PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sol Campbell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lauri Lintunen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lauri Lintunen is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Campbell
vs
Lintunen

180 cm
23
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Sol Campbell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Lauri Lintunen!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, James Ackerman and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lintunen drives through and clinches with Campbell against the cage.
Campbell has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Lintunen after a bit of a struggle.
Campbell jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Lintunen walks away with a smile on his face. Campbell gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Lintunen tries for a takedown but Campbell sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Lintunen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Campbell throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Lintunen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Campbell tries to avoid it but Lintunen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Campbell to the ground. Campbell escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sol Campbell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lauri Lintunen.
Campbell throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Lintunen.
Campbell tries a head kick but it misses.
Campbell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Campbell throws a sloppy head kick and Lintunen moves out of range easily.
Campbell throws a head kick that misses

and Lintunen counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Campbell is breathing heavily.
Lintunen with a knee to the head.
Lintunen is pressed up against the cage. Campbell has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lintunen down to the mat. Lintunen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Lintunen tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Campbell defends well and Lintunen ends up having to push Campbell into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Campbell is looking for a counter combo.
Lintunen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Campbell sprawls well. Campbell wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Lintunen gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lintunen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Campbell avoids it really well and circles away.

Lintunen darts in and clinches Campbell up against the cage.

Lintunen manages to break the clinch.
Campbell throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lintunen's waist but Lintunen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Campbell off to one side.

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

Lintunen wants the takedown. Campbell is fighting it off but Lintunen persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Campbell's guard against the cage.
Lintunen throwing strikes from guard but Campbell blocks nicely.

Lintunen stands and steps away. Campbell gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lintunen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Campbell sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Campbell tries a head kick but it misses.

Lintunen gets a clinch.
Lintunen wants to take the fight to the mat but Campbell manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Lintunen manages to break the clinch.
Campbell throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lintunen wants to counter the offense by Campbell and move into the clinch position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Campbell stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Campbell wants it to stay on the feet.
Campbell tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lintunen swivels and escapes.
Nice sprawl there from Campbell as Lintunen shoots in.
Lintunen avoids the head kick by Campbell.

Lintunen scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Lintunen stands up and beckons Campbell to his feet.
Lintunen fails to land the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Campbell throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lintunen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Campbell closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Campbell lands in his opponent's guard.

Lintunen pushes Campbell off and scrambles back to his feet.
Campbell misses with an attempted mid kick.
Lintunen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nice body kick from Lintunen.

Lintunen closes the distance and pushes Campbell back into the cage.

Campbell has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Lintunen uses from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lintunen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Lintunen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Campbell looking to control.
Lintunen is stalling in the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lauri Lintunen will probably get the nod.
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.

Lintunen fails with a takedown attempt.
Campbell throws a head kick but Lintunen moves out of range.
Campbell tries to bum rush Lintunen with a series of wild strikes but Lintunen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lintunen wants to counter the offense by Campbell and move into the clinch position.
Campbell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lintunen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Campbell moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromLintunen.

Lintunen pushes Campbell up against the cage in a clinch.
Campbell misses with a knee strike.
Lintunen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Campbell's defenses.

It looks like Sol Campbell has been cut.
Campbell is looking to break free of the clinch but Lintunen has double underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lintunen drops down looking for an ankle pick but Campbell pulls his leg out and moves away.
Lintunen fails with the takedown.
Sol Campbell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lauri Lintunen.
Campbell slips a jab and a cross from Lintunen.
Campbell swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Campbell leaves Lintunen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Sol Campbell is winning the standup battle so far.
Campbell throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
As Campbell backs off Lintunen throws a huge counter combo but Campbell manages to avoid it all.
Campbell throws a right and a left that both miss.
Lintunen shoots in for a takedown but Campbell shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Campbell looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Lintunen pushes Campbell up against the cage in a clinch.
Campbell stops a takedown attempt from Lintunen.

Lintunen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Campbell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lintunen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Lintunen closes the distance and pushes Campbell back into the cage.
Campbell is trying to force a seperation but Lintunen has the dominant position.
Campbell can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lintunen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Campbell uses from the top position.

Campbell gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Lintunen gets a clinch.

Lintunen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lintunen scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lintunen on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Campbell. Campbell obviously looking to wear him down.
Lintunen fails to land the takedown.
Campbell scores with a head kick.
Campbell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Lintunen.
Lintunen throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Campbell misses with a low kick.
Campbell pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Campbell. No joy for Lintunen on that attempt.
Campbell misses with a kick to the body
and Lintunen counters with a body kick that stops Campbell in his tracks momentarily.
Sloppy strikes from Lintunen. Those never looked like landing.
Lintunen stuffs the takedown.
Lintunen tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Campbell misses with a takedown attempt - Lintunen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Lintunen scores with a spinning back kick!
Lintunen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Campbell shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lintunen as he jumps to the side.
Lintunen is looking for the big counter here.
Sol Campbell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lintunen shoots in and bounces Campbell off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Campbell manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Campbell leaves Lintunen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lintunen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lintunen blocks a head kick by Campbell.
Lintunen is trying to counter with his kicks.
Campbell displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Campbell keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
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 Sol Campbell will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Sol Campbell's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Campbell throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Campbell displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lintunen.
Campbell fails with a takedown attempt.
Lintunen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Campbell stuffs the takedown attempt from Lintunen. Lintunen gets slowly back to his feet.
Campbell throws a lazy head kick
and Lintunen counters with a three punch combo that has Campbell backing up. Campbell nods at Lintunen to acknowledge the strikes.
Lintunen scores with a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Campbell shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lintunen defends it nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lintunen darts in looking for a takedown but Campbell gets double underhooks and turns Lintunen into the cage.
Sol Campbell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lauri Lintunen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Campbell throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lintunen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Lintunen steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Campbell.

Lintunen moves into range and clinches up with Campbell.

Lintunen pulls guard.
Lintunen lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Lintunen gets to his feet - Campbell follows without any prompting.
Campbell throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Lintunen holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Lintunen drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Campbell pulls Lintunen into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lintunen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lintunen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Lintunen passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Lauri Lintunen has got the better of the ground game so far.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lintunen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Lintunen throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Lintunen throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Campbell is trying to escape the position but Lintunen is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Campbell avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Lintunen.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Campbell leaves Lintunen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lauri Lintunen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lintunen 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 James Atkins scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 29:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Lauri Lintunen!