PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Klay Montez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikko Haapalainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Haapalainen has chosen Lentävä Kalakukko as his entrance music. Mikko Haapalainen is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Montez
vs
Haapalainen

175 cm
20
185 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

182 cm
25
175 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Klay Montez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mikko Haapalainen!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Bart Greer and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Haapalainen tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Montez counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Haapalainen has his feet on Montez's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Montez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Haapalainen was well out of range. Poor timing from Montez.
Montez shoots for a takedown but Haapalainen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Montez closes the distance and clinches.

Haapalainen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Montez throws a hook but Haapalainen avoids it easily.
Montez has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Hut - $50 in the buildup to the fight.

Haapalainen closes the distance and pushes Montez back into the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Haapalainen takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Montez leaning his opponent against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Haapalainen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Haapalainen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Haapalainen misses with an elbow over the top.

Haapalainen gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Haapalainen wants to stand but Montez has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Haapalainen is trying to control. Montez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Haapalainen seems to be working for a kimura but Montez defends the submission attempt.
Montez preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Montez manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Montez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Klay Montez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Haapalainen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Montez is trying to break the clinch but Haapalainen has him pressed against the cage.

Montez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Montez clinches up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Haapalainen jumps guard but Montez stands there with Haapalainen around his waist. Haapalainen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Montez tries to break free but Haapalainen pushes him back against the cage.
Haapalainen pressing his opponent against the cage.
Haapalainen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Montez is defending well for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haapalainen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Haapalainen is trying to force a seperation but Montez has the dominant position.
Montez stalls.
Montez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Montez prevents Haapalainen from breaking the clinch.
Haapalainen pressing his opponent against the cage.
Haapalainen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Montez smiles and moves away.
Haapalainen shoots in and drives through. Montez sprawls well.
Montez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Haapalainen has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Montez is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Haapalainen tries to clinch there but Montez circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haapalainen leaves Montez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Haapalainen drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Montez defends it well.
A slapping leg kick lands for Haapalainen.

Montez rushes Haapalainen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Haapalainen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Montez.
Haapalainen leaning his opponent against the cage.

Montez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Montez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Haapalainen defends it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mikko Haapalainen will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Haapalainen blocks a head kick by Montez.
Haapalainen tries to counter by closing the distance.

Montez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Haapalainen throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

Haapalainen has closed the distance and engaged Montez in a clinch.

Haapalainen manages to break the clinch.

Haapalainen gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Montez to score an easy takedown into full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Haapalainen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Montez trying to control the position from guard on top but Haapalainen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montez stops Haapalainen from standing up.
Haapalainen is trying to keep Montez in close.
Montez engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Haapalainen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Montez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Montez trying to control the position from guard on top but Haapalainen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Haapalainen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Montez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Haapalainen is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Montez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Haapalainen pulls his leg out and moves away.
Haapalainen shoots in and drives through. Montez sprawls well.
Haapalainen stuffs the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montez fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Klay Montez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Montez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Haapalainen avoids it really well and circles away.

Montez clinches up with Haapalainen and pushes him back against the cage.

Haapalainen drags the fight down to the ground.
Montez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haapalainen wants to get back to his feet but Montez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Montez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Montez wants to control from the top but Haapalainen keeps moving.
Haapalainen being controlled here, momentarily.
Montez trying to control but Haapalainen is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mikko Haapalainen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Haapalainen wants to clinch up but Montez keeps it at a distance.
Klay Montez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Montez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Haapalainen but Haapalainen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Montez thows a leg kick but Haapalainen checks it

and Haapalainen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Montez wants to improve his position but Haapalainen is controlling well.
Haapalainen is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Haapalainen throwing shots but Montez is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Montez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Haapalainen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Montez has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Montez wants to sweep but no luck.

Haapalainen stands up and waves to Montez to follow him.

Montez gets a clinch.
Haapalainen is looking for a takedown.
Montez tries to work over Haapalainen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Haapalainen misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's two 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.
Montez struggles to land a body shot inside as Haapalainen controls his hands.
Haapalainen is trying to drag Montez to the mat but Montez just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Haapalainen is trying to maintain a safe position but Montez gets an underhook and turns Haapalainen into the cage.
Montez tries for a takedown. No joy.
Montez working aggressively here.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Haapalainen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Klay Montez has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Montez can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Klay Montez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Montez has Haapalainen pressed against the cage, preventing Haapalainen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Montez has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Haapalainen after a bit of a struggle.
Montez blocking some punches.

Haapalainen manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Haapalainen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Haapalainen is keeping the position for now.
Montez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Haapalainen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Montez wants to control from the top but Haapalainen keeps moving.
Montez slips nicely into 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.
Montez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Haapalainen keeps working.
Haapalainen has hold of Montez's hands but Montez slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Haapalainen wants to get back to full guard but Montez has mounted him!
Mikko Haapalainen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Montez looking to control and managing it successfully.
Montez looking to control but Haapalainen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Haapalainen is desperately trying to improve his position but Montez has a good base and remains in mount.

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 Klay Montez.
Well Haapalainen 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 30:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mikko Haapalainen!
Mikko Haapalainen was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.