PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Erkki Junttila (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Francis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Junttila's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, -. Francis has chosen Toxicity as his entrance music. Steve Francis has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Junttila
vs
Francis

190 cm
22
200 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

182 cm
24
216 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Solid chin

BLOODCLOT FIGHT GEAR

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Erkki Junttila!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steve Francis!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Frank Dennis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Francis fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Francis shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Junttila pinned against the cage. Junttila gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nice sprawl there from Junttila as Francis shoots in.
Erkki Junttila has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Francis.
Francis looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Jab by Junttila.
Junttila lands a high kick!

It looks like Steve Francis has been cut.

Junttila clinches.
Francis wants a takedown.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Junttila scores with a knee to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Francis has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Junttila avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Francis looks gassed!
Junttila lands a knee to the head.

Junttila escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Junttila throws a left that rocks Francis and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! Junttila dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Francis regain composure!

Francis is rocked!
Junttila in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Francis is still in real trouble! Can Junttila finish him?
Junttila working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Junttila in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Francis on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Junttila in side control, throwing shots but Francis defends.
Francis seems to have recovered his senses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francis dodges the ground and pound from Junttila.
Junttila working the ground and pound.
Junttila lands a few punches from side control.

Junttila tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Junttila is trying to get an arm triangle but Francis is defending well.
Francis regains half guard.
Francis connecting with a few gentle strikes.
Francis is trying to get back to full guard.
Junttila works his foot free and advances to mount.
Junttila throwing strikes here but Francis is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Junttila 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Francis is in all sorts of trouble here.
Francis is in a horrible position here. Junttila smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Junttila unloads with some shots from mount but Francis bucks and avoids them well.

Junttila looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Francis is trying desperately to improve position.
Francis tries to hold on but Junttila postures up.
Francis is wriggling around trying to escape.
Francis flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Francis tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Francis is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Junttila had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Francis is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Junttila Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Francis's back instead.

Junttila has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Francis has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Junttila is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Francis defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Junttila is throwing strikes by Francis counters by rolling into a better position. After a scramble, Francis regains half guard.
Francis slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Junttila postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Francis looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Junttila stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Francis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Francis lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Junttila!
Junttila working to try and regain half guard.
Francis with the ground and pound from mount.
Junttila is bucking up trying to escape but Francis cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Francis with good strikes from the mount here!
Francis with shots to the head and body - Junttila looks very uncomfortable down there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Francis in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Francis landing punches.
Junttila keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Junttila is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erkki Junttila dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Steve Francis's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A punch combination from Junttila misses.

Francis closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Junttila to the mat! Junttila manages to get full guard.
Francis passes into half guard.
Francis lands with a punch from half guard.
Francis is nestled in close to Junttila, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Francis slips a nice elbow through Junttila's hands, connecting with Junttila's forehead.
Junttila on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Junttila is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Junttila won't allow Francis to pass to mount.
Junttila tries to get to full guard but Francis has control of the leg.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Junttila makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Junttila.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francis keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Junttila's head.
Francis passes Junttila's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Steve Francis has got the better of the ground game so far.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Francis connects with a nice short shot to Junttila's temple.
Francis is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Francis prevents Junttila from getting the reversal.
Francis lands a big elbow.
Francis prevents Junttila from getting the reversal.
Francis lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Junttila is trying desperately to improve position.
Francis raining down shots from the mount!
Francis landing strikes from the mount.
Francis fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Francis in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Junttila is trying desperately to improve position.
Junttila sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Junttila wants to improve his position but Francis is controlling well.
Junttila works his way to full guard. Good work.
Francis is working Junttila over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Francis working some strikes from top position.

Junttila looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Francis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Francis won't allow Junttila to sweep him here.
Francis stands up over Junttila, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Junttila has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Francis can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Francis postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Francis is pushing down on Junttila's leg trying to pass to half guard. Junttila is fighting to maintain full guard but Francis has managed to sneak the leg through.
Francis seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Francis working Junttila over with strikes.
Francis is nestled in close to Junttila, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Junttila is pressing down on Francis's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Junttila 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.
Francis lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Francis pushing down on Junttila's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Junttila avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Francis.
Junttila tries to get to full guard but Francis has control of the leg.
Francis working over Junttila with some ground and pound. Junttila looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Francis throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Junttila actively working from the bottom here.
Francis content to control rather than advance.
Francis is pressing down on Junttila's thigh, looking to free his foot. Junttila is holding on for now.
Junttila landing small, sideways elbows.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Junttila misses with an uppercut. Francis saw that one coming.
Junttila swinging wilding here.
Junttila stuffs the takedown attempt from Francis. Francis gets slowly back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Francis shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Junttila as he avoids it easily.
Junttila jabs at Francis's body.
Francis shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Junttila pinned against the cage. Junttila gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Francis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Steve Francis's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Francis fails with a takedown attempt.
Francis fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Junttila throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Francis's head.
Junttila fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nice body punch from Junttila.
Steve Francis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Junttila scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Junttila lands an overhand right.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
No joy there for Junttila, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Junttila throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Junttila misses with a two punch combination.
Junttila is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Junttila takes a swing at Francis's ribcage but misses.
Francis looks for a takedown but Junttila sprawls well.
Erkki Junttila has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Francis.

Junttila darts in and clinches Francis up against the cage.
Junttila wants to break free but Francis has control.
Francis wants a takedown.
Junttila landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Junttila breaks the clinch.
Francis closes this distance looking for a takedown but Junttila circles away.

Francis drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Junttila is looking to regain half guard here but Francis keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Francis is trying to get an arm triangle but Junttila is defending well.
Junttila is trying to get back to half guard.
Junttila is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Francis's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Junttila tries to get to full guard but Francis has control of the leg.
Francis scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Francis working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Junttila looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Francis is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Junttila tries to get to full guard but Francis has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Junttila looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Francis scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Junttila missing with punches from the bottom.
Francis looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Junttila punching from the bottom.
Francis wants to pass the guard but Junttila is defending well.
Junttila works his way to full guard. Good work.
Francis advances position into side control!
Junttila manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Francis blocking the ground and pound attempt from Junttila.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Junttila looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Francis keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Junttila is pressing down on Francis's thigh, looking to free his foot. Francis is holding on for now.
Francis gets full guard.
Francis bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Junttila's guard.

Junttila is looking for a triangle but Francis pushes his legs off easily.
Junttila wants to sweep but no luck.
Francis with a nice head shot there.
Francis with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Junttila wants to sweep here but Francis controlling him for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erkki Junttila showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Junttila 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 George Francis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erkki Junttila!