PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anatoly Onoprienko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pakile Pike (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Onoprienko
vs
Pike

185 cm
19
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

191 cm
20
210 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

The Empire Clothing and Laundry

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, Anatoly Onoprienko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pakile Pike!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pike staying out of range there.
Nice defenses there by Pike.
Pike misses with a body punch
and Onoprienko counters with a series of strikes. Pike will be more careful next time no doubt.
Onoprienko throws a body punch but Pike moves out of range.
Onoprienko 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.
Pike darts in looking for a takedown but Onoprienko gets double underhooks and turns Pike into the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Onoprienko's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Pike looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Pike digs a right hand underneath Onoprienko's ribcage. Onoprienko let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Onoprienko blocks a body shot from Pike.
Pike lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Pike successfully pulls guard.
Onoprienko throws a big elbow that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pike throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Pike throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Onoprienko not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pike looking to control.
Pike pulls Onoprienko in close to prevent any damage.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Onoprienko controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Onoprienko misses with a left hand

and Pike counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Onoprienko!
An elbow from Pike crashes against the mat.
Onoprienko tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Pike tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pike looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Pike is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Onoprienko has escaped the position, nice work there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pike is looking to take a break and control but Onoprienko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Onoprienko can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Onoprienko dodges the ground and pound from Pike.

Pike tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Onoprienko managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Pike.
Onoprienko is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Pike off and has taken his back!
Onoprienko is hanging on to Pike's back as he tries to escape.
Onoprienko is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Onoprienko is not going to allow Pike to sit and survive in this position.
Pike tries to escape the position.
Pike staying busy and making it hard for Onoprienko to control.
Pike is trying to break free.
Onoprienko controls the action.

Onoprienko is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pike trying to control the position but Onoprienko manages to sink in the hooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Anatoly Onoprienko will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Onoprienko throws a right hand that misses

and Pike counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pike.
Pike stands up over Onoprienko, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Onoprienko is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Pike throws a strike but Onoprienko rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Pike keeping moving, preventing Onoprienko from controlling successfully.
Onoprienko wants to pass the guard but Pike is keeping the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Onoprienko stopping the sweep attempt from Pike.
Onoprienko missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pike lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Pike looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Onoprienko is on top in guard.

Pike trying to control the position.
Pike 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Onoprienko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pike swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Onoprienko is looking to stand up but Pike won't let him.
Onoprienko looking to pass the guard.
Pike looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Pike working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Onoprienko has passed into half guard!
Pike blocking the ground and pound attempt from Onoprienko.

Onoprienko is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Onoprienko working over Pike with some ground and pound. Pike looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Onoprienko wants to take a breather but Pike is having none of it.

Onoprienko is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Pike is trying to control but Onoprienko passes into side control!
You can see the frustration on Pike's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pike tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Onoprienko wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four 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.
Onoprienko working away.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
The ground and pound from Onoprienko seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Pike tries to control but Onoprienko manages to take his back.
Pike tries to escape the position.
Pike is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Onoprienko slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Onoprienko is hanging on to Pike's back as he tries to escape.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pike manages to reverse the position and now he's in Onoprienko's guard. Nice work there by Pike.
Pike must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Pike stops Onoprienko from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Anatoly Onoprienko will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Onoprienko throws a jab but it's blocked by Pike.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pike. Onoprienko does a little dance to reset his feet.
Onoprienko misses with a hook
and Pike cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pike throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Onoprienko misses with an uppercut

and Pike counters by clinching up.
Onoprienko looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Onoprienko is trying to maintain a safe position but Pike gets an underhook and turns Onoprienko into the cage.
Onoprienko can't break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pike working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Onoprienko throws a punch but it's blocked by Pike.
Onoprienko misses with a short punch on the inside.
Onoprienko tries to break the clinch but Pike is controlling the position.

Onoprienko pulls guard successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Onoprienko pulls Pike in close to his closed guard and prevents Pike from doing any damage or advancing position.
Pike trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Onoprienko working a defensive guard here.
Pike stops Onoprienko from standing up.
Pike cracks Onoprienko with a solid left hand.
Onoprienko seems keen to control Pike's posture.
Pike is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pakile Pike has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pike pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pike ducks under a wild hook from Onoprienko.
Pike scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Pike throws a wild body kick that Onoprienko sees coming a mile off.
Onoprienko connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Pike shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Onoprienko defends it nicely.

Pike gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Onoprienko wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pike has him pressed against the cage.

Onoprienko successfully pulls guard.
Pike wants to control from the top but Onoprienko keeps moving.
Onoprienko wants to sweep but no luck.
Anatoly Onoprienko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Onoprienko is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Pike trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pike postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Onoprienko is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Pike defends well.
Pike postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Onoprienko controlling Pike's posture.
Pike trying to control the position from guard on top but Onoprienko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Pike is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Onoprienko.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pike is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A slow jab from Onoprienko misses its intended target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pakile Pike comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Onoprienko has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

The fight is ruled a draw!