PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nathaniel White (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jussi Halonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Halonen has chosen Going to the run (Golden Earring) as his entrance music. Jussi Halonen will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

White
vs
Halonen

168 cm
24
193 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

186 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid 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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nathaniel White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jussi Halonen!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
White fails with the takedown.
Halonen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Halonen moves into the clinch.

Halonen gets control of White's arms and successfully pulls guard. Halonen will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
White is working Halonen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
White trying to control but Halonen is working from the bottom.
White postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White trying to control but Halonen is working from the bottom.
Halonen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
White scoring with some ground and pound.
White wants to control from the top but Halonen keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
White has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Nathaniel White has been cut.

White has Halonen up against the cage in a clinch.
White jumps guard but Halonen stands there with White around his waist. White gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Halonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
White could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halonen throws a lazy right hand but White sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
It looked like White was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

White shoots in and bounces Halonen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
White sitting in guard here, content to control.
Halonen keeping moving, preventing White from controlling successfully.
Halonen seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halonen wants to sweep here but White controlling him for the moment.
White is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
White wants to control from the top but Halonen keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
White seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Halonen clinches up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
White goes for a takedown attempt but Halonen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nathaniel White. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Halonen drives through and clinches with White against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Halonen jumps guard but White stands there with Halonen around his waist. Halonen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Halonen breaks from the clinch.

Halonen feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jussi Halonen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nathaniel White's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Halonen pulls guard.
White might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
White trying to control the position from guard on top but Halonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Halonen pulls White in close to his closed guard and prevents White from doing any damage or advancing position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halonen wants to control but White passes easily into half guard.
White is looking to take a break and control but Halonen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Halonen gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
White trying to control but Halonen is working from the bottom.
White is stalling in the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A good leg kick by Halonen.
Halonen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts White as he jumps to the side.

Halonen gets a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halonen is trying to break the clinch but White is controlling him.
Halonen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Halonen leaning against his opponent.
Halonen dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Halonen is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but White is keeping busy.
White jumps guard but Halonen stands there with White around his waist. White gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Halonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Halonen moves into range and clinches up with White.

White drags the fight down to the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halonen stops White from standing up.
White keeping full guard, as Halonen tries to pass.

White isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Halonen stacks White on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Halonen!
Halonen content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
White is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jussi Halonen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Nathaniel White's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Halonen forces White back against the cage and clinches.
Halonen looking to throw knees to the head but White is blocking nicely.

Halonen manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
White missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
White working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
White looking to sit in guard and control but Halonen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Halonen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Halonen stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Halonen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Halonen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Halonen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
It looked like White was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
A head kick misses from Halonen.
Halonen throws a nice head kick!

Halonen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Halonen is trying to pull guard but White has him pressed against the cage.
Halonen tries to land knees in the clinch but White avoids the damage to the body.
Halonen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
White stalling.
Halonen can't find room to land a body shot as White controls the action.
Halonen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. White just stands there and leans against the cage.
Nathaniel White has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jussi Halonen.
Halonen is trying to push White away but White has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
White stalling against the cage.
White goes for a takedown attempt but Halonen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Halonen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from White.
Halonen tries to land a leg kick but White saw it coming and moves away.
White appears to be looking for a big counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halonen throws a combination that misses
and White counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Halonen instigates a clinch.
White trying to control the position but instead, Halonen has worked for underhooks and has pushed White into the cage.

Halonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jussi Halonen seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Halonen has managed to clinch.
Halonen fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Halonen is trying to pull guard but White turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
White misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Halonen jumps guard.
White wants to control from the top but Halonen keeps moving.
White won't allow Halonen to get back to his feet.
White stays in close to Halonen's body and controls the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
White throws a big right hand that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jussi Halonen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Halonen 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jussi Halonen!
Our winner, Jussi Halonen, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.