PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Antti Karhu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arvo Penaali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karhu comes to the cage accompanied by Samuli Edelmann - Teit meistä kauniin. Penaali has chosen Immortal Technique - Obnoxius as his entrance music. Arvo Penaali is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Karhu
vs
Penaali

176 cm
31
138 lbs
25 - 13 - 1

180 cm
41
140 lbs
30 - 15 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Antti Karhu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 15 - 1, fighting out of New York, Arvo Penaali!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karhu throws a right hand that misses
and Penaali counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Penaali lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Penaali avoids the body shot from Karhu.
Penaali moves into range and connects with a jab.
Karhu looks to throw the jab but Penaali is out of range.
Karhu moves away from the strike by Penaali.
Karhu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Penaali manages to avoid it.
Karhu misses with a left hand
enabling Penaali to counter with a crisp jab.
Karhu throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Penaali tries to bum rush Karhu with a series of wild strikes but Karhu uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Penaali throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Karhu misses with a hook. Penaali ducked under it nicely.
Penaali swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Karhu.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Penaali takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karhu connects with a right hand. Penaali shakes it off.
Karhu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Penaali swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Karhu misses with a body shot.
Penaali changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Karhu throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Penaali stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Karhu looks to land a left hand but Penaali moved out of range nicely.
Karhu throws a body punch but Penaali moves out of range.
Karhu is looking to wear down Penaali with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
A jab from Karhu misses.
Penaali throws out a counter right but Karhu avoids it with no problem.
Penaali throws a combination that misses

and Karhu holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Karhu lands a nice uppercut.
Penaali has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Karhu after a bit of a struggle.
Karhu stops a takedown attempt from Penaali.
Penaali dodges an elbow strike from Karhu.
Penaali dodges an elbow strike from Karhu.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Karhu just misses with a elbow thrown towards Penaali's brow.

Penaali is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Karhu can't fight it off and eventually Penaali manages to take the fight to the floor. Karhu looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Karhu really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Penaali in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Karhu managing to control the position.
Penaali with a flurry of punches that miss.
Penaali content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Karhu escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Penaali gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Penaali stays in close to Karhu's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penaali stopping the sweep attempt from Karhu.

Karhu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Karhu wants to sweep but no luck.

Karhu working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Penaali doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Penaali manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Karhu has momentary wrist control but Penaali slips an elbow through the middle.
Karhu looking for a sweep. Not yet Karhu, not yet.
Penaali postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Penaali passes Karhu's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Karhu keeping hold of Penaali's head, controlling as best he can.
Penaali not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Penaali wants to control but Karhu is keeping him busy.
Karhu blocking the ground and pound attempt from Penaali.
Karhu taking some punishment here, with Penaali in his half guard.
Penaali is looking to take a break and control but Karhu is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Arvo Penaali will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A big right from Karhu misses.
Penaali keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Karhu.
Karhu misses with a few strikes there.
Karhu misses with an uppercut.
Karhu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Penaali swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Penaali steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Karhu.
Penaali throws out a counter right but Karhu avoids it with no problem.

Karhu clinches with his opponent.
Penaali wants a takedown.
Karhu prevents the takedown attempt.
Karhu tries to throw a body punch but Penaali avoids it by throwing Karhu back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Penaali gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Penaali is in close to Karhu's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Penaali throws a big right hand that misses.
Penaali stays in close to Karhu's body and controls the position.
We've been informed that Penaali has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karhu is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Penaali trying to control the position from guard on top but Karhu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Penaali sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Karhu's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karhu trying to control here.
Karhu wants to get back to full guard.
Karhu trying to control here.
Karhu is controlling Penaali's trapped leg to prevent Penaali from advancing to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Karhu works his way to full guard. Good work.
Penaali sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Karhu's guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Penaali lands a nice short elbow.

Penaali is looking for a kimura but Karhu is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Penaali to get the leverage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Penaali is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Karhu tries to get to full guard but Penaali has control of the leg.
Karhu trying to hold on to Penaali's head to control him but Penaali postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karhu is trying to get back to full guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Penaali throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Penaali thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Karhu trying to hold on to Penaali's head to control him but Penaali postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Penaali throws out a powerful jab.

That's four 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.
Karhu connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Penaali momentarily.
Karhu changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Penaali tries to avoid it but Karhu manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Penaali to the ground. Penaali escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Karhu tries to clinch there but Penaali circles away.
Penaali jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Karhu connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Karhu will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Penaali takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Karhu displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Penaali.
Antti Karhu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arvo Penaali.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Penaali dips to his left and cracks Karhu with an uppercut!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Arvo Penaali will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Karhu misses the jab.
Nice jab there from Karhu.
Karhu takes a swing at Penaali's ribcage but misses.
Penaali throws a counter combo.
Karhu connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Penaali's hands.
Penaali showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Karhu.
Penaali unleashes a big counter combination but Karhu bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Karhu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Antti Karhu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Penaali lands with a hook. Karhu tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Penaali throws a looping overhand right but Karhu ducks down to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karhu throws a body shot but no joy.
Penaali fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Karhu throws a looping overhand right but Penaali ducks down to avoid it.
Penaali fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penaali fails with an attempt to clinch.

Penaali fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Karhu to the ground. Penaali is now in Karhu's guard.

Karhu looking for a guillotine here but Penaali defends easily.

Karhu is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Penaali defends well.

Karhu escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Penaali gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penaali pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karhu is keeping the position for now.
Karhu is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Karhu is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Penaali is aware though and is defending well.
Karhu keeping moving, preventing Penaali from controlling successfully.

Penaali avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karhu looking for a sweep. Not yet Karhu, not yet.
Karhu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Karhu is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Penaali trying to control but Karhu is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Antti Karhu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Karhu just misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Karhu takes a swing at Penaali's ribcage but misses.
Karhu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Penaali.
Karhu loads up on a big right hand but Penaali slips the punch.
A nice side step and Penaali releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Karhu tries to move into range but Penaali moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Karhu dives in for a single leg takedown but Penaali sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Karhu swings away with a body shot that misses

and Penaali moves into the clinch.
Karhu lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Penaali goes for a takedown in the clinch but Karhu prevents it.
Karhu misses with a hook to the ribs.
Karhu throws an elbow but it misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Karhu tries to work over Penaali's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Penaali tries to circle away but Karhu has him pinned against the cage.

Penaali manages to break the clinch.
Arvo Penaali is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Karhu lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Penaali circles away quickly and effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antti Karhu showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Penaali 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arvo Penaali!