PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abed Nadir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akseli Suokuokka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Nadir might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to M.A.S.H Theme. Suokuokka comes into a darkened arena with his song building. The Bags - Cavemen Rejoice kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Nadir
vs
Suokuokka

188 cm
36
240 lbs
24 - 23 - 1

189 cm
41
255 lbs
22 - 24 - 4

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Powerful

Max Octane Fight Wear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Abed Nadir!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 24 - 4, fighting out of Sydney, Akseli Suokuokka!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Ben Watson and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nadir darts in and clinches Suokuokka up against the cage.
Nadir is struggling to control the position.
Nadir can't find room to land a body shot as Suokuokka controls the action.
Suokuokka unloads a knee to the mid-section. Nadir lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Suokuokka misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Suokuokka misses with an elbow over the top.
Suokuokka misses with some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Suokuokka has Nadir pressed against the cage.
Suokuokka misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suokuokka is trying to break the clinch but Nadir is controlling him.
Nadir misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Suokuokka.
Nadir slows down the pace here.
Suokuokka is trying to break free.
Suokuokka's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Nadir has Suokuokka pushed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Nadir will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Suokuokka up against the cage.
Suokuokka being controlled against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Nadir for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Suokuokka misses with some punches.
Suokuokka is pushing Nadir up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nadir has Suokuokka pushed against the cage.
Suokuokka manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Suokuokka taking a breather.
Suokuokka continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Nadir is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nadir tries to throw a body punch but Suokuokka avoids it by throwing Nadir back against the cage.
Nadir stalling.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Abed Nadir.

Suokuokka forces Nadir back against the cage and clinches.
Suokuokka working aggressively here.
Nadir dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Come on Nadir - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Nadir seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Suokuokka is trying to force a seperation but Nadir has the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akseli Suokuokka dominated that 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.

Suokuokka takes the fight into the clinch.
Nadir stalling against the cage.
Suokuokka has Nadir pressed against the cage.
Suokuokka swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nadir is stalling here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Suokuokka wants a takedown but no success here.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Nadir. Those never looked like landing.
Nadir misses the shot to the body.

Suokuokka moves into the clinch successfully.
A head punch on the inside from Suokuokka fails to land.
Nadir working Suokuokka over with knees to the body.
Nadir taking a breather.
Suokuokka tries to break the clinch but Nadir is controlling the position.
Nadir is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for Suokuokka to work.
Nadir trying to stall but Suokuokka improves his position.
Nadir has Suokuokka pressed against the cage, preventing Suokuokka from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Suokuokka misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Nadir takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Suokuokka is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nadir stalling against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Abed Nadir.
Nadir tries to bum rush Suokuokka with a series of wild strikes but Suokuokka uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nadir throws a right hand that Suokuokka ducks under and follows up with a left that Suokuokka also avoids with ease.
Suokuokka thinks about the counter body kick.
Nadir tries to clinch up but Suokuokka circles away and keeps his distance.
Suokuokka ducks under a wild hook from Nadir.
Nadir ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Suokuokka moves away.

Suokuokka moves into the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Suokuokka as Nadir tries to tie him up.
Suokuokka effectively controlling the action here.
Nadir stalling in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Suokuokka content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Nadir is struggling to control the position.
Suokuokka controlling the action here for a moment.
Suokuokka leaning his opponent against the cage.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Stalling in the clinch from Nadir.
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 Abed Nadir will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Nadir digs a good body shot into Suokuokka's ribs.
Abed Nadir is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nadir connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Suokuokka's hands.

Suokuokka clinches up against the cage.
Suokuokka misses with a hook from the clinch.

Suokuokka breaks from the clinch.

Nadir clinches up against the cage.
Suokuokka has a couple of punches blocked by Nadir.
Nadir managing to block the knees to the body from Suokuokka.
The referee calls for Nadir to work.
Suokuokka has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Nadir seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Suokuokka can turn it around.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nadir displaying some good clinch control by pressing Suokuokka up against the cage.
Suokuokka lands with a short shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suokuokka looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Suokuokka stalling.
Suokuokka working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Suokuokka on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Suokuokka stalling.
Nadir content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Nadir.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Nadir.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Nadir.
Nadir is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Abed Nadir.

Suokuokka rushes Nadir and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Suokuokka swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Suokuokka fails to pull guard.
Suokuokka lands with a left to the head.
Nadir pressing his opponent against the cage.
Suokuokka stalling in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suokuokka misses with a short punch on the inside.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Nadir misses with a body punch.
Suokuokka managing to block the knees to the body from Nadir.
Suokuokka wants to get back to striking at distance but Nadir won't allow it.
A right hand to the body from Nadir.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Nadir leaning his opponent against the cage.
Suokuokka is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's four 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.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Suokuokka tries for a takedown. No joy.
Abed Nadir has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Akseli Suokuokka.
Suokuokka displaying some good clinch control by pressing Nadir up against the cage.
Suokuokka tries to throw a body punch but Nadir avoids it by throwing Suokuokka back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Akseli Suokuokka.
I think Suokuokka 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Abed Nadir!
After winning the bout, Abed Nadir thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.