PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Allen Key (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacinto Koutras (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Key comes to the cage accompanied by Party and Bullshit - Biggie Smalls. 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.

Key
vs
Koutras

177 cm
27
205 lbs
2 - 8 - 0

180 cm
32
210 lbs
9 - 20 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 2 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Allen Key!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jacinto Koutras!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Key gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Koutras to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Key looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Koutras trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Koutras is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Koutras wants to pass the guard but Key is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Key keeping moving, preventing Koutras from controlling successfully.

Jacinto Koutras has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Koutras fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Key sprawls well initially but Koutras persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koutras is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Koutras is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Key doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Koutras.
Koutras is keen to just control but Key is a slippery customer.

Koutras gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Koutras with a nice cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Koutras rushes Key and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Key avoiding damage as Koutras throws knees to the body.
Key wants to break free but Koutras has control.

Koutras pulls guard.
Koutras looking for a sweep. Not yet Koutras, not yet.

Koutras looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Koutras pulls Key in close to prevent any damage.
Koutras lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Koutras trying to control but Key is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koutras loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Koutras wants to control from the top but Key keeps moving.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Koutras wants to pass the guard but Key is keeping the position.
Key can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Koutras controls the pace.

Jacinto Koutras has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Koutras gets a clinch.

Koutras has hold of one of Key's legs. Key is fighting the takedown attempt but Koutras gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Koutras looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koutras throws a big elbow that misses.
Key keeping moving, preventing Koutras from controlling successfully.
Koutras won't allow Key to sweep him here.
Koutras really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Key. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Koutras trying to control the position from guard on top but Key is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jacinto Koutras wasn't active enough on the ground.
Koutras looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Koutras should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Koutras shoots in but Key avoids the takedown attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacinto Koutras dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Key throws a right hand that Koutras ducks under and follows up with a left that Koutras also avoids with ease.
Allen Key is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Koutras tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Key swivels and escapes.

Koutras closes the distance and clinches.

Koutras breaks the clinch.
Koutras shoots in for a double leg but Key sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Koutras manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Key on his heels. He'll look to pass Key's guard now, I'm sure.
Koutras trying to control the position from guard on top but Key is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Key has Koutras pulled in close to control his posture.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Koutras wants to control from the top but Key keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koutras slips nicely into half guard.
Koutras trying to pass the guard but Key defending well.
Koutras is trying to control the action in half guard but Key is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Koutras missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Koutras is keen to just control but Key is a slippery customer.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Jacinto Koutras hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Key gets caught napping as Koutras dives in and scores a takedown. Key manages to retain guard.
Key working a defensive guard but Koutras manages to pass into side control anyway.
Koutras taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koutras wants to lay and pray for a moment but Key keeps working.
Koutras content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Koutras wants to control but Key is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jacinto Koutras has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Key throws a wild body kick that Koutras sees coming a mile off.
Koutras has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Key is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Koutras shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Allen Key has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jacinto Koutras.
Key leaves Koutras with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Koutras takes the fight into the clinch.
Koutras has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Koutras manages to break the clinch.
Koutras shoots in but no luck this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Key is trying to force a seperation but Koutras has the dominant position.
Koutras tries to pull guard but Key holds him up against the cage and eventually Koutras drops back down to his feet.
Koutras tries for a takedown. No joy.
Koutras is looking for a takedown.

Koutras pulls guard.
Key trying to control but Koutras is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koutras avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Koutras is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacinto Koutras showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Koutras changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Key looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Koutras working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
The referee asks Koutras politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Koutras prefers to stall for the moment though.
Koutras throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Koutras is looking to take a break and control but Key is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Jacinto Koutras has got the better of the ground game so far.

Koutras tries for a kimura but Key is defending well.

Koutras is trying to get an arm triangle but Key is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koutras trying to control the position but Key is working away.
Koutras with the ground and pound but Key regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Key blocking the ground and pound attempt from Koutras.
Koutras trying to control the action but Key is working from the bottom.
Key avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Koutras.
Koutras wants to pass the guard but Key is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Koutras is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Key is just riding it out for now. Koutras eventually gives up the hold.
Koutras tries to stand and escape but Key is controlling the position.
Koutras wants to pass to mount but Key is defending the position.
Key is not content to let Koutras control the position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Still in half guard, Koutras seems content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jacinto Koutras wasn't active enough on the ground.
Key leaves Koutras with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Koutras.
Koutras is trying hard to land a takedown here. Key sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Jacinto Koutras is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Allen Key has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jacinto Koutras.
Koutras fails with a takedown attempt.
Key pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Jacinto Koutras seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Koutras shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Key napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Koutras trying to control the position but Key is working away.
Koutras taking a breather here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jacinto Koutras comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Koutras has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 26:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacinto Koutras!
Our winner, Jacinto Koutras, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.