PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rex Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jantte Pekkane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Velasquez
vs
Pekkane

206 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rex Velasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jantte Pekkane!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pekkane misses with the combination.
A good leg kick by Pekkane.

Velasquez gets tackled into the cage by Pekkane. Pekkane maintains the clinch.

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

Velasquez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

Velasquez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Velasquez decides to stand up, so the ref orders Pekkane to his feet.
Pekkane throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pekkane scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Velasquez controlling the position well.
Velasquez wants to get back to full guard.
Velasquez keeping hold of Pekkane's head, controlling as best he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pekkane throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Velasquez keeps control of the position for the meantime.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Velasquez gets back to full guard.
Pekkane trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Velasquez is pulling down on Pekkane's head to control his posture.
Velasquez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Pekkane manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Velasquez tries to stand but Pekkane is controlling from the bottom.

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

Pekkane closes the distance and pushes Velasquez back into the cage.
Pekkane is trying to push Velasquez away but Velasquez has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Velasquez goes for a takedown attempt but Pekkane pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Pekkane gets a takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Velasquez keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Pekkane wants to pass to mount but Velasquez is defending the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Velasquez moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jantte Pekkane dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Pekkane gets a clinch.
Pekkane trying to control the position but instead, Velasquez has worked for underhooks and has pushed Pekkane into the cage.
Pekkane missing with knees to the body.

Velasquez breaks from the clinch.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Velasquez enables Pekkane to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Velasquez manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Velasquez managing to control the position.
Velasquez's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velasquez has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Pekkane has passed into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pekkane wants to control but Velasquez is keeping him busy.
Velasquez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Jantte Pekkane has got the better of the ground game so far.

Pekkane decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Pekkane throws a chopping leg kick but Velasquez manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

Pekkane closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Pekkane trying to control the action but Velasquez is working from the bottom.
Pekkane is breathing heavily.
Velasquez gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Velasquez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pekkane looking to pass the guard.
Velasquez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Velasquez winds up and cracks Pekkane with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez drops an elbow to the side of Pekkane's head.
Velasquez lands strikes from half guard.
Ground and pound from Velasquez.
Velasquez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Velasquez scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Velasquez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Velasquez stands up from half guard.

Velasquez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Velasquez cracks Pekkane with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Velasquez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Velasquez connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Pekkane some visible discomfort.
Velasquez working the ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Velasquez thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez stands up and beckons Pekkane to his feet.

Pekkane scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Pekkane thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Pekkane is looking to advance position but Velasquez won't allow it.
Velasquez keeping hold of Pekkane's head, controlling as best he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rex Velasquez dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Velasquez drives through with a takedown into Pekkane's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Velasquez wants to stand but Pekkane has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Pekkane wants to stand and escape but Velasquez is having none of it.
Pekkane preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Velasquez drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Pekkane dives on top into guard.
Velasquez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Pekkane trying to control but Velasquez is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Velasquez uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Pekkane throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Pekkane takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Pekkane wriggles free and stands up.
Velasquez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pekkane circles away.
Pekkane feints the counter takedown.

Pekkane closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Velasquez quickly recovers to half guard.
Pekkane tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Pekkane wants to lay and pray for a moment but Velasquez keeps working.
Velasquez is concentrating on defense, preventing Pekkane from advancing position.
Further stalling from Velasquez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Velasquez manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Velasquez has his hands on Pekkane's head, controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Pekkane shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Velasquez napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Velasquez is trying to control Pekkane's posture but Pekkane avoids it.
Pekkane looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Velasquez is avoiding damage well.
Velasquez tries to buck Pekkane off but Pekkane is having none of it.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's four 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.
Velasquez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Velasquez is controlling Pekkane's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Pekkane is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Velasquez is just riding it out for now. Pekkane eventually gives up the hold.
Velasquez is controlling Pekkane's trapped leg to prevent Pekkane from advancing to side control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jantte Pekkane comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pekkane 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jantte Pekkane!