PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ahti Saarelainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wiremu Huia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Huia has chosen Poi E - Patea Maori Club as his entrance music. Ahti Saarelainen could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Wiremu Huia's chin.

Saarelainen
vs
Huia

180 cm
22
175 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

180 cm
23
175 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Ahti Saarelainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Wiremu Huia!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Huia keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saarelainen.
Huia keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saarelainen.
Huia slips under a jab from Saarelainen.
Huia changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Saarelainen has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Huia just misses with a punch to the body.
Saarelainen misses with a body shot.
Saarelainen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Huia manages to avoid it.
Huia connects with a right hand. Saarelainen shakes it off.
Huia swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Saarelainen.
Huia misses the shot to the body.
Saarelainen misses with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saarelainen connects with a crisp jab.
Saarelainen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Huia.
Saarelainen is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Saarelainen misses with an uppercut. Huia saw that one coming.
Saarelainen digs a good body shot into Huia's ribs.
Huia walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huia swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Saarelainen misses with a looping left.
Huia keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Saarelainen shoots in for a takedown but Huia shows good takedown defense.
Saarelainen misses with a lunging right hand
and Saarelainen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Huia looks to throw the jab but Saarelainen is out of range.
Huia scores with a punch to the head.
Saarelainen scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Huia doesn't seem bothered though.
Saarelainen misses with a body punch

and Huia counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Huia.
Saarelainen is controlling Huia's posture.
Saarelainen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Huia manages to get himself to full guard.

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!
Saarelainen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Huia's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarelainen lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Saarelainen wants to pass the guard but Huia is keeping the position.

Huia looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Saarelainen passes into half guard.

Huia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Huia is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Saarelainen pulls his head out easily.
Huia won't allow Saarelainen to pass to mount.
Saarelainen perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huia gets full guard.
Saarelainen works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Huia tries to get to full guard but Saarelainen has control of the leg.
Saarelainen keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
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. Saarelainen connects with a nice short shot to Huia's temple.
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. Saarelainen connects with a nice short shot to Huia's temple.
Saarelainen trying to mount his opponent but Huia defends it.
Huia tries to roll over but Saarelainen keeps him under control.

Huia is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Saarelainen pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Huia is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Saarelainen pulls his head out easily.
Huia has hold of Saarelainen's hands but Saarelainen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Saarelainen is trying to control. Huia wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Huia is pressing down on Saarelainen's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Huia being controlled here, momentarily.
Huia keeping moving, preventing Saarelainen from controlling successfully.

Huia is looking for a triangle but Saarelainen pushes his legs off easily.
Saarelainen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ahti Saarelainen dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Huia keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saarelainen.
Saarelainen misses with an uppercut.
Saarelainen slips under a jab from Huia.
Saarelainen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Saarelainen shoots in looking for a takedown. Huia tries to sprawl out of it but Saarelainen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Huia manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Saarelainen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Saarelainen throws a body punch but Huia moves out of range.
Huia slips a jab from Saarelainen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Huia misses with a looping left.
Saarelainen throws a right hand that Huia ducks under and follows up with a left that Huia also avoids with ease.
Saarelainen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Nice takedown defense from Saarelainen. No joy for Huia on that attempt.
Saarelainen throwing a counter right hand but Huia manages to avoid it.
Ahti Saarelainen is winning the standup battle so far.
Saarelainen scores with a nice strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huia ducks under a wild hook from Saarelainen.
Saarelainen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Huia feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Saarelainen's calf.
Saarelainen throws a body shot but no joy.
Huia feints the counter takedown.
Saarelainen misses with a takedown attempt - Huia sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Saarelainen scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Huia doesn't seem bothered though.
Huia slips under a jab from Saarelainen.
Huia misses with a takedown attempt
and Saarelainen counters with a left to the body.
Saarelainen with a lazy takedown attempt
and Huia counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ahti Saarelainen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saarelainen lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Huia fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Saarelainen jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
A jab from Saarelainen misses.
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!
Saarelainen just misses with a punch to the body.
Huia takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A looping hook to the body misses from Saarelainen. Huia does a little dance to reset his feet.
Saarelainen just misses with a punch to the body.
Huia jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Saarelainen listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Huia is rocked!
Saarelainen pounces like a tiger and cracks Huia with a vicious hook! Huia is down but not out! Saarelainen follows up with more strikes forcing the ref to jump in and stop it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:50 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Ahti Saarelainen!
The defeated Wiremu Huia had this to say: 'Man, Ahti talks a lot to himself during the fight and it's distracting as hell. All through the fight in hearing 'perkele' in my ear. I'm trying to lock in a submission and he's muttering 'voi vittu' or 'mita helvettia'. I don't know what those words mean, but I'm heading to the library to find out.'.