PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hannu Haapana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Prince The (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Haapana
vs
The

169 cm
27
145 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

159 cm
27
139 lbs
7 - 4 - 1

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

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 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Hannu Haapana!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Prince The!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Santiago Holmes and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The checks a low kick from Haapana.
The lands with a thumping leg kick.
Haapana throws a leg kick but The sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Haapana lands a jab to the head.
Haapana throws a head kick that misses.

Haapana rushes The and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Haapana scores with a hook to the body.
The is trying to break free.

The's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Haapana does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Haapana tries to close the distance and clinch but The swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The flicks out a counter leg kick but Haapana steps away.
The misses with a low kick.

Haapana gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

The breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've been told by Haapana's head coaches at Highland Brawl Academy that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Haapana fails in his attempt to clinch.
The pivots, looking for a leg kick but Haapana is out of range and The settles back down.

Haapana rushes The and presses him up against the cage.
Haapana lands an elbow that stopped The in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Prince The has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

The pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The thumps Haapana with a low kick.
The throws the left hand but Haapana avoids the punch easily.
Haapana is looking to slow The down with leg kicks.

Haapana has The up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Haapana lands an elbow inside that The shrugs off.
The is trying to break free.
Haapana lands a shot to the body.
A frustrated look appears on The's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Haapana can't find room to land a body shot as The controls the action.
Haapana stalling in the clinch.
Haapana keeps the fight in the clinch, despite The's efforts to push away.
The tries to break free but Haapana pushes him back against the cage.
Haapana pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Haapana lands a damaging elbow.
Haapana is trying to stall.
The is trying to break the clinch but Haapana is controlling him.
The avoids a wild elbow strike from Haapana.
The tries to circle away but Haapana has him pinned against the cage.
Haapana lands an elbow that stopped The in his tracks for a moment.
Haapana lands a nice elbow.

That has opened up Prince The's cut even more.
Haapana pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Haapana throws an elbow but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The tries to break free but Haapana pushes him back against the cage.
The is trying to break the clinch but Haapana has him pressed against the cage.
Haapana lands an elbow just above The 's eye.
Haapana lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
The is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

The's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Haapana checks it well.
Prince The seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Haapana checks a leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The tries a head kick but it misses.
The avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Haapana can pounce on him.
Nice shot by Haapana.
Haapana tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Haapana feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends The sprawling to the canvas! The rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Haapana finish him?!

The is rocked!
Haapana checks a leg kick.
The is still on wobbly legs! Can Haapana finish him?
The does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Haapana throws a quick inside leg kick.
Haapana takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Haapana gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Haapana keeps control of The as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The wants to break the clinch but can't.
Haapana keeps the fight in the clinch, despite The's efforts to push away.
Haapana misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The seems to have recovered his senses.
The avoids the elbow strike from Haapana, against the cage.
The tries to break free but Haapana pushes him back against the cage.
The wants to get back to striking at distance but Haapana won't allow it.
The wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Haapana has him pressed against the cage.
The wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Haapana lands a hook that snaps the head of The backwards.
Haapana comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

The cut above Prince The's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Haapana just leaning against The, taking a breather.
Haapana throws an elbow but it's blocked.
The is trying to break the clinch but Haapana is controlling him.
The blocks an elbow strike from Haapana.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Haapana trying to control the position but instead, The has worked for underhooks and has pushed Haapana into the cage.

The breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Haapana.
A slapping leg kick lands for The.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A left lands for Haapana.
The throws a low kick but it's checked well by Haapana.
The scoring well with a low kick there.
The tries a low kick but Haapana avoids it.
Haapana swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Haapana backing away here, and The unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Haapana missing with a left hand there. The was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Haapana clinches with his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Haapana pushes off an throws an elbow but The leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Haapana is pushing The up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The is trying to break the clinch but Haapana has him pressed against the cage.
Haapana lands an elbow that stopped The in his tracks for a moment.
Haapana keeps control of The as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Haapana has The pressed against the cage, preventing The from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

The manages to break the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Haapana wants to clinch up but The keeps it at a distance.
Haapana tries to close the distance and clinch but The swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

The gets tackled into the cage by Haapana. Haapana maintains the clinch.
Haapana working aggressively here.
Haapana lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down The.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hannu Haapana dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Prince The's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Haapana feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to The's calf.
The tries a low kick but Haapana avoids it.
Haapana dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on The. That did some damage!
Haapana slips under a jab from The.
The lands with a straight right. Haapana didn't see that one coming.
The tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Haapana throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Haapana clinches with his opponent.
The referee calls for Haapana to work.
The is trying to break the clinch but Haapana is controlling him.
The wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
The is trying to break free.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Haapana.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Haapana takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
The is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Haapana lands a nice elbow.

The breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Haapana wants to clinch up but The keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haapana throws a leg kick but The sees it coming and checks it nicely.
The throws a leg kick that misses.
Nice shot lands for Haapana.
The throws a leg kick that misses.
Haapana tries to score with a low kick but The moves his leg out of the way.
A combination from Haapana does no damage.
The lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Haapana has taken the fight to the clinch.
The is trying to break the clinch but Haapana is controlling him.
With the fighters up against the cage, Haapana throws an elbow but misses.
A bit of stalling here from Haapana.
The blocks the elbow strike.
Haapana lands an elbow inside that The shrugs off.

The breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Haapana takes one to the chin there.
The throws a leg kick but Haapana moved away.
Haapana looks to land a right hand but The moved out of range.

Haapana clinches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Haapana softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hannu Haapana has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Haapana has The pressed against the cage, preventing The from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haapana keeps the fight in the clinch, despite The's efforts to push away.
The wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

The breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from The there as he acknowledges the shot.
The pivots, looking for a leg kick but Haapana is out of range and The settles back down.
The keeps the fight on the outside.
A head kick misses from The.
The throws a leg kick but Haapana checks it.

Haapana closes the distance and clinches.
The wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Haapana has him pressed against the cage.
Haapana throws an elbow that misses.
Haapana struggles to land a body shot inside as The controls his hands.
Haapana is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A right hand to the body from Haapana.
Haapana lands an elbow inside that The shrugs off.

Prince The's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

The breaks from the clinch.
Haapana throws an uppercut from half a mile away. The sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Haapana is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that The can do to turn this around?
Haapana throws a body shot but no joy.
The throws a low kick but Haapana avoids it.
The wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
The turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Haapana moves into the clinch.

The pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Haapana checks a low kick from The.
The scoring well with a low kick there.
Haapana misses with a low kick.
Haapana moves out of range of the leg kick from The.
Haapana listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
The throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Haapana stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
The attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Haapana swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Haapana fails in his attempt to clinch.

Haapana pushes The up against the cage in a clinch.
Haapana lands an elbow inside.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Prince The's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Hannu Haapana!
After the fight, Hannu Haapana was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.