PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Juha Ahokas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ari Kantola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ahokas's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, ...Baby one more time!. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Ahokas
vs
Kantola

192 cm
42
280 lbs
38 - 23 - 1

185 cm
37
276 lbs
30 - 15 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 38 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Juha Ahokas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ari Kantola!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Eddie Farnsworth and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kantola throws a head kick that Ahokas semi-blocks.

It looks like Juha Ahokas has been cut.
Kantola tries to clinch but Ahokas moves away
and Ahokas connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ahokas looks to score with a jab to the body but Kantola is just out of range.
Kantola keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kantola is looking to clinch but Ahokas is avoiding it.
A head kick misses from Kantola.
Ari Kantola seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kantola tries for a takedown but Ahokas sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Kantola clinches with his opponent.
Kantola tries to work over Ahokas's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
With the fighters up against the cage, Kantola throws an elbow but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kantola creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Ahokas's defenses.
Kantola tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ahokas blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kantola with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kantola has a couple of punches blocked by Ahokas.
Kantola dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahokas content to slow the pace in the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Kantola just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ahokas's brow.
Ahokas trying to stall but Kantola improves his position.
Kantola's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Kantola misses with an elbow over the top.
Kantola lands an elbow that stopped Ahokas in his tracks for a moment.
Kantola tries to land a knee to the head but Ahokas blocks with his arms.
Kantola is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Ahokas gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Kantola keeping control of the position.
Ahokas thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kantola has his hands clasped together around Ahokas's back. He's all about the action.
Kantola is looking to improve his position.
Kantola has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ahokas is working away from the top position though.
Kantola moves into full guard.
Kantola managing to control the position.
Kantola is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kantola trying to control the position here.
Ahokas postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kantola seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Kantola is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Kantola performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Ahokas desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Kantola is looking to advance position but Ahokas won't allow it.
Kantola sitting and controlling from the half guard.
My spies in 3Band MMA ($500/week) inform me that Kantola has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kantola wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ahokas keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kantola controlling the action here.
Kantola trying to pass the guard but Ahokas defending well.
Ahokas is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kantola content to control rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Kantola dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Juha Ahokas's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kantola throws a sloppy head kick

and Ahokas counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Ahokas trying to control the action but Kantola is working from the bottom.
Ahokas drops an elbow to the side of Kantola's head.
Kantola is looking to improve his position.
Kantola controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Kantola tries to get to full guard but Ahokas has control of the leg.
Ahokas not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kantola is trying to control but can't.
Ahokas lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ahokas wants to pass the guard but Kantola is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahokas missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ahokas lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Kantola is looking for a sweep. Ahokas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kantola gets full guard.
Kantola seems keen to control Ahokas's posture.
Kantola looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ahokas is one step ahead there.
Ahokas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ahokas lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kantola is trying to keep Ahokas in close.
Ahokas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ahokas showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ahokas wants to control from the top but Kantola keeps moving.
Kantola is pulling down on Ahokas's head. It's preventing any offense from Ahokas, at least for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kantola keeping moving, preventing Ahokas from controlling successfully.
Juha Ahokas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kantola managing to control the position.
Kantola avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kantola is adopting a defensive guard.
Kantola is continuing to stall.
Ahokas is in close to Kantola's body, working some short punches and elbows.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kantola is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kantola slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ahokas keeping moving, preventing Kantola from controlling successfully.
Kantola is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Kantola looking to pass the guard.
Ahokas keeping moving, preventing Kantola from controlling successfully.
Kantola stays in close to Ahokas's body and controls the position.
Kantola trying to control the position from guard on top but Ahokas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kantola content to stall in guard here.
Kantola wants to control from the top but Ahokas keeps moving.
Ahokas seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Kantola is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kantola just misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juha Ahokas dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Juha Ahokas's cut.
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. This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kantola tries to land a knee to the head but Ahokas blocks with his arms.
Ahokas blocks a body shot from Kantola.
Kantola missing with knees to the body.

Ahokas works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Ahokas trying to control the position from guard on top but Kantola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ahokas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ahokas has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ahokas pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kantola is keeping the position for now.
Ahokas postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kantola pulls Ahokas in close to his closed guard and prevents Ahokas from doing any damage or advancing position.
Kantola is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ahokas preventing the sweep.
Ahokas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahokas wants to control from the top but Kantola keeps moving.
Kantola is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Ahokas working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kantola's head.
Ahokas stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kantola swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ahokas trying to control but Kantola is working from the bottom.
Ahokas preventing the sweep.
Ahokas with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ahokas scoring with some ground and pound.
Ahokas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kantola works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ahokas preventing the sweep.
Kantola lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Kantola controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ahokas has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kantola wants to control from the top but Ahokas keeps moving.
Kantola controls from within his opponent's guard.
Kantola trying to control the position from guard on top but Ahokas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kantola slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kantola controlling the action here.
Kantola wants to pass the guard but Ahokas is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kantola trying to control the action but Ahokas is working from the bottom.
Kantola slows the pace down in half guard.
Kantola stalling away here and it's allowed Ahokas to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Kantola wants to control from the top but Ahokas keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kantola is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Ahokas is trying to control the position but Kantola postures up.
Kantola wants to control from the top but Ahokas keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ahokas gets tackled into the cage by Kantola. Kantola maintains the clinch.
Kantola missing with knees to the body.
Kantola with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kantola misses with a hook from the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kantola misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kantola misses with a punch on the inside.
Ahokas blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kantola with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ari Kantola comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kantola 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ari Kantola!
In his post fight interview, Ari Kantola started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.
The defeated Juha Ahokas had this to say: 'Sucker!'.