PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Artem Irhin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Patton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Jack Patton was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Irhin
vs
Patton

180 cm
20
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

187 cm
21
185 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Artem Irhin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jack Patton!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Patton tries a head kick but it misses.
Patton is looking to score with low kicks.
Irhin is looking to counter the offense by Patton and move into the clinch.
Patton moves in looking to clinch but Irhin pushes him off.
Irhin throws a head kick that misses.
Irhin walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Patton thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Irhin if he has to take too many more of those.
Patton looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Patton thuds his shin into the meat of Irhin's side.
Patton has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Irhin is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Irhin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Patton avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Patton attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Patton pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Irhin throws a head kick that misses.
Irhin lands a right hook to the body.
Patton cracks Irhin with a good jab.
Patton misses with a series of wild punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Irhin tried to score with a low kick but Patton checks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irhin throws a head kick but Patton moves out of range.
Patton throws a head kick but Irhin moves out of range.
Patton lands a jab to Irhin's midsection.
Patton slips a straight right by Irhin.

Irhin darts in and clinches Patton up against the cage.
Irhin is looking to break free of the clinch but Patton has double underhooks.

Irhin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Patton dips to his left and cracks Irhin with an uppercut!
Artem Irhin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Patton moves into range and connects with a jab.
Irhin tries to close the distance and clinch but Patton swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Irhin falls off balance throwing a combination
and Patton counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Irhin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters circling - Patton throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Irhin throws a head kick that Patton semi-blocks.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Irhin throws a head kick but Patton moves out of range.
Patton takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Irhin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Irhin takes one on the button.
Irhin wants to clinch up but Patton keeps it at a distance.
Irhin misses with a leg kick
and Patton makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Patton keeps the fight on the outside.
Patton checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Patton tries to counter with a clinch but Irhin shakes him off and moves away.
Irhin throws a head kick but Patton moves out of range.
Irhin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Patton goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Patton fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Irhin avoids the body shot from Patton.
Irhin has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Patton.
Patton lands with a cross.
A slapping leg kick lands for Patton.
Patton blocks a head kick by Irhin.
Irhin misses with a head kick.
Patton blocks a head kick by Irhin.
Patton wants to counter with a clinch but Irhin pushes him away.
Patton throws a body kick that misses.
Irhin looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irhin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Patton throws a looping overhand right but Irhin ducks down to avoid it.
Irhin looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Irhin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Patton has Irhin pressed against the cage, preventing Irhin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Patton connects with a nasty looking knee right to Irhin's face.
Patton misses with a punch on the inside.
Irhin lands an elbow inside.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Patton obliges.
Irhin manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
I was talking to Irhin's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Patton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Patton thumps Irhin with a low kick.
Irhin throws a push kick but Patton slaps the foot to one side.
Patton takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Patton lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Irhin circles away quickly and effectively.
Irhin throws a body kick that misses.
Patton shapes to counter with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Patton throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The fight stays on the outside here - Irhin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Patton throws a sloppy head kick and Irhin moves out of range easily.
Irhin tries a head kick but it misses.
Irhin scores with a three punch combo!

Patton closes the distance and pushes Irhin back into the cage.
Irhin trying to stall but Patton improves his position.
Irhin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Patton has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Patton on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Irhin tries to work over Patton's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Patton comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Irhin managing to block the knees to the body from Patton.

Irhin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Patton slips a straight right by Irhin.
Patton connects with a right hand. Irhin shakes it off.
Patton lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Patton dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Patton moves in looking to clinch but Irhin pushes him off.
Patton scores with a jab to the jaw.
A head kick misses from Patton.
Patton tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Irhin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Artem Irhin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Irhin tries to clinch up but Patton circles away and keeps his distance.
A head kick by Irhin misses
and Patton counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Patton has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Irhin throws a shot from downtown. Patton moves away and avoids it.
Patton has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Irhin throws a head kick but Patton moves out of range.
Patton throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Patton avoids the head kick by Irhin.
Irhin moves out of range of the body kick.
Patton throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Patton throws a push kick but Irhin slaps the foot to one side.
Irhin throws a head kick but Patton moves out of range.
Patton connects with a body shot that sends Irhin's belly button to the back.
Patton misses with a low kick.
Patton takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Patton tries to move into range but Irhin moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Patton throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Irhin on the side of the head.
Irhin moves out of range of the body kick from Patton.
Irhin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Patton throws out a counter right but Irhin avoids it with no problem.
Patton tries to clinch but Irhin is having none of it.
Patton cracks the inside of Irhin's front leg.
Patton moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
A thudding body kick lands there by Patton!
Patton checks the leg kick nicely there.
Irhin takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Patton scores with a crisp jab that stopped Irhin in his tracks.
Irhin tries to clinch but Patton is having none of it.
Irhin throws a lazy right hand but Patton sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Irhin fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Irhin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Irhin tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Patton counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Irhin throws a head kick but Patton moves out of range.
Patton does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Irhin thinks about countering with a head kick.
Patton works the jab nicely.
Patton swats away the attempt to clinch by Irhin.
Good exchange - Patton coming out on top.
Patton tries to clinch there but Irhin circles away.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Patton fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Irhin has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Patton tries to keep at a distance but Irhin has taken the fight into the clinch.
Irhin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Patton tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Irhin avoids it.
Patton with a knee to the head.
Irhin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Patton.
Patton misses with a punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Patton swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Patton landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Patton misses with a knee to the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Irhin.
Irhin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Jack Patton seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Irhin blocks an elbow strike.
Irhin misses with a knee to the head.
Irhin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Irhin breaks from the clinch.
Irhin misses the shot to the body.
Irhin throws a head kick that misses.
Some wild striking there from Patton.
Donk. Patton catches Irhin right on the button with a cross.
Irhin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Patton paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irhin moves out of range of the body kick.
Irhin tries to close the distance and clinch but Patton swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Irhin throws a head kick that misses
and Patton counters with a stiff right hand.
Patton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Irhin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Irhin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Patton circles away from the clinch attempt.
Patton fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Irhin.
Patton throws a head kick that Irhin semi-blocks.
Patton tries to clinch but Irhin moves out of range.
Irhin takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Irhin throws a head kick that misses.
Patton circles away from the clinch attempt.
Patton keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Patton throws a chopping leg kick but Irhin manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Irhin takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Patton ducks under a wild hook from Irhin.
A cross from Patton lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Patton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. 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.

Irhin throws a leg kick but Patton sees it coming and moves out of range.
Irhin lands a head kick!
Patton misses with a straight left.
Irhin throws a head kick but Patton moves out of range.
Patton keeps the fight on the outside.
Patton moves out of range of the body kick from Irhin.
Irhin tries to land a leg kick but Patton saw it coming and moves away.
Irhin throws a nice head kick!
Irhin on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Patton takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Patton scores with a jab to the jaw.
Patton throws a solid leg kick but Irhin takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Patton.
The crowd cheers as Patton lands an impressive looking overhand right. Irhin doesn't seem phased though.
Irhin stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Patton.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Irhin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A decent looking cross lands there for Patton.
Patton throws a jab when Irhin was well out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Patton throws a leg kick but Irhin sees it coming and moves out of range.
Irhin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Patton paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Patton tries to close the distance and clinch but Irhin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Patton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Patton.
Irhin throws a quick counter head kick but Patton was just out of range.
Irhin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Patton wants to counter the offense by Irhin and move into the clinch position.
Patton looks to score with a jab to the body but Irhin is just out of range.
Patton lands with a kick to the ribs.
Irhin throws a leg kick but Patton moved away.
Patton scores with a kick to the midsection.
Irhin avoids the head kick by Patton.
Patton scores with a decent looking hook.
Irhin looks to land a body kick but Patton moved away.
Patton tries a head kick but it misses.
Patton misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Patton works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Irhin misses with a head kick.
Sloppy strikes from Irhin. Those never looked like landing.
Patton misses with a low kick as Irhin jumps back.
Irhin throwing a counter right hand but Patton manages to avoid it.
Irhin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Irhin tries to clinch up but Patton circles away and keeps his distance.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Irhin on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Irhin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Patton feints a counter leg kick.
Irhin will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Patton lands a nice looking body kick.
Patton walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Irhin checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Patton throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Irhin is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Patton's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.

Patton has taken the fight to the clinch.

Patton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Irhin moves out of range as Patton throws a body kick.
A thudding body kick lands there by Irhin!
Irhin throws a leg kick but Patton sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irhin tries to clinch up.
Irhin throws a poor cross that misses
and Patton cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Irhin checks a leg kick nicely.
Patton throws a nice head kick!
Patton keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A left lands for Patton.
A head kick by Irhin misses
and Patton counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Irhin throws a nice inside leg kick.
Patton lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Patton throws a head kick that misses.
Patton avoids the head kick by Irhin.
Patton throws a head kick but Irhin moves out of range.
Irhin misses with a leg kick
and Patton counters with a flying knee. Nice.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Patton lands with an overhand left.
Irhin tries to clinch but Patton moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Irhin forces Patton back against the cage and clinches.
A nice left hand lands by Patton.
Artem Irhin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Irhin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Irhin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Irhin looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Patton creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Patton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Irhin throws a low kick but it's checked well by Patton.
Irhin is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Irhin throws a sloppy head kick and Patton moves out of range easily.
Patton misses with a kick to the body.

Irhin closes the distance and clinches.
Irhin wants to stall.
Patton landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Jack Patton is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Patton using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Irhin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Irhin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Patton blocks it with crossed arms.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Patton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Patton has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Patton!
Jack Patton seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
In defeat, Artem Irhin stepped up to the mic, saying 'Kill me... That was so stupid!'.