PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Stiffler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Charalabos Koukodimos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Koukodimos has chosen Astarte - Mutter Astarte as his entrance music. Both these fighters are unbeaten, so somebody's 0 has got to go!Ben Stiffler has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Stiffler
vs
Koukodimos

190 cm
23
203 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
198 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Knockout power

ALL-STAR Nutrition (140 Recovery, $ 30)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ben Stiffler!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Charalabos Koukodimos!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stiffler loads up on a big right hand but Koukodimos slips the punch.
Stiffler swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Stiffler keeps the fight on the outside.
Stiffler scores with a hook to the body. Koukodimos takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Koukodimos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Koukodimos walks into a left hand.
Stiffler lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Koukodimos circles away quickly and effectively.
Stiffler tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Koukodimos counters with a takedown into side control.
Stiffler tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Koukodimos missing with punches from the back.
Koukodimos is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koukodimos is controlling the position but Stiffler somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
Stiffler is looking to escape.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Koukodimos in particular looking to stall.
Stiffler tries to kick Koukodimos off but Koukodimos keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Koukodimos keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Stiffler is trying to stand back up but Koukodimos is controlling him
Koukodimos takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Koukodimos is looking for a kimura but Stiffler is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Koukodimos to get the leverage.
Stiffler is trying to stand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Koukodimos thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stiffler's head.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Stiffler swats away the attempt to clinch by Koukodimos.
Stiffler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koukodimos.
Stiffler will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stiffler cracks Koukodimos with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Koukodimos shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Stiffler is breathing heavily.
Koukodimos thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stiffler's head.
Koukodimos controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
I looks like Koukodimos might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Koukodimos slips a nice elbow through Stiffler's hands, connecting with Stiffler's forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charalabos Koukodimos dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Koukodimos drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Stiffler takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Koukodimos taking a breather here.
Koukodimos throws an elbow but Stiffler slips to the side and avoids it well.
Koukodimos working away.
Stiffler is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Koukodimos is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stiffler trying to remain calm as Koukodimos controls from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stiffler is trying to buck Koukodimos off.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Koukodimos controls the position.
Stiffler is pushing Koukodimos's head away, looking to escape. Koukodimos manages to hold on to the position though.
A lull in the action here as Koukodimos stalls from top position.

Despite being in the dominant position, Charalabos Koukodimos just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stiffler throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Stiffler swings for the body but Koukodimos moves out of range.

Koukodimos darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Koukodimos 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.

Koukodimos is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Stiffler avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Koukodimos.
Koukodimos trying to control the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Koukodimos is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Stiffler sees it coming and defends easily.
Charalabos Koukodimos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Koukodimos content to control rather than advance.
Stiffler wants to get back to his feet.

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.
Koukodimos controlling the action here.
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. Koukodimos connects with a nice short shot to Stiffler's temple.
Koukodimos sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Stiffler wants to control but Koukodimos is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charalabos Koukodimos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A big left from Stiffler misses.
Stiffler rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Koukodimos moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Koukodimos looks to land a right hand but Stiffler moved out of range.
Ben Stiffler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Koukodimos looks to land a right hand but Stiffler moved out of range.
A shot to the body from Stiffler misses

and Koukodimos counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Stiffler!
Stiffler taking shots to the head.
Stiffler is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Koukodimos fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Koukodimos controlling from mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koukodimos fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Koukodimos controlling from mount.
Koukodimos unloading with bombs!
A nice elbow there by Koukodimos.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koukodimos cracks Stiffler with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Koukodimos controlling the pace for now.
Koukodimos looking to control but Stiffler is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Koukodimos controlling the position easily from mount.
The referee warns Stiffler that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koukodimos tries to control but Stiffler wriggling away.

Despite being in the dominant position, Charalabos Koukodimos just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stiffler swinging wilding here.
Stiffler listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Stiffler blocks a jab.
Koukodimos missing with a left hand there. Stiffler was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Koukodimos is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Stiffler.
Nice takedown defense from Stiffler. No joy for Koukodimos on that attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Stiffler throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Stiffler scores with a shot to the body.
Stiffler keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Stiffler changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Stiffler throws a combination that misses
enabling Koukodimos to counter with a crisp jab.
Koukodimos takes one to the side of the head.
Koukodimos moves away from the strike by Stiffler.
Stiffler throws out a loose jab but Koukodimos uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stiffler closes the distance and clinches up with Koukodimos, looking for a takedown. Stiffler pushes Koukodimos against the cage but Koukodimos circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Koukodimos shoots in for a double leg but Stiffler sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Stiffler throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Koukodimos closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Stiffler misses with a two punch combination.
Stiffler connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Stiffler throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Koukodimos.
Stiffler throws a jab when Koukodimos was well out of range.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Stiffler tries to clinch

and Koukodimos counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Stiffler!
Koukodimos working Stiffler over with strikes here.
Koukodimos controlling from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koukodimos unloading with bombs!
Koukodimos scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Stiffler?
Koukodimos fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Koukodimos lands a big shot there that rocks Stiffler but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Koukodimos controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koukodimos raining down shots from the mount!
Koukodimos controlling the pace for now.
Koukodimos can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Stiffler is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Koukodimos.
Koukodimos content just to control the position here.
Koukodimos has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Stiffler's face.
Koukodimos lands with some strikes.
Stiffler is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Koukodimos.
Koukodimos controlling the pace for now.
Koukodimos with a couple of short strikes.
Stiffler is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Koukodimos postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Stiffler looks a forlorn figure.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koukodimos scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charalabos Koukodimos dominated that fourth round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Koukodimos decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Koukodimos stalling.
Stiffler has hold of Koukodimos's hands but Koukodimos slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Koukodimos sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Stiffler defending well though.
Koukodimos is controlling the pace.
Koukodimos seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koukodimos controlling the pace.
Koukodimos missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stiffler wants to get back to his feet.
Koukodimos controlling the action here.
Koukodimos is trying to control the action in half guard but Stiffler is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two 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.
Koukodimos is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Despite being in the dominant position, Charalabos Koukodimos just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Koukodimos showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stiffler.
Stiffler misses with a double jab.

Koukodimos pushes Stiffler up against the cage in a clinch.

Koukodimos has picked Stiffler up - he's going for a ride! Koukodimos dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Koukodimos with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Charalabos Koukodimos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stiffler tries to kick Koukodimos off but Koukodimos keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Koukodimos trying to control the pace.

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.
Let's hope that Koukodimos has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

And that's the end of the fight!
Charalabos Koukodimos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Koukodimos winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 45:50
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 45:50
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Charalabos Koukodimos!
Charalabos Koukodimos is the new light heavyweight champion!