PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Erkki Heimolainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Asa Sharp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Heimolainen
vs
Sharp

180 cm
30
168 lbs
10 - 13 - 0

175 cm
33
168 lbs
23 - 13 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

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 10 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Erkki Heimolainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 13 - 2, fighting out of New York, Asa Sharp!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Heimolainen throws a combination that misses
and Sharp counters with a series of strikes. Heimolainen will be more careful next time no doubt.
Heimolainen lands a two punch combo.
Sharp takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Sharp stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Heimolainen avoids the head kick by Sharp.
Heimolainen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Sharp moves into the clinch.
Heimolainen wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Sharp has picked Heimolainen up - he's going for a ride! Sharp dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Heimolainen tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Sharp manages to move to mount!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Heimolainen tries to hold on but Sharp postures up.

Sharp wants to finish this one by submission but Heimolainen is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Sharp.
Sharp looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharp tries to control but Heimolainen wriggling away.
Heimolainen tries to lock up and control but Sharp gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Heimolainen really wants to buck Sharp off and get back to his feet.
Heimolainen tries to lock up and control but Sharp gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sharp trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Heimolainen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sharp landing strikes from the mount and Heimolainen is in trouble!
Sharp takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Sharp trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Heimolainen tries to hold on but Sharp pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sharp controlling the pace for now.
Sharp working the ground and pound effectively.
Heimolainen is in all sorts of trouble here.
Heimolainen is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sharp moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Heimolainen has worked his arm free - good work by Heimolainen!
Sharp wants to control but Heimolainen is keeping him busy.
Heimolainen is trying to get back to half guard.

Sharp decides to stand back up.
Heimolainen's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Heimolainen duly obliges.
Heimolainen throws a right and a left that Sharp avoids nicely.
Sharp shoots in and drives through. Heimolainen sprawls well.
Sharp tries to close the distance and clinch but Heimolainen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Heimolainen throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

Sharp closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heimolainen jumps guard but Sharp turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Heimolainen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sharp has him pressed against the cage.

Sharp escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sharp dives in and grabs Heimolainen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Heimolainen pushes down on Sharp's head and hops out.

Heimolainen darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sharp wants to stand back up but Heimolainen manages to pass into side control.
Heimolainen wants to control but Sharp is keeping him busy.
Heimolainen advances nicely into full mount.
Heimolainen tries to control but Sharp wriggling away.

Heimolainen is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Sharp has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Sharp!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Asa Sharp dominated that round.
That's time! Heimolainen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Heimolainen is looking to slow Sharp down with leg kicks.

Sharp closes the distance and clinches.
Heimolainen goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sharp prevents it.
Heimolainen tries to pull guard but Sharp holds him up against the cage and eventually Heimolainen drops back down to his feet.

Heimolainen works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Heimolainen slips nicely into half guard.
Heimolainen is thwarting Sharp's attempts to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sharp pushes Heimolainen off but Heimolainen dives into side control.
Sharp manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heimolainen wants to take a breather but Sharp is having none of it.
Sharp wants to get back to his feet.
Heimolainen is trying to control the action in half guard but Sharp is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sharp wants to get back to full guard.
Sharp wants to control but Heimolainen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sharp blocking the ground and pound attempt from Heimolainen.

Sharp looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Heimolainen wants to free his trapped foot but Sharp is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Sharp pushes Heimolainen off looking to stand but Heimolainen dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sharp is staying active underneath Heimolainen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sharp is trying to control but can't.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Heimolainen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Heimolainen throws a right hand that Sharp ducks under and follows up with a left that Sharp also avoids with ease.
Sharp throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Sharp displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Heimolainen.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erkki Heimolainen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Heimolainen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sharp sprawls well. Sharp wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Heimolainen gets slowly back to his feet.
A punch combination from Heimolainen misses.
Sharp steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Heimolainen.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sharp is defended easily by Heimolainen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sharp throws a half hearted mid kick.
Heimolainen tries a head kick but it misses.
Heimolainen fails to land with a series of punches.
Heimolainen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sharp's waist but Sharp gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Heimolainen off to one side.
A combination from Heimolainen does no damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Sharp fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Heimolainen to the ground. Sharp is now in Heimolainen's guard.
Asa Sharp has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sharp slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Sharp decides to stand back up.
Heimolainen shoots and misses
and Sharp counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Heimolainen misses with a few strikes there.

Heimolainen tries to keep at a distance but Sharp has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sharp wants to take the fight to the mat but Heimolainen manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sharp keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Heimolainen's efforts to push away.

Heimolainen lands a takedown into guard.
Heimolainen prevents Sharp from getting back to his feet.
Sharp looking to control.
Heimolainen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Heimolainen trying to control but Sharp is working from the bottom.
Heimolainen tries to free his leg and advance position but Sharp is retaining full guard.
Sharp is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Heimolainen throwing strikes from guard but Sharp blocks nicely.
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 Erkki Heimolainen will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Heimolainen doesn't manage to clinch there - Sharp circles away.
Sharp looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Heimolainen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sharp's waist but Sharp gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Heimolainen off to one side.
Sharp was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Heimolainen looks to land a combination but Sharp avoids it well.
Sharp stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sharp wants it to stay on the feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Heimolainen jumps into guard, dragging Sharp to the mat.
Sharp tries to free his leg and advance position but Heimolainen is retaining full guard.
Sharp is standing up over Heimolainen. Heimolainen looks to escape but Sharp dives into side control.
Sharp wants to lay and pray for a moment but Heimolainen keeps working.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sharp is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Heimolainen wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heimolainen is trying to get back to half guard.
Heimolainen is working hard here to advance position.
Sharp in side control lands a decent elbow.
Sharp wants to control but Heimolainen is keeping him busy.
Heimolainen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sharp wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Heimolainen manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Sharp wants to control but Heimolainen is keeping him busy.
Heimolainen is trying to maintain the position but Sharp is very close to passing his half guard.
Sharp is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heimolainen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sharp is working away from the top position though.
Sharp working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Sharp seems to be working for a kimura but Heimolainen defends the submission attempt.
Heimolainen is trying to maintain the position but Sharp is very close to passing his half guard.
Sharp slows the pace down in half guard.
Heimolainen trying to control but Sharp postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sharp feints and as Heimolainen raises his hands in defense, Sharp changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Heimolainen kicks Sharp off and gets to his feet.
Erkki Heimolainen is winning the standup battle so far.
Heimolainen shoots in looking for a takedown. Sharp tries to sprawl out of it but Heimolainen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sharp manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erkki Heimolainen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Heimolainen misses with a combination

and Sharp counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sharp is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Heimolainen throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sharp passes Heimolainen's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Sharp with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Sharp landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Heimolainen wants to improve his position but Sharp is controlling well.

Heimolainen pushes Sharp off and gets back to his feet.
A looping hook to the body misses from Heimolainen. Sharp does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sharp appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sharp looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Heimolainen is fending him off so far but Sharp persists. Nope, Heimolainen circles away and we're back to standing.
Heimolainen has his takedown stuffed
and Sharp counters with a two punch combo.

And that's the end of the fight!
Asa Sharp comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sharp 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

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