PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Viljo Multanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and christoph gale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). christoph gale told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Multanen
vs
gale

185 cm
19
183 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

195 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Viljo Multanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, christoph gale!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Tarja Halkonen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

gale closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - gale lands in his opponent's guard.
gale stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Multanen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
gale stops Multanen from standing up.

gale is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Multanen is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Multanen has escaped and now he's on top!

gale looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Multanen passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
gale tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Multanen has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Multanen wants to control the pace but gale is squirming around nicely.
Multanen controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Multanen looking to control but gale is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Multanen looking to control and managing it successfully.

Multanen is standing up, even though he is in mount.
gale is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
gale tries to clinch up but Multanen circles away and keeps his distance.
gale wants to clinch.
gale takes one on the button.
gale swats away the attempt to clinch by Multanen.
gale avoids the head kick by Multanen.

Multanen instigates a clinch.
Multanen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Multanen stops a takedown attempt from gale.
gale tries to break the clinch but Multanen is controlling the position.

Multanen breaks from the clinch.
gale fails with the takedown.
gale throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Multanen's waist but Multanen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing gale off to one side.
Viljo Multanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of christoph gale.
gale looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
gale fails to land the takedown.
gale fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by gale or perhaps it was just good defense by Multanen which made him look bad.
Multanen throws a sloppy head kick and gale moves out of range easily.

Multanen closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Multanen scores with a nice short uppercut.
A short right from Multanen on the inside.

Multanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Multanen fakes the leg kick and cracks gale in the body.
Multanen lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Multanen has gale up against the cage in a clinch.

Multanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Multanen looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Multanen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nice body kick there by Multanen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The fight stays on the outside here - Multanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
gale avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Multanen pushes gale up against the cage in a clinch.
gale slowing the pace effectively.
Multanen is leaning against gale and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Multanen as gale tries to tie him up.
Multanen lands a hook to the side of the head.

gale manages to pull guard.

Multanen gets to his feet - gale follows without any prompting.
gale swats away the attempt to clinch by Multanen.
gale avoids the head kick by Multanen.
Nice body punch from Multanen.
gale is breathing heavily.
Multanen throws a leg kick which misses gale's front leg but catches the back leg as gale tries to avoid it.
gale wants to clinch
and Multanen counters with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Multanen has gale up against the cage in a clinch.
gale tries to land knees in the clinch but Multanen avoids the damage to the body.
The referee calls for Multanen to work.
gale tries for a takedown. No joy.
Multanen lands a shot to the body.
A hook to the body from Multanen.
Multanen slowing the pace effectively.

Multanen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Multanen gets a clinch.
Good body shot from Multanen.
Multanen pushes gale back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Multanen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Multanen lands a right hand.
Multanen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Multanen lands a left hand.
Multanen lands with a light punch inside.

Multanen breaks the clinch.
Multanen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
gale shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Multanen holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Multanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Multanen moves into the clinch successfully.

Multanen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Viljo Multanen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

gale scores a takedown into full mount!
Multanen tries to buck gale off but he can't manage it.
gale throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Multanen is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

gale goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Multanen is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Multanen stands up and waves to gale to follow him.
gale wants to clinch

and Multanen counters by moving into the clinch.
gale is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Multanen lands a nice shot to the body.
Multanen works on gale's body with a couple of short punches.
Multanen presses gale against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Multanen has gale pressed against the cage.

gale manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Multanen lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Multanen closes the distance and clinches.
gale jumps guard but Multanen stands there with gale around his waist. gale gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Viljo Multanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of christoph gale.
A left hand lands to the body for Multanen.

Multanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice uppercut there from Multanen.
gale tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Multanen counters with a nice leg kick.
gale shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Multanen pinned against the cage. Multanen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
gale tries to land a body kick

and Multanen holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
gale lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Multanen.
Multanen stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Multanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of gale backwards.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

gale successfully pulls guard.

Multanen stands up from gale's guard - Multanen perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Viljo Multanen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Multanen thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on gale if he has to take too many more of those.
Multanen stuffs the takedown attempt from gale. gale gets slowly back to his feet.
Multanen wants to clinch but gale slips to the side

so gale counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
gale has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Multanen is proving hard to escape from.

Multanen is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Multanen scores with a hook to the body.
gale misses with a body punch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The is referee keeping an eye on Multanen - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Multanen is working gale over against the cage.
gale has had enough of the clinch but Multanen keeps him there for the moment.

gale has Multanen pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. gale pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Multanen tumbling to the mat - gale dives into Multanen's guard.
Multanen wants to stand but gale is controlling the position.
gale wants to stand but Multanen is controlling his posture from full guard.

gale stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
gale sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Multanen lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Multanen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Multanen throws a body kick that misses.
gale tries to clinch up

and Multanen holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Multanen swings away with an uppercut that misses.

gale breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Multanen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Multanen throws a sloppy head kick and gale moves out of range easily.
gale shoots for a takedown but Multanen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Multanen throws a right and a left that gale avoids nicely.
Viljo Multanen is winning the standup battle so far.
Multanen closes the distance but gale moves to the side

and gale counters by clinching up.
Multanen lands a right hand that snaps the head of gale backwards.
Multanen digs a right hand underneath gale's ribcage. gale let out a lung full of air as it connected.
gale trying to stall but Multanen improves his position.

gale has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Multanen uses from the top position.
gale thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Multanen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of gale is proving hard to escape from.
christoph gale has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
christoph gale has got the better of the ground game so far.

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.
gale throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

gale looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Multanen passes into side control.
gale tries to improve position but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
christoph gale comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Multanen 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Viljo Multanen!