PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between The Pirate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonni Saastala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pirate comes to the cage accompanied by 5 Pirate Myths That Actually Are True. Saastala has chosen Nyrkillä naamaan - Look at your ugly mug from mirror. as his entrance music. Jonni Saastala has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with The Pirate's chin.

Pirate
vs
Saastala

170 cm
20
160 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

171 cm
19
159 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

The Knot

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, The Pirate!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jonni Saastala!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Russell Pearce and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saastala blocks a low kick nicely.
Pirate throws a leg kick
and Saastala counters with a head kick. That will keep Pirate thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Saastala misses with a head kick.
Pirate chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Pirate tries to score with a low kick but Saastala moves his leg out of the way.
Pirate connects with a leg kick. Saastala looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Saastala is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Pirate.
Good leg kick by Pirate there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Pirate is looking to score with low kicks.
Pirate tries to score with a low kick but Saastala moves his leg out of the way.
Saastala tries a head kick but it misses.
Saastala lands a right hook to the body.
Saastala tries to clinch there but Pirate circles away.
Saastala darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Pirate connects with a body shot that sends Saastala's belly button to the back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A low kick from Saastala is predictable there
and Pirate counters with an inside leg kick.
The fighters circling - Saastala throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Saastala has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saastala lands with a thumping leg kick.
Pirate fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Saastala missing with a left hand there. Pirate was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Pirate throws a wild body kick that Saastala sees coming a mile off.
Pirate throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Saastala checks a leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Saastala.
Saastala misses with a right hand
and Pirate counters with a stiff right hand.
Saastala throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Pirate counters with an outside leg kick.
Pirate goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Pirate attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Saastala changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Pirate shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Saastala moves out of range of the leg kick from Pirate.

Pirate drives through and clinches with Saastala against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Saastala.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pirate misses with a hook to the ribs.
Saastala tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Pirate's elbow.
Pirate lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Saastala.
Saastala being controlled against the cage.
A body shot lands from Pirate.
Saastala throws a punch but it's blocked by Pirate.
Saastala trying to stall but Pirate improves his position.
Pirate lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Saastala has a couple of punches blocked by Pirate.
Pirate lands a body shot in the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Pirate.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Saastala creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Saastala tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Saastala tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Saastala fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pirate lands with a right to the head.
Pirate lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Pirate gets through Saastala's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Pirate slows down the pace here.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Pirate slowing the pace effectively.
Saastala is pushing Pirate up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Saastala misses with the head strike.
Pirate lands a body punch in the clinch.
Pirate lands with a right to the head.
Saastala misses with some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pirate lands with a short shot to the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Pirate.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Pirate.
Pirate lands with a light punch inside.
Pirate stalling.
Pirate is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Pirate seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Pirate tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Saastala's elbow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pirate is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Pirate is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by The Pirate.
Pirate looks to land a body kick but Saastala moved away.
A jab from Pirate finds it's way through Saastala's defenses.
Saastala misses with a shot to the body
and Pirate counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Saastala tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A shot to the body from Saastala misses

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

The Pirate dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Saastala avoids the head kick by Pirate.
Saastala thumps Pirate with a low kick.
Saastala throws out a leg kick but Pirate moves out of range and Saastala only half commits.
Pirate connects with an inside leg kick.
Saastala misses with a straight right.
Pirate fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Saastala has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Pirate keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Pirate lands a jab to the nose.
Saastala tried to score with a low kick but Pirate checks it.
Saastala getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Pirate throws a leg kick but Saastala sees it coming and checks it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pirate throws a head kick that half lands.
Saastala misses with a looping left.
Saastala takes one on the button.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Saastala misses the shot to the body.
Pirate uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pirate tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Saastala was well out of range. Poor timing from Pirate.
Saastala blocks a head kick by Pirate.

Pirate fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Saastala, pushing him back against the cage.
Saastala struggles to land a body shot inside as Pirate controls his hands.
Pirate stalling in the clinch.
Pirate stalling the fight.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Pirate for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Pirate lands a left hand that snaps the head of Saastala backwards.
Pirate is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Saastala can do to turn this around?
Pirate lands a hook to the side of the head.

Saastala is rocked!
Pirate misses with a hook from the clinch.
Saastala is still on wobbly legs! Can Pirate finish him?
Pirate working aggressively here.
Pirate working aggressively here.
Pirate misses with the head strike.
Pirate swings wildly with an uppercut but Saastala uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pirate misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Pirate fails to land.
Pirate misses with a hook from the clinch.
Saastala blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Saastala blocking some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pirate.
Pirate swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pirate misses with the head strike.
Pirate tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Pirate swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pirate swings away with an uppercut that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pirate throws a punch but it's blocked by Saastala.
Pirate throws a head punch that misses.
Saastala blocks an uppercut.
Saastala blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Pirate misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pirate misses with a punch on the inside.
Pirate tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Pirate misses with some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pirate misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pirate fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Saastala.
Pirate has a couple of punches blocked by Saastala.
Pirate misses with the head strike.
Pirate misses with a punch on the inside.
Pirate fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Pirate has a couple of punches blocked by Saastala.
Saastala being controlled against the cage.
Saastala blocking some punches.
Come on Pirate - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Pirate misses with the head strike.
Saastala is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Pirate is struggling to control the position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pirate.
A head punch on the inside from Pirate fails to land.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pirate.
The Pirate has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Pirate swings wildly with an uppercut but Saastala uses good head movement to avoid it.
Saastala blocks an uppercut.
The referee is keeping an eye on Pirate - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Pirate working aggressively here.
Saastala blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Pirate fails to land.
Pirate throws a head punch that misses.
Pirate misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pirate's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Saastala seems to have recovered his senses.
Pirate misses with a hook to the ribs.
A nice right hand lands inside from Pirate.
Pirate blocking some punches.
Pirate lands a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pirate tries a body shot but Saastala blocks it.
Pirate pressing his opponent against the cage.
Saastala wants to stall.
Nice elbow from Saastala.
Pirate throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Saastalas head.
Saastala stalling in the clinch but Pirate improves position.
A right handed body shot lands from Pirate.
A head punch on the inside from Saastala fails to land.
Pirate dips a shoulder and cracks Saastala with a mighty uppercut! Saastala falls back against the cage and Pirate unloads with a barrage of strikes! Saastala is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Pirate screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). The Pirate!
The Pirate seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
Jonni Saastala spoke after the fight, saying 'Yea yea, this happends.. what ever loosers!'.