PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Johan Hegg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Heimo Haba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hegg comes to the cage accompanied by Twilight of the Thunder God. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Hegg
vs
Haba

183 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
21
169 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Johan Hegg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Heimo Haba!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hegg tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hegg circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hegg tries for a takedown but Haba sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Haba tries to clinch up.

Hegg instigates a clinch.
Haba taking a breather.
Haba keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hegg's efforts to push away.
Haba tries to land knees in the clinch but Hegg avoids the damage to the body.

Hegg breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Haba tries to clinch up but Hegg circles away and keeps his distance.

Haba has taken the fight to the clinch.

Hegg breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Haba is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Heimo Haba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Haba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hegg moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Haba tests Hegg's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hegg circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hegg misses with a head kick.
Haba swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Hegg throws a nice outside leg kick.
Haba tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hegg paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hegg misses with the combination.

Haba rushes Hegg and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hegg wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Haba trying to stall but Hegg improves his position.
Hegg prevents a body shot from Haba.
Hegg tries to break free but Haba pushes him back against the cage.

Hegg's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Haba forces Hegg back against the cage and clinches.
Hegg misses with a knee strike.

Hegg escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Haba walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Hegg pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Haba has closed the distance and engaged Hegg in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haba throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hegg blocks it with crossed arms.

Hegg breaks the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hegg throws a head kick but Haba moves out of range.
Haba was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.

Hegg clinches with his opponent.
Haba misses with a hook from the clinch.

Hegg jumps guard.

Haba stands up and waves to Hegg to follow him.
Haba tries to clinch there but Hegg circles away.
Heimo Haba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A head kick misses from Hegg.
Haba doesn't manage to clinch there - Hegg circles away.
Hegg jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Haba tries to clinch up.
Nice cross by Haba.

Haba rushes Hegg and presses him up against the cage.
Haba missing with knees to the body.
Hegg is trying to push Haba away but Haba has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Haba lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haba looking to slow down the pace here.

Hegg ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Hegg no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Haba told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

Haba gets to his feet - Hegg follows without any prompting.
Hegg throws a head kick that misses.
Haba is looking to clinch but Hegg is avoiding it.
Haba tries to close the distance and clinch but Hegg swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Haba fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hegg manages to avoid it.
Haba moves in looking to clinch but Hegg pushes him off.

Haba clinches with his opponent.
Haba with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hegg tries to pull guard but Haba won't allow it.
Hegg on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hegg tries to break the clinch but Haba is controlling the position.
Haba tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hegg managing to block the knees to the body from Haba.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haba can't find room to land a body shot as Hegg controls the action.

Hegg jumps guard and drags Haba to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Haba stands and steps away. Hegg gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Haba is looking to clinch but Hegg is avoiding it.
Hegg appears to be looking for a big counter.
Haba is looking to clinch but Hegg is avoiding it.
Hegg throws a head kick that misses.
Hegg pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A little jabbing left from Haba on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Hegg is breathing heavily.
Hegg swats away the attempt to clinch by Haba.
Hegg tries to counter by clinching up but Haba breaks away and moves out of range.
Haba is looking to clinch but Hegg is avoiding it.
Haba tries to clinch there but Hegg circles away.
Hegg appears to be looking for a big counter.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A head kick misses from Hegg.
Haba moves in looking to clinch but Hegg pushes him off.
Haba tries to clinch up but Hegg circles away and keeps his distance.

Haba clinches.
Hegg fails to pull guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johan Hegg dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hegg connects with a leg kick. Haba looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Haba tries to clinch up.

Haba instigates a clinch.
Hegg fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hegg.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Haba.
Haba doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Haba lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Hegg breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Haba tries to clinch there but Hegg circles away.
Haba tries to clinch but Hegg is having none of it.
Hegg tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Johan Hegg is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hegg throws a series of punches but Haba avoids them all with ease.
Haba tries to clinch there but Hegg circles away.
Hegg moves out of range as Haba strikes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Haba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hegg swats away the attempt to clinch by Haba.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haba tries to clinch but Hegg moves out of range.
Haba looks to score with a jab to the body but Hegg is just out of range.
Haba closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hegg makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Haba really felt that one!
Hegg tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hegg misses with a two punch combination.
Haba tries to clinch up
and Hegg counters with a one-two to the body.

Hegg tries to keep at a distance but Haba has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hegg wants to break the clinch but can't.
Haba tries to land knees in the clinch but Hegg avoids the damage to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Hegg's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Hegg fails to pull guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hegg looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hegg is trying to pull guard but Haba turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johan Hegg. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Haba utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Haba with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Haba utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
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!
Haba using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hegg has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Nice elbow from Haba.
Haba looking to throw knees to the head but Hegg is blocking nicely.
A knee to the head by Hegg.
Haba lands a nice knee to the body.
Haba is struggling to control the position.
Hegg misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Haba.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haba misses with a knee strike.
Haba swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hegg blocks an elbow strike.
Hegg misses with a punch on the inside.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Hegg's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Hegg managing to block the knees to the body from Haba.
Haba working Hegg over with knees to the body.
Haba prevents Hegg from breaking the clinch.
Hegg jumps guard but Haba turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Hegg avoiding damage as Haba throws knees to the body.
Haba can't find room to land a body shot as Hegg controls the action.
Haba misses with a knee strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haba using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hegg has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Haba with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Haba struggles to land a body shot inside as Hegg controls his hands.
Haba tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Haba lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Hegg blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hegg lands a left hand.
Haba creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hegg.
Haba looks to throw an elbow but misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Hegg manages to break the clinch.
Hegg plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
A slapping body kick lands there for Hegg.
Haba is looking to clinch but Hegg is avoiding it.
Haba is looking to clinch but Hegg is avoiding it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heimo Haba showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Haba throws out a powerful jab.

Haba closes the distance and clinches.
Haba pushes off an throws an elbow but Hegg leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hegg can't break the clinch.
Hegg wants to break the clinch but can't.
Haba throws an elbow but it misses.

Hegg pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hegg throws a nice looking combination but Haba bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hegg circles away from the clinch attempt
and Hegg counters with a series of strikes. Haba will be more careful next time no doubt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haba is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Hegg misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Haba clinches.
Hegg slowing the pace effectively.
Hegg tries to pull guard but Haba holds him up against the cage and eventually Hegg drops back down to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hegg tries to break the clinch but Haba is controlling the position.
Haba looking to throw knees to the head but Hegg is blocking nicely.
Haba working Hegg over with knees to the body.
Haba scores a nice knee to the body.
Haba with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A knee to the head by Haba.
Haba struggles to land a body shot inside as Hegg controls his hands.
Haba creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Haba using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Haba just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hegg's brow.
Haba pushes off an throws an elbow but Hegg leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Heimo Haba seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Hegg is trying to stall.
Knees to the body from Haba.
Haba working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hegg.
Haba landing knees to the head.
Haba connects with a knee to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Haba with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Knees in the clinch landing for Haba.
Haba tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Hegg escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Haba tries to clinch but Hegg moves out of range.
Hegg throws a head kick but Haba moves out of range.
Haba tries to clinch up but Hegg circles away and keeps his distance.
Haba avoids the head kick by Hegg.
Haba bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Hegg's head.
Johan Hegg is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hegg on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

Haba clinches up with Hegg and pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haba tries to land knees in the clinch but Hegg avoids the damage to the body.

Hegg's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hegg scores with a head kick. Haba tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Hegg misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Haba tries to clinch but Hegg moves out of range.
Haba tries to clinch there but Hegg circles away.
Hegg seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
A head kick misses from Hegg.

Haba gets a clinch.
Hegg wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Haba has him pressed against the cage.
Hegg is trying to pull guard but Haba has him pressed against the cage.
Hegg wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Haba tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Haba lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Haba throws a knee to the head but misses.

Hegg pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haba tries to close the distance and clinch but Hegg swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hegg lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Haba is looking to clinch.
It looked like Hegg was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Haba tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hegg keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hegg motions for Haba to come forward. Hegg throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Good leg kick by Hegg there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Haba tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hegg swats him away and circles back towards the center.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Haba closes the distance and clinches.
Haba lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Haba misses with a knee strike.
Hegg is trying to pull guard but Haba turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johan Hegg. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hegg tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nice elbow from Haba.

Hegg manages to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Heimo Haba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Haba 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Heimo Haba!