PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Espiridion Araya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Peelo Pulkkinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Araya
vs
Pulkkinen

201 cm
28
195 lbs
13 - 16 - 0

150 cm
26
186 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Spartan Nutrition

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 13 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Espiridion Araya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Peelo Pulkkinen!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Alan Glass and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice leg kick lands there from Pulkkinen.
Araya fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Araya looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Araya will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Pulkkinen tries a quick counter leg kick but Araya is wise to it.
Araya fails to land the takedown.
Araya misses with a hook. Pulkkinen ducked under it nicely.

Araya shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pulkkinen's guard.
Pulkkinen has Araya pulled in close to control his posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Araya loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pulkkinen pulls Araya in to control the position.
Araya stopping the sweep attempt from Pulkkinen.
Pulkkinen trying to control the position.
Araya looking to sit in guard and control but Pulkkinen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Araya throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Pulkkinen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Araya is pulling down on Pulkkinen's head to control his posture.
Araya keeping moving, preventing Pulkkinen from controlling successfully.
Pulkkinen throwing strikes from guard but Araya blocks nicely.
Araya wants to control but Pulkkinen passes easily into half guard.

That's two 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.

Araya looking for submissions off his back.
Pulkkinen not doing much here.
Araya is trying to control but can't.
Pulkkinen stalling.
Pulkkinen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Pulkkinen content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Araya is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Pulkkinen is looking to take a break and control but Araya is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Araya really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Araya slips under a jab.
Araya throws a head kick that misses.
Espiridion Araya seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Pulkkinen tries to keep at a distance but Araya has taken the fight into the clinch.
Pulkkinen lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short uppercut from Pulkkinen.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Pulkkinen.
Pulkkinen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Araya unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Araya tries to throw a body punch but Pulkkinen avoids it by throwing Araya back against the cage.
Pulkkinen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Araya backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Araya.
Pulkkinen lands a hook to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Araya blocks an uppercut.
Araya effectively controlling the action here.
Araya is trying to break the clinch but Pulkkinen is controlling him.
Araya blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Araya has Pulkkinen pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Araya pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Pulkkinen tumbling to the mat - Araya dives into Pulkkinen's guard.
Pulkkinen controlling the position.
Araya is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Araya lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Pulkkinen keeping full guard, as Araya tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Araya tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Pulkkinen only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Araya misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pulkkinen.
A nice leg kick lands there from Pulkkinen.
Araya with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Araya displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pulkkinen throws out the jab.
Araya changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Araya misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pulkkinen.
Araya sets himself, and Pulkkinen steps forward looking for the clinch! Araya avoids it this time.
Araya displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pulkkinen throws out the jab.
Pulkkinen lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Araya at a distance.
Araya looks for a takedown but Pulkkinen sprawls well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A thudding body kick lands there by Araya!

Araya moves into the clinch successfully.
Pulkkinen lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Pulkkinen lands a right hand that snaps the head of Araya backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Araya lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Pulkkinen fails to land.
Pulkkinen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Araya lands a shoulder strike.
Araya tries to score a body lock takedown but Pulkkinen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Pulkkinen tries to throw a body punch but Araya avoids it by throwing Pulkkinen back against the cage.

Araya pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Araya throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Pulkkinen on the side of the head.
Araya throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Araya thuds a left hand into Pulkkinen's body.
Pulkkinen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Pulkkinen throws a jab but it's blocked by Araya.
A swing and a miss from Pulkkinen.
Pulkkinen works Araya's body with a nice hook.
Espiridion Araya is winning the standup battle so far.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Pulkkinen enables Araya to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Pulkkinen manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Araya will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Araya scoring with some ground and pound.
Araya looking to pass the guard.
Pulkkinen working a defensive guard here.
Araya trying to control the position from guard on top but Pulkkinen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Araya passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Araya moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Araya misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Araya is trying to ground and pound but Pulkkinen uses the momentary lack of control by Araya to regain half guard.
Araya not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Araya is working for a submission of some sort.
Araya not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Araya is looking for a kimura here.
Araya trying to control the action but Pulkkinen is working from the bottom.

That's four 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.
Pulkkinen is positioning himself well to prevent Araya advancing to mount.
Araya missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pulkkinen wants to control but Araya is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Araya thows a huge punch but Pulkkinen dodges it nicely.
Araya content to control rather than advance.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Araya 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.
Pulkkinen wants to get back to full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Espiridion Araya dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Nice jab there from Araya.
Araya's corner calls for a 1-2. Araya obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Pulkkinen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Araya.
Pulkkinen tries to counter by closing the distance.
Araya misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pulkkinen.
Pulkkinen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Araya takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Araya stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Pulkkinen.
Pulkkinen throws an overhand right that lands on Araya's shoulder, as Araya tries to avoid the shot.
Araya on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Araya shoots in for a takedown but Pulkkinen shows good takedown defense.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Araya getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Araya throws a wild body kick that Pulkkinen sees coming a mile off.
Pulkkinen flicks out a counter leg kick but Araya steps away.
Araya is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Araya lands with a slapping head kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Araya works over Pulkkinen's head and body with a nice combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pulkkinen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Araya takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Pulkkinen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Pulkkinen ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Araya with a lazy takedown attempt
and Pulkkinen counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Espiridion Araya. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Araya throws a leg kick but Pulkkinen sees it coming and moves out of range.

Araya pushes Pulkkinen up against the cage in a clinch.
Pulkkinen tries to throw a body punch but Araya avoids it by throwing Pulkkinen back against the cage.
Pulkkinen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Araya blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Pulkkinen lands a nice uppercut.
Araya manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Araya avoiding damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pulkkinen lands a nice uppercut.
Pulkkinen lands a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pulkkinen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Araya blocking some punches.
Pulkkinen lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Araya managing to block the knees to the body from Pulkkinen.
Pulkkinen works on Araya's body with a couple of short punches.
Pulkkinen tries a body shot but Araya blocks it.
Pulkkinen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Pulkkinen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Araya backwards.
Pulkkinen works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Araya is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pulkkinen pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Pulkkinen lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Araya is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pulkkinen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Oh Araya is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Araya's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Pulkkinen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Pulkkinen pushes Araya against the cage. Pulkkinen is working some dirty boxing. Pulkkinen pushes off with a quick right hook! Araya goes down! Araya tries to stand but stumbles back to his kness! Pulkkinen moves in to finish and the ref steps in to prevent any more damage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Peelo Pulkkinen!
Peelo Pulkkinen decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.