PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Roope Karppinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esteban Llorente (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karppinen comes to the cage accompanied by Rjd2 - Smoke and Mirrors. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Karppinen
vs
Llorente

175 cm
19
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
133 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roope Karppinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Esteban Llorente!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karppinen misses with a double jab.
Karppinen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Llorente avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Karppinen throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Karppinen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A good leg kick by Karppinen.

Llorente shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Karppinen can't escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Llorente moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Karppinen has worked his arm free - good work by Karppinen!
Llorente looks gassed!
Llorente in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

Llorente is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Karppinen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Karppinen tries to buck Llorente off but Llorente is having none of it.
Llorente has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karppinen is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Karppinen can't do much from the bottom here.
Who's going to make the next move?
Karppinen knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Llorente on the ground.

Llorente working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Karppinen is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Llorente is tying to control. Karppinen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Karppinen is trying to get back to full guard.

Llorente is working for a kimura but Karppinen is defending it quite comfortably.
Karppinen wants to get back to his feet.

Llorente is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Karppinen is trying to stand.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Karppinen fails with the takedown

and Llorente counters with a single leg into guard. Karppinen didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Llorente looking to pass the guard.

Llorente thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Llorente stops Karppinen from standing up.

Llorente drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Llorente jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Karppinen is trying to control the position but Llorente postures up.
Llorente looking to pass the 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.
Karppinen is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Karppinen scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Llorente wants to sweep but Karppinen has passed to side control!
Llorente is looking for a sweep.

Karppinen stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Karppinen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Karppinen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roope Karppinen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Karppinen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Llorente circles away.
Karppinen goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Karppinen scores with a kick to the body.

Karppinen shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Llorente's guard.

Llorente looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Llorente is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Karppinen stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Karppinen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Llorente is fending him off so far but Karppinen persists. Nope, Llorente circles away and we're back to standing.
Llorente staying out of range there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karppinen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Roope Karppinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Karppinen throws a sloppy head kick and Llorente moves out of range easily.
Karppinen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Llorente as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roope Karppinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Karppinen lands a front kick.

Llorente scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

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

Llorente thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Llorente working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Llorente tries for a kimura but Karppinen is defending well.
Karppinen gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Llorente is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Llorente throwing shots but Karppinen is blocking nicely.
Llorente stops Karppinen from getting back to his feet.
Karppinen is trying to maintain the position but Llorente is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Llorente moves out of range of the strikes.
Karppinen lands with a slapping head kick.

Llorente looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Llorente trying to control but Karppinen is working from the bottom.
Llorente stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Karppinen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Karppinen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Llorente doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Llorente manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Llorente stands and throws Karppinen's legs to the side, diving into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esteban Llorente showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! 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.

Karppinen lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Llorente shoots in and drives through. Karppinen sprawls well.
Llorente avoids the head kick by Karppinen.
Karppinen misses with a takedown

and Llorente counters with a nice double leg into side control. Karppinen won't be happy with that.

Llorente swings around for an armbar but Karppinen sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Llorente's guard.
Karppinen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Llorente swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Karppinen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Llorente looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Llorente looking for a guillotine here but Karppinen defends easily.
Esteban Llorente has got the better of the ground game so far.
Llorente not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karppinen wants to stand but Llorente has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Llorente looking for a guillotine here but Karppinen defends easily.

Llorente working for a triangle but Karppinen defends it easily.
Karppinen tries to stand but Llorente is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Llorente is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Karppinen stands up from Llorente's guard - Karppinen perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karppinen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Karppinen throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Karppinen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Karppinen throws a head kick that misses.
Karppinen stalks Llorente and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Llorente's face. Llorente staggers backwards, shaken.
Karppinen really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Karppinen looks for a takedown but Llorente sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roope Karppinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Llorente drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karppinen is trying to control the position but Llorente postures up.
Llorente stops Karppinen from standing up.
Llorente trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Llorente postures up.
Karppinen keeping full guard, as Llorente tries to pass.

Llorente is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Karppinen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Llorente.

And that's the end of the fight!
Esteban Llorente comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Llorente has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Esteban Llorente!