PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Suyoung Suh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eli Gardenia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Suh
vs
Gardenia

190 cm
30
212 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

212 cm
24
222 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Suyoung Suh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Eli Gardenia!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Suh misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gardenia.
Suh moves out of range of the strikes.
Suh ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gardenia moves away.
Gardenia throws out a counter right but Suh avoids it with no problem.
Gardenia loads up on a big right hand but Suh slips the punch.
Gardenia with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Gardenia ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Suh moves away.
Gardenia throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Suh sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gardenia scores with a decent looking hook.
Suh rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Gardenia counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Suh slips a straight right by Gardenia.

Suh closes the distance and clinches.
Suh struggles to land a body shot inside as Gardenia controls his hands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardenia is trying to break the clinch but Suh is controlling him.
Suh swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Suh misses with a punch to the body.
Suh just leaning against Gardenia, taking a breather.
Gardenia has had enough of the clinch but Suh keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suh just leaning against Gardenia, taking a breather.
Gardenia is trying to break the clinch but Suh has him pressed against the cage.
Gardenia blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A short body shot lands from Suh as the two fighters clinch.
Suh scores with a shot to the side of Gardenia's head.
Gardenia is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Suh goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gardenia is trying to force a seperation but Suh has the dominant position.
Gardenia prevents a body shot from Suh.
With the fighters up against the cage, Suh throws an elbow but misses.
Suh slows down the pace here.
Suh misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gardenia wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Suh'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.

Gardenia breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Suh throws a body punch but Gardenia moves out of range.
Gardenia lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Gardenia throws a big shot that misses.
Gardenia throws a body shot but no joy.
Gardenia fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Suh manages to avoid it.
Gardenia scores with a jab to the body.
Suh misses with a jab to the body
and Gardenia counters with a stiff right hand.
Gardenia misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Suh.
Gardenia checks the leg kick nicely there.
Suh connects with a good right hand that stumbles Gardenia. Gardenia circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Suh forces Gardenia back against the cage and clinches.
Suh can't find room to land a body shot as Gardenia controls the action.
A body shot lands from Suh.
Suh lands a nice uppercut.
Gardenia letting Suh take a breather here.
Gardenia wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gardenia.
Gardenia tries to pull guard but Suh won't allow it.
Suh misses with the head strike.
Suh scores with a nice hook to the head.
Suh lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Gardenia backwards.
Suh gets through Gardenia's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Suh.
Gardenia takes a shot to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gardenia.
Suh misses with a shot to the kidneys.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Suh goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Suh goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Gardenia pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gardenia lands a nice shot to the body.
Suh misses with a shot to the body
and Gardenia counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Gardenia throws a big shot that misses.
Gardenia throws a shot to the body.
Gardenia has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Gardenia lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
A shot to the liver by Gardenia. Beautiful body shot.
Gardenia avoids the body shot from Suh.
Gardenia looks like he wants to counter punch here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Suyoung Suh will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Suh with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Gardenia checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Suh, right into the meat.
Gardenia is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Gardenia swats away the attempt to clinch by Suh.
Suh takes a swing at Gardenia's ribcage but misses.
Gardenia ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Suh throws a jab when Gardenia was well out of range.
Gardenia looks to score with a jab to the body but Suh is just out of range.
Gardenia checks the leg kick.
Gardenia lands with a nice body punch.
Suh wants to clinch
enabling Gardenia to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardenia waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Suh.
Suh throws a predictable looking body shot
and Gardenia connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gardenia swats away the attempt to clinch by Suh.

Suh has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suh tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gardenia wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Suh has him pressed against the cage.
Suh misses with the head strike.
Suh swings wildly with an uppercut but Gardenia uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gardenia.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gardenia is trying to break the clinch but Suh is controlling him.
Suh prevents Gardenia from breaking the clinch.
Gardenia blocks an uppercut.
A right handed body shot lands from Suh.
Suh has Gardenia pressed against the cage, preventing Gardenia from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Suh prevents Gardenia from breaking the clinch.
Suh lands a body punch in the clinch.
Suh misses with some punches.
Suh throws a head punch that misses.
Suh lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gardenia has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Gardenia pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Suh tries to clinch up but Gardenia circles away and keeps his distance.
Suh throws a poor cross that misses
and Gardenia counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gardenia looks to throw the jab but Suh is out of range.
Suh slips a jab from Gardenia.
Suh moves out of range as Gardenia strikes.
A lazy left from Gardenia finds it's target.
Gardenia pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Eli Gardenia seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Suh takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suh throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Nice body punch from Gardenia.
A looping hook to the body misses from Suh. Gardenia does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gardenia swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gardenia jabs Suh to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Gardenia misses with a body shot

and Suh counters by clinching up.
A left hand lands to the body for Suh.
Gardenia can't break the clinch.
Suh is stalling here.
Suh misses with a body punch.
Suh struggles to land a body shot inside as Gardenia controls his hands.
Suh misses with a body punch.
Suh working aggressively here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gardenia is trying to break free.
A right handed body shot lands from Suh.
Suh throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Suh lands a body shot.
Suh tries to work over Gardenia's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Gardenia is trying to break the clinch but Suh is controlling him.
Gardenia tries to break the clinch but Suh is controlling the position.
A head punch on the inside from Suh fails to land.

Gardenia breaks the clinch.
Suh is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Gardenia! But no joy.
Suh avoids the body shot from Gardenia.
Suh is looking to wear down Gardenia with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Gardenia avoids a punch combination nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Suyoung Suh will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Gardenia swats away the attempt to clinch by Suh.
Gardenia looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Suh wants to clinch.
Suh slips under a jab from Gardenia.
Gardenia connects with a body shot.
Suh looks to score with a jab to the body but Gardenia is just out of range.
Suh just misses with a punch to the body.
Suh ducks under a wild hook from Gardenia.
Gardenia scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Gardenia throws a hook but Suh avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Suh changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Suh rushes Gardenia and presses him up against the cage.
Suyoung Suh has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Gardenia tries to break free but Suh pushes him back against the cage.
Gardenia has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Suh tries to work over Gardenia's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardenia is pushing Suh up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Gardenia wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Gardenia prevents a body shot from Suh.
Suh misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gardenia looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Suh tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Suh tries to throw a body punch but Gardenia avoids it by throwing Suh back against the cage.
Suh doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gardenia is trying to break free.
Suh can't find room to land a body shot as Gardenia controls the action.
Eli Gardenia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Suyoung Suh is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Gardenia wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Gardenia missing with knees to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Suh.
Gardenia is trying to break the clinch but Suh has him pressed against the cage.
Suh keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gardenia's efforts to push away.
Suh has a couple of punches blocked by Gardenia.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardenia is trying to break the clinch but Suh has him pressed against the cage.
Suh avoiding damage as Gardenia throws knees to the body.
Gardenia is trying to force a seperation but Suh has the dominant position.
Gardenia is trying to force a seperation but Suh has the dominant position.
Suh fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
The referee is keeping an eye on Gardenia - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Gardenia blocks a body shot from Suh.

Gardenia manages to break the clinch.
Gardenia ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Suh uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gardenia.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Suh moves in looking to clinch but Gardenia pushes him off.
Suh connects with a looping right hand.
A punch lands to the side of Gardenia 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Gardenia throws a body shot but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Suyoung Suh.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Suh, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Suyoung Suh!
Suyoung Suh was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.