PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bosko Balaban (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antero Mela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balaban comes to the cage accompanied by Cotton Eye Joe. The key to victory for Bosko Balaban has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Balaban
vs
Mela

190 cm
20
212 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
21
216 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bosko Balaban!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antero Mela!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balaban stuffs the takedown attempt from Mela. Mela gets slowly back to his feet.
Mela takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Mela tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Balaban defends well and Mela ends up having to push Balaban into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Balaban's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Balaban lands with a good body shot.
Balaban throws a head kick that half lands.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Balaban plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Mela sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Mela closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Balaban to the mat! Balaban manages to get full guard.
Mela trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Balaban is looking to stand up but Mela isn't so interested in that idea.
Balaban is trying to keep Mela in close.
Mela wants to control from the top but Balaban keeps moving.
Balaban will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Mela working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Balaban is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Bad Pluto! that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mela throwing strikes from guard but Balaban blocks nicely.

Mela drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mela jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Mela wants to pass the guard but Balaban is keeping the position.
Mela throws a big right hand that misses.
Balaban keeping full guard, as Mela tries to pass.
Balaban keeping moving, preventing Mela from controlling successfully.
Mela won't allow Balaban to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mela pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Balaban is keeping the position for now.
Balaban utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Balaban keeping full guard, as Mela tries to pass.
Mela trying to control the position from guard on top but Balaban is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mela loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mela postures up in Balaban's guard and throws a big left but Balaban blocks it.
Mela throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mela is looking to work some ground and pound but Balaban has wrist control.
Balaban wants to get back to his feet but Mela is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Mela working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mela is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Mela thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Mela trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Balaban has momentary wrist control but Mela slips an elbow through the middle.
Mela throws a big right hand that misses.
Mela stands and throws Balaban's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Mela looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Sloppy strikes there by Mela.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balaban is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Mela is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Balaban on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mela wants to pass the guard but Balaban is defending well.
Mela missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mela wants to control but Balaban is keeping him busy.
Balaban is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mela looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Balaban keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Antero Mela will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Balaban connects with a body shot.
Mela fails with a takedown attempt.
Mela shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mela fails with a takedown attempt.
Bosko Balaban has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antero Mela.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mela is defended easily by Balaban.
Balaban tests Mela's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Mela fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Balaban slaps away a takedown attempt from Mela, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Balaban lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balaban connects with a jab.
Balaban ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mela moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balaban throws a front kick that sends Mela stumbling back into the cage.
Balaban lands a leg kick that knocks Mela off balance momentarily.
Balaban stuffs the takedown.
Mela takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Mela shoots for a double leg takedown but Balaban sprawls well. He's pushed Mela's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mela is breathing heavily.
Balaban lands with a slapping head kick.
Balaban moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Antero Mela seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Balaban keeps Mela at a distance using the push kick.
Mela shoots in but Balaban avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ohhhhhhhhhh, brutal head kick from Balaban! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Bosko Balaban!
Bosko Balaban retains his light heavyweight title!
An out of breath Bosko Balaban thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.