PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mauri Saarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Jack Black enters the cage!

Saarinen
vs
Black

190 cm
22
216 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mauri Saarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jack Black!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Saarinen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Saarinen stops Black from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saarinen tries to pass to full mount but Black defends it.
Black is looking for a sweep. Saarinen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Saarinen is controlling the pace.
Nice strikes from Saarinen there.
Black tries to get to full guard but Saarinen has control of the leg.
Well, if Saarinen is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Black is trying to stand.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Saarinen trying to control the action but Black is working from the bottom.

Saarinen is looking for a kimura but Black is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Saarinen to get the leverage.
Black throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Saarinen manages to pass to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarinen content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Saarinen throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Black is trying to get back to half guard.
Black really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Saarinen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Black looks to move to half guard but instead Saarinen has passed into mount! Damn!
Black trying desperately to get to his feet.
Black is in all sorts of trouble here.
Black looks gassed!
Saarinen lands a heavy elbow.
Saarinen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Black is looking to improve his position but Saarinen isn't that keen on the idea.
The referee warns Black that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Saarinen landing punches.
Saarinen is landing with some decent strikes but Black is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
A nice elbow there by Saarinen.
Saarinen pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Saarinen looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Black flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saarinen lands a heavy elbow.
The referee warns Black that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Saarinen looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Saarinen looking to control but Black is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Saarinen has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Black's face.
Saarinen landing punches.
Black has given up his back here. Will Saarinen look for the submission or keep pounding away?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Black tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Saarinen prevents Black from getting the reversal.
Saarinen 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.
Black is squirming around, avoiding Saarinen's attempts to control the action.
Black is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Black is trying to stand up.
Black bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Saarinen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Black can't escape the position.
Saarinen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black is bucking up trying to escape but Saarinen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Saarinen pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Saarinen with good strikes from the mount here!
Saarinen blocks Black's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Black is in a horrible position here. Saarinen smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Saarinen breaks from Black's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Black is trying to escape the mount.

Saarinen looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Saarinen has control of Black's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Black regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Saarinen trying to control but Black is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauri Saarinen dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Black swinging wilding here.

Saarinen fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Black sprawls well initially but Saarinen persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Saarinen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Black wants to improve his position but Saarinen is controlling well.
Still in half guard, Saarinen seems content to control.
Saarinen lands strikes from half guard.
Saarinen scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Black blocking the ground and pound attempt from Saarinen.
Black tries to kick Saarinen off but Saarinen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Saarinen sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Saarinen trying to control from half guard but Black is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarinen passes to full mount!
Saarinen lands with some strikes.
Black is looking to improve his position but Saarinen isn't that keen on the idea.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Saarinen cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Saarinen prevents Black from getting the reversal.
Saarinen wants to control the pace but Black is squirming around nicely.
Saarinen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Saarinen prevents Black from getting the reversal.
Saarinen unloading with bombs!
Black is looking to get to half guard.
Saarinen punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Saarinen lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Black hang on?
Black tries to improve his position but instead Saarinen has taken his back!
Black tries to escape the position.
Saarinen softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Saarinen lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Black hold on?!
Black is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Saarinen is looking for the choke from the back position but Black is controlling his hands well.
Black is really stuck here.
Saarinen somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Saarinen controlling well, preventing Black from escaping the position.
Saarinen throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Black!
Saarinen lands a shot to the head.
Saarinen controlling well, preventing Black from escaping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen wants to control but Black is keeping busy.
Black holding both Saarinen 's hands and preventing any damage.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Saarinen controlling the positon.
A lull in the action here.
Saarinen punches the canvas rather than the man.
Black is really stuck here.

Saarinen is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Black knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Black for a finish.
Black controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Black is trapped and Saarinen is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Saarinen keeps control of the position as Black tries to break free.
Saarinen softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Black tries to escape but Saarinen has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Saarinen gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Saarinen keeps control of the position as Black tries to break free.
Saarinen has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Black.

Saarinen working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saarinen doesn't have the hooks in and Black manages to turn into his guard.
Saarinen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Black throws a right and a left that both miss.
Saarinen dodges the punch combination from Black.
Jack Black seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Saarinen closes the distance and clinches.
Saarinen is working for takedown but Black is calmly controlling the position for now.

Saarinen gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Saarinen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Mauri Saarinen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Black wants to stand and escape but Saarinen is having none of it.
Saarinen trying to control the position from guard on top but Black is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Saarinen works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saarinen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Black is trying to stand back up but Saarinen is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarinen prevents Black from improving his position.
Saarinen is trying to control the action in half guard but Black is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Black's corner calls for a 1-2. Black obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Black misses with a wild combination.
Saarinen avoids a punch combination nicely.

Black tries to keep at a distance but Saarinen has taken the fight into the clinch.
Black tries to break the clinch but Saarinen is controlling the position.

Saarinen has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Black regains guard immediately.
Saarinen is in close to Black's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Black is looking to stand up but Saarinen isn't so interested in that idea.
Saarinen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Saarinen slips nicely into half guard.
Black keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Black is defending against the submission attempts here by Saarinen.
Saarinen content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Black tries to roll over but Saarinen keeps him under control.
Black missing with punches from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black wants to get back to full guard but Saarinen has passed into side control.
Black swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Black really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Saarinen lands a nice shot to the head.
Saarinen scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Saarinen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Black is looking to escape.
Saarinen working the ground and pound effectively.
Black really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Saarinen is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Black is looking to get to half guard.

Black defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Saarinen.
Jack Black has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Black is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Saarinen has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Black's face.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Black can't escape the position.
Black flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Black is trying to escape the mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mauri Saarinen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Saarinen, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mauri Saarinen!