PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Floyd Whitaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pekka Pera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Whitaker
vs
Pera

185 cm
21
203 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

150 cm
18
192 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Floyd Whitaker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pekka Pera!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Paul Tew and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pera lands with a good body shot.
Whitaker wants to clinch.
Pera misses with a wild body shot.
As Pera looks to move away, Whitaker throws a big counter combo but Pera just gets out of the way.
Good standup being displayed there by Pera as he connects with a hook.
Pera lands a body shot.
Pera fails to land the takedown.
Whitaker looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pera throws a hook but Whitaker avoids it easily.
Whitaker tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Pera manages to circle out of the way.
Pekka Pera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pera with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Whitaker scores with a nice short uppercut.

It looks like Pekka Pera has been cut.
Whitaker prevents a body shot from Pera.
Still in the clinch, Pera scores with a nice short uppercut.
Whitaker misses with the head strike.
Pera lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Pera misses with a short punch on the inside.
A short right from Whitaker on the inside.
Whitaker looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Whitaker swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Whitaker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Pera tries for a takedown. No joy.
Pera tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Whitaker's elbow.
I was talking to Whitaker's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Pera digs a right hand underneath Whitaker's ribcage. Whitaker let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Pera tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Whitaker's elbow.
Pera softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Pera misses with a hook to the ribs.

Pera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pera tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Pera throws a leg kick but Whitaker sees it coming and moves out of range.
Whitaker went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Pera has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Whitaker takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pera throws an overhand right that lands on Whitaker's shoulder, as Whitaker tries to avoid the shot.
Whitaker steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Pera.
Pera checks the leg kick.
Whitaker checks a leg kick.
Pera shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Pera just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromWhitaker.
Pera looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Whitaker feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Floyd Whitaker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pekka Pera.
Whitaker doesn't manage to clinch there - Pera circles away.
Pera thumps Whitaker with a low kick.
Pera takes a swing at Whitaker's ribcage but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker tries to clinch but Pera is having none of it.
Whitaker ducks right into an uppercut from Pera.
Pera throws a lazy right hand but Whitaker sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Pera shoots in looking for a takedown but Whitaker manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Pera's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Whitaker stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Whitaker wants it to stay on the feet.
Pera swings widly with a right hand
and Whitaker counters with a stiff right hand.
Pera misses with a wild body shot.

Whitaker moves into the clinch.
Whitaker is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Pera to keep the fight standing.
Whitaker lands with a light punch inside.

Pera gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Still in half guard, Pera seems content to control.
Whitaker manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Whitaker working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pera doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Pera manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Pera wants to control from the top but Whitaker keeps moving.
Whitaker working a defensive guard here.
Whitaker is adopting a defensive guard.
Pera controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pekka Pera dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pekka Pera's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pera throws a leg kick
and Whitaker counters with an inside leg kick.
Pera throws a big shot that misses.
Whitaker throwing a counter right hand but Pera manages to avoid it.

Whitaker moves into the clinch successfully.
Whitaker jumps guard but Pera turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Whitaker lands a right hand.
Whitaker lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Whitaker throws a punch but it's blocked by Pera.
Pera lands with a light punch inside.
Whitaker misses with a hook from the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Pera.
Whitaker doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pera lands an uppercut.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Pera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A slapping leg kick lands for Pera.
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!
Whitaker checks a low kick from Pera.
Whitaker is looking to counter punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pera throws a low kick but it's checked well by Whitaker.
Whitaker seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Floyd Whitaker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pera misses with a hook.
Pera changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Pera fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Whitaker looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Whitaker blocks a jab.
Pera swats away the attempt to clinch by Whitaker.
Whitaker keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Whitaker throws a quick counter head kick but Pera was just out of range.
Pera misses with a straight left.
Whitaker seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Pera ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Pera throws a big shot that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pera misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Whitaker.
Whitaker tried to counter with a leg kick but Pera avoided it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Whitaker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pekka Pera seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pera misses with a shot to the body
and Whitaker counters with a head kick.
Pera scores with a hook.
Pera looks to score with a jab to the body but Whitaker is just out of range.
Pera fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Whitaker is out of range.
Whitaker appears to be looking for a big counter.
An inside leg kick lands from Whitaker.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pera pivots, looking for a leg kick but Whitaker is out of range and Pera settles back down.
Whitaker keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Whitaker looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Pera there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Pera misses with a straight left.
Whitaker is looking to counter the offense by Pera and move into the clinch.
Floyd Whitaker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pera jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Pera sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Whitaker closes the distance and clinches.
Whitaker misses with some punches.
Pera lands a right hand.
Whitaker lands an uppercut.

Whitaker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pera misses with a jab to the body
and Whitaker counters with a good low kick that Pera was not able to check.
Pera is breathing heavily.
Pera misses with a looping right.
It looked like Whitaker was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Whitaker throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker wants to clinch.
Pera scoring well with a low kick there.
Pera waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Whitaker.
Whitaker appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Whitaker throws a jab but it's blocked by Pera.
A leg kick checked by Pera.
Pera has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Whitaker wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Pekka Pera will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Pekka Pera's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Whitaker takes one to the side of the head.
Pera shoots in but no luck this time.
Whitaker appears to be looking for a big counter.
Whitaker defending well as Pera loads up on a big left hand.
It looked like Whitaker was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Pera 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.

Pera shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Whitaker napping and manages to drive through into side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitaker manages to work his way to half guard, despite Pera's best efforts.
Whitaker is trying to control but can't.
Whitaker taking some punishment here, with Pera in his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pera trying to control from half guard but Whitaker is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Pera connects with a nice short shot to Whitaker's temple.
Whitaker tries to roll over but Pera keeps him under control.
Pera slips a nice elbow through Whitaker's hands, connecting with Whitaker's forehead.
Whitaker moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Whitaker lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Pera keeping moving, preventing Whitaker from controlling successfully.
Pera has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Pera looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Floyd Whitaker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker wants to control from the top but Pera keeps moving.
Whitaker seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Whitaker wants to control from the top but Pera keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Whitaker accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Whitaker throwing strikes from guard but Pera blocks nicely.
Whitaker wants to control from the top but Pera keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pera drives through with a takedown into guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Whitaker manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Whitaker fails to land.
A head punch on the inside from Pera fails to land.
Pera trying to control the position but instead, Whitaker has worked for underhooks and has pushed Pera into the cage.
Whitaker softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Pera throws a head punch that misses.
Whitaker is working Pera over against the cage.
Whitaker misses with a short punch on the inside.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Pera creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Pera dodges an elbow strike from Whitaker.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Whitaker tries a body shot but Pera blocks it.
Pera stalling in the clinch but Whitaker improves position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Pera scores with a nice short uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Pera.

Whitaker pulls Pera into guard.
Whitaker wants to sweep here but Pera controlling him for the moment.
Whitaker working a defensive guard here.
Pera connects with a couple of short punches.
Pera working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Whitaker's head.
Whitaker trying to keep a closed guard but Pera is proving a slippery customer.
Pera working some strikes from top position.
Pera cracks Whitaker with a solid left hand.
Whitaker keeping moving, preventing Pera from controlling successfully.

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 Floyd Whitaker.
I think Pera 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Pekka Pera!
A relieved looking Pekka Pera thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.