PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tad Whitney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vicente Otubro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Whitney
vs
Otubro

187 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tad Whitney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vicente Otubro!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Whitney closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Whitney leaning against his opponent.
Otubro keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Whitney's efforts to push away.
Whitney prevents a takedown attempt there.
Otubro jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Whitney walks away with a smile on his face. Otubro gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Otubro shoots in for a takedown but Whitney shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Tad Whitney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vicente Otubro.
Otubro fails with the takedown

and Whitney moves into the clinch.

Otubro decides to pull guard.
Otubro avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitney throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Whitney controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Otubro utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Whitney trying to control but Otubro is working from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Tad Whitney wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Whitney gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Otubro looking to pass the guard.
Whitney seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitney throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Whitney 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.
Whitney working a defensive guard but Otubro manages to pass into side control anyway.
Whitney controls the position for a moment.
Whitney gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Otubro controlling from mount.
Otubro with good strikes from the mount here!
Whitney is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Otubro controlling the pace for now.
Whitney wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Otubro.
Whitney wants to hold on but Otubro pushes him away.

Otubro working for a submission but Whitney is keeping him at bay.
Otubro prevents Whitney from getting the reversal.
Whitney slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Otubro thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Otubro seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Whitney does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Otubro thows a huge punch but Whitney dodges it nicely.
Otubro thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Otubro is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Otubro is keen to just control but Whitney is a slippery customer.
Whitney knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Otubro on the ground.
Whitney wants to improve his position but Otubro is controlling well.
Whitney is looking to control Otubro's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Whitney avoid being mounted?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Otubro wants to take a breather but Whitney is having none of it.
Whitney trying to control here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Otubro fails with the takedown

and Whitney counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Vicente Otubro will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Whitney stuffs the takedown attempt from Otubro. Otubro gets slowly back to his feet.
Otubro avoids the head kick by Whitney.
Whitney stuffs the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Otubro throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Otubro instigates a clinch.
Whitney is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitney slowing the pace effectively.
Otubro jumps guard but Whitney turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Tad Whitney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vicente Otubro.
Whitney has had enough of the clinch but Otubro keeps him there for the moment.
Whitney is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Otubro keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Whitney's efforts to push away.
Otubro is working for takedown but Whitney is calmly controlling the position for now.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Otubro jumps into guard, dragging Whitney to the mat.

Otubro working for submissions but it's allowed Whitney to get to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitney scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Whitney missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Otubro works his way to full guard. Good work.
Whitney will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Otubro keeping moving, preventing Whitney from controlling successfully.

Otubro is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Whitney trying to control the position from guard on top but Otubro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vicente Otubro has got the better of the ground game so far.
Whitney wants to stand but Otubro has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Whitney won't allow Otubro to sweep him here.
Otubro controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Otubro throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Otubro is breathing heavily.

Whitney decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Otubro shoots and misses

and Whitney counters by clinching up.
Otubro letting Whitney take a breather here.
Otubro changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Whitney fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Otubro gets the takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Otubro tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Otubro misses with the ground and pound.

Otubro tries for a kimura but Whitney is defending well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Whitney tries to buck Otubro off but Otubro is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Otubro tries for a kimura but Whitney is defending well.
Whitney is looking to reverse the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vicente Otubro showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Otubro closes this distance looking for a takedown but Whitney circles away.
Otubro shoots for a double leg takedown but Whitney sprawls well. He's pushed Otubro's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Whitney gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Otubro to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Otubro throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Whitney works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Whitney trying to keep a closed guard but Otubro is proving a slippery customer.
Otubro is looking to work some ground and pound but Whitney has wrist control.
Whitney looking to control.
Otubro takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Otubro is looking to work some ground and pound but Whitney has wrist control.
Otubro has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitney not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Whitney wants to control but Otubro passes easily into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Otubro missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Whitney is looking to control Otubro's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Whitney avoid being mounted?

Otubro is trying for a kimura here. Whitney looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Otubro wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Vicente Otubro!