PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Olaf Dagens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Makkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Dagens
vs
Makkonen

193 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

199 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Olaf Dagens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sam Makkonen!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Makkonen tries to land a leg kick but Dagens saw it coming and moves away.

Dagens shoots in and bounces Makkonen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Makkonen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dagens sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Makkonen's guard.

Dagens postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Makkonen to stand up.
Makkonen throws a solid leg kick but Dagens takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Makkonen.
A chopping leg kick lands by Dagens.
Makkonen tries for a takedown but Dagens sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Dagens shoots for a takedown but Makkonen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Dagens fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Dagens as Makkonen shoots in.
Makkonen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Makkonen wants it to stay on the feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Dagens gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Dagens obliges.

Dagens drags the fight down to the ground.
Makkonen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dagens. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Makkonen wants to pass the guard but Dagens is keeping the position.
Dagens has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Dagens has Makkonen pulled in close to control his posture.

Dagens had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Makkonen defends it easily.
Dagens trying to control the position.
Makkonen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dagens escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Makkonen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Dagens is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Makkonen is controlling him.
Makkonen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Dagens being controlled here, momentarily.
Dagens controlling Makkonen's posture.
Makkonen trying to control but Dagens is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Dagens looking to hit a scissor sweep but Makkonen is one step ahead there.
Makkonen wants to stand but Dagens has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Sam Makkonen has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Makkonen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Dagens avoids it really well and circles away.
Olaf Dagens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Makkonen.

Dagens rushes Makkonen and presses him up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dagens breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Makkonen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Dagens is fending him off so far but Makkonen persists. Nope, Dagens circles away and we're back to standing.
Makkonen shoots for a takedown but Dagens saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Dagens shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Makkonen pinned against the cage. Makkonen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Dagens fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Dagens closes the distance and clinches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Makkonen prevents the takedown attempt.
Dagens using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Makkonen goes for a takedown attempt but Dagens pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Olaf Dagens dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dagens fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Dagens is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dagens tries to clinch up but Makkonen circles away and keeps his distance.
Dagens keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Makkonen on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Dagens misses with a takedown attempt - Makkonen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Dagens closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dagens breaks from the clinch.
Makkonen throws a head kick but Dagens moves out of range.
Dagens throws a combination. Makkonen tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Makkonen clinches up against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Makkonen fails to land.
Makkonen is trying to break free.

Dagens has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Makkonen uses from the top position.
Makkonen trying to control but Dagens is working from the bottom.
Dagens trying to keep a closed guard but Makkonen is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dagens keeping moving, preventing Makkonen from controlling successfully.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Sam Makkonen hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
No luck for Makkonen with that takedown attempt.
Dagens wants to clinch.

Dagens drives through and clinches with Makkonen against the cage.
Makkonen takes an elbow to the forehead.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Dagens's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Dagens gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dagens unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Dagens taking a breather.

Dagens manages to break the clinch.
Makkonen shoots in for a double leg but Dagens sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Olaf Dagens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Makkonen.
Makkonen is breathing heavily.
Dagens looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Dagens shoots in for a takedown but Makkonen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Makkonen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Dagens.

Dagens forces Makkonen back against the cage and clinches.

Dagens breaks the clinch.
Dagens defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Makkonen.

Dagens forces Makkonen back against the cage and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dagens breaks from the clinch.
Dagens avoids the head kick by Makkonen.
Dagens shoots for a double leg takedown but Makkonen sprawls well. He's pushed Dagens's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Dagens shoots for a takedown but Makkonen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Dagens wants to take the fight to the mat but Makkonen manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Dagens breaks from the clinch.
Dagens tries to clinch up.
Olaf Dagens is winning the standup battle so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dagens tries to clinch there but Makkonen circles away.
Dagens fails with an attempt to clinch.

Makkonen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Dagens, pushing him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Olaf Dagens dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Makkonen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Dagens shoots in but Makkonen avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Makkonen goes for a double leg but Dagens avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Dagens continues to drive forward.
Makkonen is trying to break free.
Makkonen blocks an elbow strike.
Dagens prevents a takedown attempt there.

Dagens pulls guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dagens has a closed guard, preventing Makkonen from standing up.
Dagens is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Makkonen wants to stand and escape but instead Dagens has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makkonen trying to keep a closed guard but Dagens is proving a slippery customer.
Makkonen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Dagens forces his way into half guard.

Dagens is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Makkonen is staying active underneath Dagens, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dagens wants to work for an arm triangle but Makkonen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Dagens uses his free foot to push down on Makkonen's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Makkonen.
Makkonen avoids a series of strikes thrown by Dagens.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Makkonen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Dagens breaks from Makkonen's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Dagens content just to control the position here.

Dagens with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dagens controlling the position easily from mount.
Dagens unloads with some shots from mount but Makkonen bucks and avoids them well.
Makkonen wants to hold on but Dagens pushes him away.
Dagens throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Makkonen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Dagens controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dagens prevents Makkonen from getting the reversal.
Dagens throws some wild stikes that Makkonen manages to avoid easily.
Dagens tries to control but Makkonen wriggling away.
Dagens throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Makkonen because Dagens loaded up on that one.
Olaf Dagens overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Makkonen working to try and regain half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dagens controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Olaf Dagens showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Dagens has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Olaf Dagens!