PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Harris Ayala (ranked 25421 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jenga Ianoa (ranked 6474 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ayala
vs
Ianoa

180 cm
24
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Harris Ayala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jenga Ianoa!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ianoa takes the fight into the clinch.
Ayala looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Ayala misses with a hook from the clinch.

Ianoa has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Ayala is trying to keep an underhook but Ianoa manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ianoa in particular looking to stall.
Ayala wants to improve his position but Ianoa is controlling well.
Ianoa content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ayala has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ianoa is working away from the top position though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ianoa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ianoa throwing shots but Ayala is blocking nicely.
Ianoa with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Ianoa stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Ayala to get to his feet.
Ianoa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ianoa.

Ianoa decides to stand back up.
Ianoa slaps away a takedown attempt from Ayala, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ianoa scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ianoa working the ground and pound but Ayala is defending the strikes.
Ayala regains half guard there - taking advantage of Ianoa's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Still in half guard, Ianoa seems content to control.

Ayala looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ayala wants to improve his position but Ianoa is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ianoa is trying to control the action in half guard but Ayala is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ianoa looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ianoa working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Ayala's thigh. Ayala counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Ayala looking for a sweep. Not yet Ayala, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Ianoa trying to control the position from guard on top but Ayala is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ianoa is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ayala is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ianoa is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Jenga Ianoa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ianoa closes the distance and pushes Ayala back into the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ianoa throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Ayala tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Ianoa is in Ayala's guard.
Ayala keeping moving, preventing Ianoa from controlling successfully.
Ianoa would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Ianoa won't allow Ayala to sweep him here.
Ayala lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ianoa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ayala lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Ianoa is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ayala defends well.
Jenga Ianoa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ianoa controls Ayala momentarily but Ayala frees himself.
Ayala lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ayala connects with a couple of short punches.
Ayala lands a couple of elbows.
Ayala with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two 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.
Ianoa tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ayala working some strikes from top position.
Ayala is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ayala accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ayala in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Ayala has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ayala lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ayala engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Ayala with a flurry of punches that miss.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Ianoa closes the distance and pushes Ayala back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ianoa jumps guard.
Ayala with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ianoa seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Ayala scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ayala loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ayala is working Ianoa over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Ianoa is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ayala defends well.
Ianoa is breathing heavily.
Ianoa throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Ayala preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ayala postures up in Ianoa's guard and throws a big left but Ianoa blocks it.
Ayala stands up over Ianoa, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Ayala working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ianoa's head.
Ianoa wants to stand and escape but Ayala is having none of it.
Ayala lands a couple of elbows.
Ayala throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ayala trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Ianoa closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Ayala quickly recovers to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ayala works his way to full guard. Good work.
Ianoa sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Ayala's guard.
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 Harris Ayala will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Ianoa tries to clinch there but Ayala circles away.

Ayala moves into the clinch successfully.

Ianoa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ianoa clinches with his opponent.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ayala.
Ianoa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Ayala breaks from the clinch.

Ayala closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Ianoa did well to prevent Ayala getting side control.
Ayala content to control rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ianoa on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ianoa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ayala lands with a punch from half guard.
Ianoa is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ayala scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ianoa has hold of Ayala's hands but Ayala slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ayala is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Ianoa gets full guard.
Ayala throwing strikes from guard but Ianoa blocks nicely.
Ayala throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ianoa controlling Ayala's posture.
Ayala lands a couple of digs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ayala works over Ianoa with some ground and pound from guard.
Ayala connects with a couple of short punches.
Ianoa trying to control the position.
Ayala throwing strikes but missing.
Ayala postures up in Ianoa's guard and throws a big left but Ianoa blocks it.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Ianoa is controlling Ayala's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Ianoa gets tackled into the cage by Ayala. Ayala maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ayala is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ianoa to keep the fight standing.

Ianoa manages to break the clinch.

Ianoa looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Ianoa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ayala trying to control from the bottom.
Ayala blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ianoa.
Ianoa wants to free his trapped foot but Ayala is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ayala manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ayala bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ianoa's guard.

Ayala is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ayala lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ayala lands a couple of elbows.
Ayala stopping the sweep attempt from Ianoa.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ayala working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ayala showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Ayala got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ianoa has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ayala has managed to get both his arms back between Ianoa's legs - danger averted.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harris Ayala showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ayala has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!