PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Diesel Noi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juhani Virtanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Diesel Noi has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Noi
vs
Virtanen

186 cm
23
150 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

168 cm
20
153 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Combat Pro Design

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Diesel Noi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juhani Virtanen!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Virtanen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Virtanen throws a hook but Noi blocks it.
Noi misses with a two punch combination.
Noi blocks a head kick by Virtanen.

Virtanen has Noi up against the ropes in a clinch.
Virtanen tries to stall but Noi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Virtanen is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Noi pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Noi is pressed up against the ropes. Virtanen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Noi down to the mat. Noi avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Virtanen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Noi closes the distance and clinches.
Virtanen lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Noi on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Noi drags the fight down to the ground.
Virtanen trying to control but Noi is working from the bottom.

Virtanen has gone for a leg lock! Noi slips out almost immediately though and dives into Virtanen's guard.
Noi stopping the sweep attempt from Virtanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Virtanen is looking for a triangle here but Noi uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Virtanen regains half guard.
Virtanen punching from the bottom.
Virtanen throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Noi manages to pass to side control.
Noi really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Virtanen manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Noi tries to stand and escape but Virtanen is controlling the position.
Noi is keen to just control but Virtanen is a slippery customer.
Noi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Virtanen wants to improve his position but Noi is controlling well.
Virtanen wants to control but Noi passes into side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Virtanen manages to get back to half guard.
Noi wants to stand up but Virtanen is controlling the position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Virtanen trying to control here.
Noi slows the pace down in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Noi prevents Virtanen from improving his position.
Noi is trying to control the action in half guard but Virtanen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Virtanen looking for submissions off his back.
Noi will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Virtanen is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Noi pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diesel Noi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Virtanen tries to work over Noi's front leg with a kick but Noi checks it.
Noi lunges at Virtanen with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Virtanen's hand.

Virtanen moves into the clinch successfully.
Noi wants to break the clinch but can't.
Virtanen landing knees to the head.
Noi is trying to break free.
Come on Noi - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Noi is trying to break free.
Noi blocks an elbow strike from Virtanen.
Virtanen tries a knee to the head but Noi blocks it.
Virtanen goes for a takedown in the clinch but Noi prevents it.
Virtanen leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Noi with a knee to the head.
Virtanen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Noi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Noi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Noi gets a clinch.
Noi creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Virtanen's defenses.
Noi on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Noi blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Noi blocks an elbow strike.
Noi connects with a nasty looking knee right to Virtanen's face.
Virtanen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Virtanen is breathing heavily.
Noi can't get the takedown.

Noi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Virtanen moves out of range of the body kick.
Noi avoids the head kick by Virtanen.
A chopping leg kick lands by Noi.
Noi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Noi throws a series of punches but Virtanen moves out of range.
Diesel Noi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Noi darts in trying to clinch
and Virtanen counters with a big head kick but Noi shrugs it off.
Noi tries a head kick but it misses.

Virtanen has Noi up against the ropes in a clinch.
Noi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen misses with a knee strike.
Noi can't break the clinch.
Virtanen avoids a wild elbow strike from Noi.
Virtanen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Noi is working for takedown but Virtanen is calmly controlling the position for now.
Virtanen has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Noi avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Virtanen tries to pull guard but Noi won't allow it.
Diesel Noi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juhani Virtanen.
Noi is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Virtanen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Noi's defenses.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Virtanen lands a takedown into guard.
Noi keeping moving, preventing Virtanen from controlling successfully.
Noi wants to stand up but Virtanen is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noi keeping full guard, as Virtanen tries to pass.
Virtanen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Virtanenis looking to pass into half guard but Noi pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Noi is in guard.

Noi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Virtanen pulls out of a head kick attempt.

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

and Virtanen counters by clinching up.
Noi with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Noi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Virtanen blocks it with crossed arms.
Noi is looking to break free of the clinch but Virtanen has double underhooks.
A knee to the head by Noi.

Noi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Virtanen lands a head kick!

Virtanen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Virtanen misses with a knee strike.
Virtanen missing with knees to the body.
Noi misses with a knee to the head.
Noi has Virtanen pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Virtanen manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Virtanen turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Virtanen manages to end up in side control.
Noi regains half guard there - taking advantage of Virtanen's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Virtanen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Diesel Noi will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Virtanen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Noi throws a right hand that Virtanen ducks under and follows up with a left that Virtanen also avoids with ease.
Virtanen tries to clinch up but Noi circles away and keeps his distance.
Noi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Noi will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Virtanen checks a leg kick.
Noi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Virtanen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Noi throws and low kick but Virtanen moves out of range easily.
Virtanen throws a combination that misses
and Noi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Virtanen avoids a punch combination nicely.

Virtanen takes the fight into the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noi tries to break the clinch but Virtanen is controlling the position.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Virtanen looking for a takedown.
Noi is trying to stall.
Virtanen using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Noi has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Virtanen misses with a knee to the head.
Virtanen tries to land a knee to the head but Noi blocks with his arms.
Virtanen misses with a knee to the head.
Noi tries to stall but Virtanen uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Noi lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Virtanen prevents Noi from breaking the clinch.
Virtanen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Noi blocks it with crossed arms.
Virtanen connects with a nasty looking knee right to Noi's face.
Noi drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Virtanen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Noi wants to stall.
Virtanen using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Noi managing to block the knees to the body from Virtanen.
Virtanen wants a takedown.

Noi jumps into guard, dragging Virtanen to the mat.
Virtanen trying to control but Noi is working from the bottom.
Virtanen looking to pass the guard.
Noi keeping moving, preventing Virtanen from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen throws a big right hand that misses.
Virtanen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Noi pushes Virtanen off and gets back to his feet.
Noi lands a head kick. Virtanen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Noi looks to clinch

and Virtanen moves into the clinch.
Noi using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Virtanen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Virtanen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen tries a knee to the head but Noi blocks it.
Noi misses with an elbow strike.
Noi prevents a takedown attempt there.
Diesel Noi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juhani Virtanen.
Noi jumps guard but Virtanen stands there with Noi around his waist. Noi gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Virtanen takes a knee right on the jaw!
Juhani Virtanen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Noi has had enough of the clinch but Virtanen keeps him there for the moment.
Virtanen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Noi.
Noi blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Noi wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Knees to the body from Noi.
Noi looking for a takedown.
Noi is trying to stall.
Virtanen has Noi pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Noi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Noi tries for a takedown but Virtanen manages to get underhooks.
Noi jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Virtanen walks away with a smile on his face. Noi gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Virtanen checks a leg kick.

Virtanen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Diesel Noi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Virtanen tries a knee to the head but Noi blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diesel Noi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Noi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Diesel Noi!