PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aapo Ik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ground Sparbot (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ground Sparbot 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!

Ik
vs
Sparbot

184 cm
25
178 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

174 cm
25
182 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aapo Ik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Ground Sparbot!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Paul Aken and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ik fails to land the takedown.

Sparbot shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ik manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Sparbot controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Sparbot trying to control the position from guard on top but Ik is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Sparbot avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sparbot trying to control but Ik is working from the bottom.
Sparbot must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Ik has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sparbot can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sparbot tries to free his leg and advance position but Ik is retaining full guard.
Sparbot slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ik looking for a sweep. Not yet Ik, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparbot throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ik looking to control.

Ik is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ik keeping moving, preventing Sparbot from controlling successfully.

Ik working for a triangle but Sparbot defends it easily.
Ik lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ik trying to control but Sparbot is working from the bottom.

Ik drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ik jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ik in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ik preventing the sweep.
Ik with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ik wants to control from the top but Sparbot keeps moving.
Ik throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ik trying to control but Sparbot is working from the bottom.
Ik throwing strikes but missing.
Ik trying to control the position from guard on top but Sparbot is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ik loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ik 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.
Sparbot keeping moving, preventing Ik from controlling successfully.
Ik with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparbot utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ik throwing strikes from guard but Sparbot blocks nicely.
Sparbot looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ik is one step ahead there.
Ik postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ik missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ik chips away with some ground and pound.
Sparbot is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ik loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ik postures up.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sparbot looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ik is looking to work some ground and pound but Sparbot has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ik loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ik trying to control but Sparbot is working from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ik connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Sparbot tries to move into range but Ik moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Sparbot shoots in for a takedown but Ik shows good takedown defense.
Sparbot takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Ik misses with a looping left.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ik connects with a good right hand that stumbles Sparbot. Sparbot circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Ik misses with an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aapo Ik dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ik digs a good hook to Sparbot's body.
Aapo Ik seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sparbot takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Ik misses with a straight right.
Sparbot slips a jab from Ik.
Sparbot closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ik circles away.
Ik scores with a jab to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sparbot fails with a takedown attempt.
Ik shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sparbot as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparbot defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ik.

Ik manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Sparbot on his heels. He'll look to pass Sparbot's guard now, I'm sure.
Ik wants to pass the guard but Sparbot is keeping the position.
Sparbot keeping moving, preventing Ik from controlling successfully.
Ik throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ik throws a big elbow that misses.
Sparbot is trying to control the position but Ik postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparbot is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Ik manages to get to full guard.
Sparbot slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Ik is looking for a sweep.

Sparbot tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sparbot has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Sparbot wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ik, who protects the arm well.
Ik wants to control but Sparbot postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparbot working the ground and pound but Ik is defending the strikes.

Sparbot is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ik is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Aapo Ik overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ik tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sparbot wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sparbot landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Ik is trying to get back to half guard.
The strikes coming from Sparbot are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Ik is trying to improve his position.
Ik taking punishment in the form of punches.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Sparbot working his ground and pound in the gym.
Sparbot remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Sparbot is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ik knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ik is trying to get back to half guard.
Ik can't do much from the bottom here.
Ik regains half guard.
Sparbot is thwarting Ik's attempts to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sparbot is trying to control the action in half guard but Ik is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ik wants to get back to full guard.

Sparbot seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Aapo Ik will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Ik throws an overhand right that lands on Sparbot's shoulder, as Sparbot tries to avoid the shot.
Ik is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sparbot can do to turn this around?
Nice takedown defense from Ik. No joy for Sparbot on that attempt.

Ik drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ik is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ik missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ik in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sparbot 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.
Ik wants to control from the top but Sparbot keeps moving.
Sparbot keeping full guard, as Ik tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparbot keeping moving, preventing Ik from controlling successfully.
Ik scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ik throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sparbot works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ik engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Ik preventing the sweep.
Sparbot keeps trying to improve his position.
Ik slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ik stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sparbot swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sparbot looking to control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ik throws a lazy right hand but Sparbot sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ik misses with a looping left.
A punch combination from Ik misses.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ik.
Ik looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sparbot is fending him off so far but Ik persists. Nope, Sparbot circles away and we're back to standing.
Ik throws a shot from downtown. Sparbot moves away and avoids it.
Sparbot fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ik with a nice cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ik throws a shot from downtown. Sparbot moves away and avoids it.
Ik throws a looping overhand right but Sparbot ducks down to avoid it.

Ik scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Ik is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sparbot is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sparbot tries to bench press Ik off him but Ik keeps the position.
Sparbot regains half guard.
Sparbot is looking for a sweep. Ik is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparbot is holding on to half guard well.
Ik lands strikes from half guard.
Sparbot is staying active underneath Ik, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ik throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sparbot makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sparbot.
Sparbot keeping moving, preventing Ik from controlling successfully.
Sparbot managing to control the position.
Ik with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ground Sparbot has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sparbot not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ik throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sparbot works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aapo Ik showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ik 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aapo Ik!