PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ilkka Kanerva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gordon Hammet (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kanerva's entrance music is Sultans of Swing. A fine choice. Hammet is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Finger Eleven - Slow Chemical. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kanerva
vs
Hammet

180 cm
37
280 lbs
31 - 17 - 0

200 cm
32
299 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 31 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ilkka Kanerva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gordon Hammet!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kanerva slaps away a takedown attempt from Hammet, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kanerva throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Hammet counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hammet.
Hammet throws an elbow that misses. Kanerva uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hammet's guard. Nice move by Kanerva!

Kanerva trying to control but Hammet is working from the bottom.
Hammet is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hammet wants to sweep here but Kanerva controlling him for the moment.
Hammet trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanerva is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hammet not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hammet has Kanerva pulled in close to control his posture.
Kanerva has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

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

Hammet has his foot on Kanerva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kanerva works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hammet is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kanerva trying to control but Hammet is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Hammet shoots in but no luck this time.
Kanerva leaves Hammet with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kanerva lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Ilkka Kanerva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gordon Hammet.
Hammet avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A jab from Kanerva misses.
Hammet is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Ilkka Kanerva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kanerva looks to land a right hand but Hammet moved out of range.
And Hammet tries to counter it with a takedown but Kanerva pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Kanerva connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Hammet throws a leg kick but Kanerva sees it coming and checks it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanerva scores with a nice strike.
Kanerva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice sprawl there from Kanerva as Hammet shoots in.
Hammet misses with a hook
and Kanerva counters with a one-two to the body.
Kanerva cracks Hammet with a good jab.
Hammet connects with a single shot there.
Hammet slips under a jab.
Kanerva tries a low kick but Hammet avoids it.
Hammet changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Hammet ducks under a wild hook from Kanerva.
Hammet with the counter takedown but Kanerva avoids it easily.
Hammet throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kanerva's waist but Kanerva gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hammet off to one side.
As Hammet backs away, Kanerva returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Kanerva throws a leg kick but Hammet sees it coming and moves out of range.
Kanerva cracks Hammet with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Nice shot lands for Hammet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Kanerva throws a half hearted mid kick.
Hammet ducks under a wild hook from Kanerva.
Hammet with the counter takedown but Kanerva avoids it easily.
Kanerva throws the left hand but Hammet avoids the punch easily.
Hammet tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Kanerva pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Hammet takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Kanerva throws a jab but it's blocked by Hammet.
Hammet with the counter takedown but Kanerva avoids it easily.
Hammet throws out a leg kick but Kanerva moves out of range and Hammet only half commits.
Kanerva swings for the body but Hammet moves out of range.
Kanerva misses with a low kick.
Kanerva lands with a straight right. Hammet didn't see that one coming.
Hammet shoots in looking for a takedown but Kanerva manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hammet's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Kanerva lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Kanerva throws a nice outside leg kick.
Hammet ducks under a wild hook from Kanerva.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilkka Kanerva dominated that round.
That's time! Kanerva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kanerva misses with a looping right.
Hammet on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Kanerva slaps away a takedown attempt from Hammet, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hammet uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kanerva.
Hammet takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Kanerva blocks a head kick by Hammet.
Hammet throws a head kick that misses.
Kanerva lands a nice shot that snaps Hammet's head back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kanerva swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kanerva loads up on a big right hand but Hammet slips the punch.
Kanerva scores with a punch to the head.
Hammet ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hammet drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Kanerva defends it well.
Hammet on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kanerva misses with a looping left.
Hammet shoots in for a double leg but Kanerva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Donk. Kanerva catches Hammet right on the button with a cross.
A big right from Kanerva misses.
Hammet with the counter takedown but Kanerva avoids it easily.
Kanerva just misses with a punch to the body.
Kanerva throws a jab when Hammet was well out of range.
Hammet slips a jab from Kanerva.
Hammet feints the counter takedown.
Hammet tests Kanerva's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hammet tries a head kick but it misses.
Kanerva throws a big shot that misses.
Gordon Hammet is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Hammet shoots in and gets a takedown into Kanerva's guard.
Hammet trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hammet is looking to work some ground and pound but Kanerva has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammet with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Hammet wants to pass the guard but Kanerva is keeping the position.
Kanerva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kanerva keeping full guard, as Hammet tries to pass.
Kanerva pulls Hammet in to control the position.
Kanerva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hammet trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ilkka Kanerva is winning the standup battle so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanerva misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hammet.
Hammet moves out of range of the body kick from Kanerva.
Hammet is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Hammet misses with a head kick.
Kanerva missing with a left hand there. Hammet was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kanerva misses with a body shot.
Hammet throws a shot from downtown. Kanerva moves away and avoids it.
Kanerva throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hammet tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Hammet fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ilkka Kanerva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gordon Hammet.
Hammet keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kanerva.
Hammet looks for a takedown but Kanerva sprawls well.
A big right from Kanerva misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hammet walks into a stiff left hand from Kanerva.
Hammet tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kanerva sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hammet somewhat.
Kanerva looks to land a right hand but Hammet moved out of range.

Hammet drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Hammet postures up in Kanerva's guard and throws a big left but Kanerva blocks it.
Kanerva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hammet in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hammet is looking to work some ground and pound but Kanerva has wrist control.
Hammet with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hammet throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilkka Kanerva dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A cross from Kanerva lands.
Kanerva lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Hammet fails with a takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Hammet.
No joy there for Hammet, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A little feinted left hand from Kanerva on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A big right from Kanerva misses.
Hammet moves out of range as Kanerva strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circling - Kanerva throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hammet is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Hammet checks a leg kick nicely.
Hammet slips a jab from Kanerva.
Kanerva misses with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammet shoots in looking for a takedown but Kanerva manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hammet's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Kanerva looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kanerva throws an overhand right that lands on Hammet's shoulder, as Hammet tries to avoid the shot.
Kanerva defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hammet.
Ilkka Kanerva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gordon Hammet.
Kanerva thumps Hammet with a low kick.
Kanerva throws a lazy uppercut

and Hammet counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kanerva won't be happy with that.
Hammet has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kanerva regains half guard, as Hammet was trying to land strikes.

Hammet is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Kanerva is defending against the submission attempts here by Hammet.
Gordon Hammet has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammet 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.

Hammet is working for a kimura but Kanerva is defending it quite comfortably.
Hammet throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kanerva is pressing down on Hammet's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Hammet throwing strikes from guard but Kanerva blocks nicely.
Kanerva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kanerva managing to control the position.
Kanerva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hammet.
Hammet postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hammet postures up and lands a big shot to Kanerva's brow.
Hammet stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kanerva swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hammet throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kanerva works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Hammet closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Kanerva's guard.
Hammet throws a strike but Kanerva rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Kanerva trying to control the position from guard on top but Hammet is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kanerva engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hammet is looking for a triangle here but Kanerva uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ilkka Kanerva.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kanerva, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilkka Kanerva!
Ilkka Kanerva took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Milwaukee's Best 160 (85% laundry) for their support in the buildup to the fight.