PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Josh Bolda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kari Jurri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bolda's entrance music is Fett's Vette. A fine choice. The crowd seem to be enjoying Jurri's choice of entrance music: Rising Darkness. 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.

Bolda
vs
Jurri

185 cm
31
203 lbs
20 - 10 - 1

183 cm
29
185 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Perkele!
Milwaukee's Best 160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Josh Bolda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kari Jurri!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Arvi Lind and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jurri throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bolda has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Bolda shoots for a takedown but Jurri saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Bolda looks to land a left hand but Jurri moved out of range nicely.
Jurri loads up on a big right hand but Bolda slips the punch.
Bolda moves out of range of the body kick from Jurri.
Bolda avoids the head kick by Jurri.

Bolda decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Bolda stops Jurri from getting back to his feet.
Jurri tries to roll over but Bolda keeps him under control.
Bolda is trying to control. Jurri wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Bolda looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Bolda wants to free his trapped foot but Jurri is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Bolda passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolda lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Bolda tries to control but Jurri wriggling away.
Jurri is looking to get to half guard.
Jurri wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Bolda.
Jurri is squirming around, avoiding Bolda's attempts to control the action.
Jurri is working to get back to half guard.
Jurri wants to hold on but Bolda pushes him away.
Bolda 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.

Bolda swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Jurri is now in Bolda's guard. A big mistake from Bolda there, giving up the dominant position!
Jurri is looking to work some ground and pound but Bolda has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jurri tries to free his leg and advance position but Bolda is retaining full guard.
Bolda looking for a sweep. Not yet Bolda, not yet.
Jurri must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Jurri has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Bolda is proving hard to escape from.
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!

Bolda escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Jurri gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Jurri controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Jurri working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Bolda is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jurri is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bolda is working for a submission of some sort.
Bolda seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Jurri does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Jurri tries to get to full guard but Bolda has control of the leg.
Bolda lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Jurri is defending against the submission attempts here by Bolda.
Jurri moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jurri keeping moving, preventing Bolda from controlling successfully.

Jurri throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Jurri looking for a sweep. Not yet Jurri, not yet.
Bolda postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bolda trying to control the position from guard on top but Jurri is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Jurri looking for a guillotine here but Bolda defends easily.
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!
Bolda looking to pass the guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jurri avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Jurri jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A shot to the body from Jurri misses

and Bolda counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bolda.
Jurri is trying to control the position but Bolda postures up.
Bolda with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bolda trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bolda postures up and lands a big shot to Jurri's brow.
Bolda slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bolda grinds an elbow into Jurri's temple.
Jurri is trying to control Bolda's posture but Bolda avoids it.

Bolda is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Jurri knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jurri is looking to reverse the position.
Jurri can't do much from the bottom here.
Jurri is working to avoid the ground and pound but Bolda connects with a decent elbow.

Bolda tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Bolda is looking to take a break and control but Jurri is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Jurri regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolda is just content to waste time from the top position. Jurri takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Bolda wants to control from the top but Jurri keeps moving.
Bolda looking to pass the guard.
Bolda passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Bolda wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Jurri, who protects the arm well.
Jurri tries to bench press Bolda off him but Bolda keeps the position.

Bolda wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Jurri, who protects the arm well.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Bolda goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Jurri has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Bolda but great work by Jurri.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jurri is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Bolda manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Jurri blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bolda.
Bolda prevents Jurri from improving his position.

Bolda looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Bolda is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Jurri is just riding it out for now. Bolda eventually gives up the hold.

Jurri looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bolda passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Jurri!
Bolda lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Bolda postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Jurri looks a forlorn figure.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jurri in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Jurri is rocked!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jurri trying desperately to get to his feet.
Bolda tries to control but Jurri wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Bolda dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Bolda checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Bolda listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Jurri connects with an inside leg kick.
Jurri defending well as Bolda loads up on a big left hand.
Bolda shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Jurri pinned against the cage. Jurri gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Jurri looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
The fighters circling - Bolda throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Bolda misses with a right hand
and Jurri counters with a good low kick that Bolda was not able to check.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jurri looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jurri misses with a body shot.
Jurri paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Jurri tries to clinch up.
Jurri throws a body punch but Bolda moves out of range.
Jurri fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Bolda jabs Jurri right on the nose. Jurri blinks but takes it well.
Bolda fails with a takedown attempt.

Jurri closes the distance and pushes Bolda back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jurri lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Bolda has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Jurri is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Josh Bolda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jurri gets through Bolda's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Bolda breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kari Jurri has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bolda misses with a hook
and Jurri counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jurri takes a swing at Bolda's ribcage but misses.
Bolda throws a looping overhand right but Jurri ducks down to avoid it.
Jurri scores with a jab. Bolda acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Josh Bolda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolda looks for a takedown but Jurri sprawls well.
Jurri swinging wildly here.
Bolda connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Bolda walks into a left hand.
Bolda takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Jurri stuffs the takedown attempt from Bolda. Bolda gets slowly back to his feet.
A big right from Bolda misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jurri lands a big uppercut and Bolda crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Bolda looks OK. Jurri waves Bolda back to his feet!

Bolda is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jurri throws a series of punches but Bolda moves out of range.
Oh Bolda is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Jurri lands with a big right hook that stumbles Bolda - he's out on his feet here! Jurri follows up with another monster hook that separates Bolda from consciousness! Bolda falls, almost in slow motion to the canvas! Jurri stands and admires his work as the crowd go wild.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:17 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Kari Jurri!
After winning the bout, Kari Jurri thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.