PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mario Roberts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexi Laiho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Laiho has chosen Lookin' Out My Backdoor as his entrance music. Mario Roberts is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Roberts
vs
Laiho

179 cm
18
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mario Roberts!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alexi Laiho!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roberts shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Laiho as he avoids it easily.
A punch combination from Laiho misses.
Laiho lands a jab to Roberts's midsection.
Laiho throws a nice looking combination but Roberts bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Roberts uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Laiho.
Laiho throws out a powerful jab.
Laiho misses with a wild body shot.

Roberts gets a clinch.
Roberts tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Laiho smiles and moves away.
Laiho cracks Roberts with an uppercut from hell and Roberts crumples to the canvas, he's out! Oh no, he's recovered and he's grabbed one of Laiho's legs and pulled him into guard. The ref thought about stopping it there but he's let it go - good reffing!

Roberts is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Roberts looking to hit a scissor sweep but Laiho is one step ahead there.

Roberts pushes Laiho off and gets back to his feet.
Alexi Laiho seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Roberts is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laiho jabs Roberts right on the nose. Roberts blinks but takes it well.
Laiho throws a right and a left that both miss.
Roberts dodges the punch combination from Laiho.

Roberts gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Laiho wants to break free but Roberts has control.
Laiho wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Roberts has him pressed against the cage.

Roberts pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No joy there for Laiho, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Laiho misses with a series of wild punches.

Roberts closes the distance and clinches.
Roberts tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Laiho just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mario Roberts. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Roberts lands a knee to the body.
Laiho is trying to break the clinch but Roberts has him pressed against the cage.
Laiho wants to get back to striking at distance but Roberts won't allow it.
Laiho wants to get back to striking at distance but Roberts won't allow it.
Roberts prevents Laiho from breaking the clinch.

Roberts jumps into guard, dragging Laiho to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberts pulls Laiho in to control the position.

Roberts is working an open guard so Laiho takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Laiho thows a body shot but no joy.
Laiho looks gassed!
No joy there for Laiho, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Some wild striking there from Laiho.

Roberts scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Roberts takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Roberts not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Roberts throwing shots but Laiho is blocking nicely.
Roberts is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Laiho is defending against the submission attempts here by Roberts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laiho is trying to stand up here but Roberts is controlling him well.
Roberts wants to pass to mount but Laiho is defending the position.

Laiho makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

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.
A punch combination from Laiho misses.
Laiho throws a right and a left that Roberts avoids nicely.
Laiho fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Roberts fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Laiho, pushing him back against the cage.
Laiho wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Laiho wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Laiho can't break the clinch.
Laiho wants to break the clinch but can't.
Laiho is trying to break free.

Roberts escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Roberts throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Laiho jabbing away but nothing is landing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A telegraphed right hand from Laiho misses the target.
Roberts slips under a jab from Laiho.
Laiho fails to land with a series of punches.

Roberts has Laiho up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexi Laiho dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Roberts lands with a kick to the temple. Laiho shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Laiho misses with a wild combination.
Laiho throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Roberts misses with the combination.
Laiho misses with a body shot.
Roberts ducks under a wild hook from Laiho.

Roberts shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Roberts was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Laiho is in all sorts of trouble here.
Roberts looking to control but Laiho is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
You get the feeling that Laiho really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laiho is looking to improve his position but Roberts isn't that keen on the idea.
Laiho is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Roberts lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Laiho hang on?
Laiho is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Roberts looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Laiho is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Roberts controlling the position easily from mount.

Laiho defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Roberts.
Laiho is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You get the feeling that Laiho really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Roberts controlling the pace for now.
Laiho regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Roberts stops Laiho from getting back to his feet.
Roberts tries to pass the half guard into mount. Laiho knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Laiho has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Roberts is working away from the top position though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Laiho might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Roberts kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Roberts dominated that second round.
That's time! Roberts's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Laiho displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Roberts throws out the jab.
Roberts shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Laiho as he jumps to the side.
Laiho misses with an uppercut.
Laiho misses with a combination

and Roberts counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Roberts.

Roberts manages to break the clinch.
Laiho lands a two punch combo.
Roberts shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Laiho as he avoids it easily.
A punch combination from Laiho misses.
Roberts takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Laiho scores with a decent looking hook.
Laiho fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Laiho throws a combination that misses

and Roberts counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Roberts.
Roberts prevents Laiho from breaking the clinch.
Laiho is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Roberts gets control of Laiho's arms and successfully pulls guard. Roberts will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Laiho controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laiho chips away with some ground and pound.
Roberts not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Laiho wants to stand but Roberts is controlling his posture from full guard.

Roberts looking for a guillotine here but Laiho defends easily.
Laiho wants to get up but he can't break Roberts's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two 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.
Laiho preventing the sweep.
Laiho wanted to stand there but Roberts had control of the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Laiho scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Laiho swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Roberts.
Roberts lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Roberts doesn't manage to clinch there - Laiho circles away.
Laiho looks to land a combination but Roberts avoids it well.
Roberts shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mario Roberts. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Laiho throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Roberts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberts uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Laiho.

Roberts feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Roberts trying to control but Laiho is working from the bottom.
Roberts stops Laiho from standing up.
Roberts tries to free his leg and advance position but Laiho is retaining full guard.
Roberts is looking to advance position but Laiho has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laiho trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Laiho is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Laiho controlling from the full mount.
Roberts tries to hold on but Laiho postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexi Laiho comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Laiho has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexi Laiho!