PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Blerim Hyka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Denzel Sarfo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hyka kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Iron Maiden - 'The Evil That Men Do'. Blerim Hyka has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hyka
vs
Sarfo

194 cm
24
257 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

192 cm
21
276 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Blerim Hyka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Denzel Sarfo!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Arvi Lind and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hyka checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Sarfo has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Hyka looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Sarfo keeps the fight on the outside.
Hyka connects with a single shot there.

It looks like Denzel Sarfo has been cut.
Hyka changes levels and scores with a jab 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!
Hyka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sarfo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hyka lands a really nice looking cross but Sarfo seems unphased.
Hyka swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Sarfo.
Hyka tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sarfo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hyka misses with a low kick.
Sarfo throws a low kick but it's checked well by Hyka.
A bone on bone clash there as Hyka blocks the leg kick.
Sarfo missing with a left hand there. Hyka was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sarfo misses with an uppercut.
Nice uppercut there from Sarfo.

It looks like Blerim Hyka has been cut.
Sarfo misses with a left hand
and Hyka counters with a low kick, right behind Sarfo 's knee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sarfo throws a lazy right hand but Hyka sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A big right from Sarfo misses.
Hyka works the jab nicely.
Hyka tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Sarfo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hyka moves to clinch but Sarfo breaks away
and Sarfo counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hyka throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hyka throws an overhand right that lands on Sarfo's shoulder, as Sarfo tries to avoid the shot.
Sarfo scores with a body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A head kick by Sarfo misses
and Hyka counters with a nice uppercut.
Sarfo throws a one two combo.
Sarfo fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Hyka.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sarfo.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Hyka checks a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sarfo wants to slow Hyka down by chopping away at his legs.
A leg kick checked by Hyka.
Sarfo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hyka was well out of range. Poor timing from Sarfo.
Hyka connects with a leg kick. Sarfo looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Hyka misses with a hook.
Sarfo swats away the attempt to clinch by Hyka.
Sarfo blocks a jab.
Sarfo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hyka.
Hyka tries to close the distance and clinch but Sarfo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sarfo cracks the inside of Hyka's front leg.
Hyka throws a big shot that misses.
A low kick from Sarfo is predictable there
and Hyka counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sarfo thinking.
Sarfo misses with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A thudding body kick lands there by Hyka!

Hyka lands a left and a right that send Sarfo crashing to the mat, dazed. Hyka thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Hyka darts in and clinches Sarfo up against the cage.
Hyka looking to throw knees to the head but Sarfo is blocking nicely.
Hyka lands a right hand.
Sarfo can't find room to land a body shot as Hyka controls the action.
Hyka blocks an uppercut.
A short right from Sarfo.
Hyka missing with knees to the body.
Sarfo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sarfo misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hyka prevents a body shot from Sarfo.
Hyka blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hyka fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Hyka using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sarfo has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hyka lands an uppercut.
Hyka trying to land knees to the body.
Hyka throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sarfo lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hyka backwards.
Sarfo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Sarfo.
Hyka dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Hyka tries a knee to the head but Sarfo blocks it.
Sarfo misses with the head strike.
Hyka with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Knees to the body from Hyka.
Hyka tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hyka blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Sarfo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blerim Hyka dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A big left from Sarfo misses.
Sarfo on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Hyka throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Sarfo throws a head kick but Hyka moves out of range.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Hyka here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Sarfo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sarfo connects with a good right hand that stumbles Hyka. Hyka circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Hyka takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Hyka misses with a body kick.
Hyka getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hyka misses with a double jab.
A jab lands there for Hyka.
Sarfo tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Hyka is able to avoid easily.
Sarfo moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Hyka fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sarfo has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slow jab from Hyka misses its intended target.
Hyka throws a leg kick but Sarfo sees it coming and moves out of range.
Hyka throws a jab but it's blocked by Sarfo.
Sarfo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hyka.
A nice leg kick lands there from Hyka.
Nice uppercut lands for Hyka. That snapped Sarfo's head back.

Sarfo tries to keep at a distance but Hyka has taken the fight into the clinch.
A short left from Sarfo.
Nice body punch from Sarfo.
Sarfo throws a head punch that misses.
Hyka tries a knee to the head but Sarfo blocks it.
Sarfo working aggressively here.
Hyka wants to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hyka throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sarfo blocks it with crossed arms.
Denzel Sarfo seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Hyka drops Sarfo with a big knee straight up the middle! Sarfo is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!
Sarfo scoring well with a low kick there.
Sarfo lands with a good body shot.
Hyka throws a leg kick that misses.
Sarfo is looking to score with low kicks.
Hyka thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hyka takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Sarfo cracks Hyka with an open hand slap.
Hyka lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Hyka takes a swing at Sarfo's ribcage but misses.
Sarfo misses with a leg kick
and Hyka makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hyka tries to clinch up but Sarfo circles away and keeps his distance.
Good work by Hyka as he checks the leg kick.
Hyka misses the jab.
Sarfo rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Sarfo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
An inside leg kick lands from Sarfo.
Sarfo attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Sarfo.
Hyka lands a leg kick that knocks Sarfo off balance momentarily.

Hyka has Sarfo up against the cage in a clinch.
Sarfo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hyka utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hyka.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hyka misses with a knee to the head.
Hyka misses with a knee strike.
Sarfo tries to throw a body punch but Hyka avoids it by throwing Sarfo back against the cage.
Sarfo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Hyka manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Hyka looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Hyka escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sarfo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hyka looking for a sweep. Not yet Hyka, not yet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Hyka had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sarfo defends it easily.

Hyka working for a triangle but Sarfo defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blerim Hyka dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

A chopping leg kick lands by Hyka.
Sarfo throws a leg kick that is checked
enabling Hyka to counter with a crisp jab.
Hyka waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sarfo.
Hyka finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Sarfo fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Hyka on the side of the head.
Sarfo lands a nice leg kick that just misses Hyka's sensitive parts.
Sarfo's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Sarfo punishes Hyka's body with a nice straight punch.
Sarfo checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Sarfo misses with a low kick as Hyka jumps back.
Sarfo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hyka.
Sarfo connects with a leg kick. Hyka looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hyka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sarfo.
Sarfo lands with a hook. Hyka tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Sarfo throws a lazy body kick
and Hyka counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sarfo throws a jab when Hyka was well out of range.
Blerim Hyka is winning the standup battle so far.
Hyka throws a jab when Sarfo was well out of range.
Sarfo on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Hyka throws a leg kick which misses Sarfo's front leg but catches the back leg as Sarfo tries to avoid it.
Hyka tries to clinch there but Sarfo circles away.
Sarfo takes a swing at Hyka's ribcage but misses.
Sarfo throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Blerim Hyka's cut is getting worse.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sarfo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A punch lands to the side of Sarfo 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hyka fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Sarfo checks it well.
Sarfo throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Sarfo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Sarfo is rocked!
Sarfo takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hyka lands a front kick.
Sarfo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hyka with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sarfo checks the leg kick nicely there.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sarfo.
Nice shot by Hyka.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hyka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Good shot there by Hyka.
Sarfo is still on wobbly legs! Can Hyka finish him?
Hyka thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sarfo rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Sarfo drops his hands momentarily. Hyka doesn't need a second invitation, landing a shot to the temple. Sarfo staggers and falls to the mat and the ref dives in to save him from any more punishment. Sarfo doesn't seem happy with the stoppage but he was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Blerim Hyka!
An out of breath Blerim Hyka thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.