PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aznar Thrul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Veikko Pilvi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pilvi comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Faded kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Thrul
vs
Pilvi

189 cm
28
186 lbs
21 - 20 - 2

188 cm
29
195 lbs
17 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 20 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aznar Thrul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Veikko Pilvi!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Yukihiro Shimada and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pilvi throws a push kick but Thrul slaps the foot to one side.
Pilvi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
It looked like Thrul wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Thrul tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Pilvi was well out of range. Poor timing from Thrul.
Thrul getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Pilvi cracks the inside of Thrul's front leg.
Thrul misses with a straight left.
Veikko Pilvi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pilvi lands a jab to Thrul's midsection.
Thrul pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pilvi connects with an inside leg kick.
Pilvi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thrul looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Pilvi stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pilvi wants it to stay on the feet.

Thrul closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Thrul takes a shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thrul lands a shot to the body.
Thrul lands with a left to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thrul goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Thrul gets through Pilvi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Thrul has clasped his hands together around Pilvi's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Thrul wants to control but Pilvi is keeping him busy.
Pilvi felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Thrul throws a strike aimed at the side of Pilvi's head but Pilvi avoids it well.
Pilvi is trying to get back to half guard.
Pilvi struggling a bit here.
Pilvi is looking to regain half guard here but Thrul keeps moving and retains side control.
Thrul misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thrul tries to score with some ground and pound. Pilvi controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Thrul throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Thrul wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pilvi keeps working.
Pilvi is looking to reverse the position.
Thrul sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Pilvi is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Pilvi is looking to regain half guard here but Thrul keeps moving and retains side control.
Pilvi regains half guard.
Thrul is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Pilvi!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thrul throwing strikes here but Pilvi is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Pilvi blocking the ground and pound.
Thrul throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thrul misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thrul throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Thrul is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Pilvi has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Thrul avoids the attempt from Pilvi to control.
Thrul looking to finish with strikes here!
Thrul with good strikes from the mount here!
Thrul looking to control but Pilvi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thrul sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Thrul jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Pilvi is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Pilvi and Thrul has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
You can see the frustration on Pilvi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pilvi is looking to regain half guard here but Thrul keeps moving and retains side control.
Pilvi gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Thrul not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aznar Thrul dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Thrul lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Pilvi throws a leg kick but Thrul sees it coming and moves out of range.
Thrul attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Thrul checks the leg kick nicely there.
Thrul moves out of range of the strikes.
Thrul tries to counter by clinching up but Pilvi breaks away and moves out of range.
Pilvi misses with a straight right.
Pilvi scores with a three punch combo!

It looks like Aznar Thrul has been cut.
Thrul bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A counter left hand to the body from Thrul misses its target.
Pilvi fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Pilvi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pilvi looks to throw the jab but Thrul is out of range.
A nice leg kick lands there from Pilvi.
Pilvi blocks a head kick by Thrul.
Veikko Pilvi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pilvi shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pilvi looks to land a body kick but Thrul moved away.
Thrul misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Pilvi finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Pilvi turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Pilvi throws a leg kick
and Thrul counters with a body kick.
Thrul throws a quick inside leg kick.
Pilvi tries a low kick but Thrul avoids it.
Thrul feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Thrul with a lazy takedown attempt
and Pilvi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Pilvi throws a lazy right hand but Thrul sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Pilvi throws a jab but it's blocked by Thrul.
Thrul missing with a left hand there. Pilvi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Pilvi takes a swing at Thrul's ribcage but misses.
Pilvi defending well as Thrul loads up on a big left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thrul lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Thrul's corner calls for a 1-2. Thrul obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pilvi throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Thrul turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Thrul uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pilvi.
Pilvi throws a sloppy head kick and Thrul moves out of range easily.
Pilvi scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Pilvi throws a left and a right that both miss
and Thrul counters with a leg kick.
Pilvi throws a jab when Thrul was well out of range.
Pilvi swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Pilvi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Thrul chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Pilvi can pounce on him.
Thrul with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Pilvi to score with a decent uppercut.
Pilvi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Thrul appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thrul misses with a low kick.
Pilvi stuffs the takedown attempt from Thrul. Thrul gets slowly back to his feet.
Pilvi throws out a counter right but Thrul avoids it with no problem.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Pilvi, right into the meat.
Pilvi keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Thrul pivots, looking for a leg kick but Pilvi is out of range and Thrul settles back down.
Thrul uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pilvi.
Thrul tried to counter with a leg kick but Pilvi avoided it.
Pilvi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Thrul half committed to a counter leg kick.
Thrul tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thrul fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aznar Thrul. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Thrul closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thrul tries for a takedown. No joy.
A nice right hand lands inside from Thrul.
Thrul is looking for a takedown.
Pilvi prevents a body shot from Thrul.
Thrul has a couple of punches blocked by Pilvi.
Thrul misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A shot in the inside from Pilvi.
Thrul blocking some punches.
Pilvi scores with a nice hook to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thrul misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Pilvi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Thrul lands a left hand that snaps the head of Pilvi backwards.
A right handed body shot lands from Thrul.
Pilvi tries to break free but Thrul pushes him back against the cage.

Pilvi breaks the clinch.
Pilvi getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Pilvi lands a high kick!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Veikko Pilvi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Aznar Thrul's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Pilvi gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Thrul to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Pilvi seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Thrul chips away with some ground and pound.
Thrul looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thrul trying to control but Pilvi is working from the bottom.
Thrul throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pilvi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Pilvi looking for a sweep. Not yet Pilvi, not yet.
Thrul missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pilvi looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Pilvi keeping full guard, as Thrul tries to pass.
Pilvi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Thrul manages to get himself to full guard.

Pilvi wants to control from the top but Thrul keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thrul looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Pilvi passes into half guard.
Thrul tries to roll over but Pilvi keeps him under control.
Pilvi is trying to control the action in half guard but Thrul is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Pilvi in particular looking to stall.
Thrul is looking to control Pilvi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thrul avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thrul is pressing down on Pilvi's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Thrul is looking to sweep but instead, Pilvi has passed into half guard.
Pilvi seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Thrul does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Thrul makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Thrul.
Thrul is trying to control the position but Pilvi postures up.
Aznar Thrul overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Thrul wants to sweep here but Pilvi controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Thrul working a defensive guard but Pilvi manages to pass into side control anyway.
Thrul tries to buck Pilvi off but Pilvi is having none of it.
Pilvi taking a breather here.
Thrul struggling a bit here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pilvi trying to control the position but Thrul is working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Veikko Pilvi.
I think Pilvi 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Veikko Pilvi!
Veikko Pilvi spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.