from Kurki misses.
Kurki misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karate shoots in but Kurki avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joey Karate. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Karate misses with a takedown
and Kurki counters with a nice uppercut.
Karate looks for a takedown but Kurki sprawls well.
Kurki lands with a nice body punch.

Karate closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Kurki quickly recovers to half guard.
Karate wants to pass to mount but Kurki is defending the position.
Kurki wants to control but Karate is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kurki gets back to full guard.
Kurki keeping full guard, as Karate tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Kurki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kurki seems keen to control Karate's posture.
Karate trying to control the position from guard on top but Kurki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kurki is on top in guard.

Karate working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kurki doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kurki manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kurki throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Karate works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Karate is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kurki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurki stopping the sweep attempt from Karate.
Kurki stands and throws Karate's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Karate stops Kurki from passing to mount.
Karate manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Kurki wants to work for an arm triangle but Karate is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Kurki with the ground and pound but Karate uses the opportunity to regain guard.

Karate has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kurki can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kurki wants to control from the top but Karate keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Karate throws his legs up looking for a submission but Kurki uses it to pass to side control.
Karate can't do much from the bottom here.
Kurki tries to advance to mount but Karate denies him.
Kurki wants to lay and pray for a moment but Karate keeps working.
Kurki cracks Karate with an elbow. That is naaassty.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Kurki tries for a kimura but Karate is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kurki wants to lay and pray for a moment but Karate keeps working.
Karate manages to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eerikki Kurki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Karate slips a straight right by Kurki.
Karate uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kurki.
Karate blocks a jab.
Karate takes one to the chin there.
A swing and a miss from Kurki.
Kurki ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Karate misses with a takedown
enabling Kurki to counter with a crisp jab.
Kurki throws a shot from downtown. Karate moves away and avoids it.
Kurki connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Karate momentarily.
Kurki might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Kurki paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Karate closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kurki circles away.
Eerikki Kurki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurki lands a glancing blow to the side of Karate's head.
Karate takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Karate avoids the body shot from Kurki.
Karate checks a low kick from Kurki.
Kurki lands a jab to the nose.
Kurki throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A jab from Kurki misses.
A slow jab from Kurki misses its intended target.
Kurki scores with a punch to the head.
Kurki lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kurki connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Karate shoots and misses
and Kurki counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joey Karate. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kurki wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kurki fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Karate slips under a jab.
Karate looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Karate is rocked!
Karate defending well as Kurki loads up on a big left hand.
Karate steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kurki.
Kurki misses with a few strikes there.
Kurki connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Kurki dips to his left and cracks Karate with an uppercut!
Oh Karate is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karate shoots and misses
and Kurki scores with a counter punch that sends Karate to the canvas! Kurki smells blood - he's punishing Karate with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Karate has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:06 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Eerikki Kurki!