PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fergus Darrow (ranked 1922 p4p, 255 weight class) and Vertti Ekstrovertti (ranked 2427 p4p, 310 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.

Darrow
vs
Ekstrovertti

181 cm
31
186 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

190 cm
23
194 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Fergus Darrow!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vertti Ekstrovertti!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Chris Saunders and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ekstrovertti plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Darrow ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Ekstrovertti misses with a looping left.
Darrow tried to counter with a leg kick but Ekstrovertti avoided it.
Darrow displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ekstrovertti throws out the jab.
Ekstrovertti jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Ekstrovertti throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Darrow lunges at Ekstrovertti with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Ekstrovertti's hand.

Ekstrovertti has closed the distance and engaged Darrow in a clinch.
Darrow lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Darrow lands an uppercut.
Darrow misses with a punch on the inside.

Ekstrovertti's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Darrow misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ekstrovertti.
Ekstrovertti throws a low kick but it's checked well by Darrow.
Ekstrovertti throws a hook but Darrow avoids it easily.
Darrow throws a hook but Ekstrovertti blocks it.
Ekstrovertti is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Ekstrovertti misses with a head kick.
Ekstrovertti tries to move into range but Darrow moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Darrow ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ekstrovertti moves away.
Ekstrovertti tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekstrovertti shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Darrow defends it nicely.
Darrow feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ekstrovertti's calf.
Ekstrovertti connects with a single shot there.
That kick from Darrow tenderised Ekstrovertti's leg. Ekstrovertti is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ekstrovertti smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Darrow swings for the body but Ekstrovertti moves out of range.
Fergus Darrow is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ekstrovertti on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Darrow. Darrow obviously looking to wear him down.
Darrow misses with a low kick.
Ekstrovertti chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Darrow can pounce on him.
Ekstrovertti misses the body punch
and Darrow counters with a nice uppercut.
The fighters circling - Ekstrovertti throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Darrow fires out a quick counter leg kick but Ekstrovertti just manages to avoid it.
Darrow tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Ekstrovertti moves into the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekstrovertti goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ekstrovertti throws a head punch that misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Darrow misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ekstrovertti.
Darrow struggles to land a body shot inside as Ekstrovertti controls his hands.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ekstrovertti creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Darrow breaks from the clinch.
Ekstrovertti throws a poor cross that misses
and Darrow counters with a straight right hand.
Ekstrovertti thuds his right hand into Darrow's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Ekstrovertti moves away from the strike by Darrow.
Ekstrovertti throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Darrow counters with a leg kick.
Ekstrovertti tries for a takedown but Darrow sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Darrow keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Darrow digs a good body shot into Ekstrovertti's ribs.
Ekstrovertti throws a big shot that misses.
Ekstrovertti walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Ekstrovertti walks into a straight right hand from Darrow.
Darrow lands with a straight right. Ekstrovertti didn't see that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darrow with a jab.
Ekstrovertti attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Ekstrovertti throws a shot to the body.
Darrow tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ekstrovertti swats him away and circles back towards the center.
An inside leg kick lands from Ekstrovertti.
Darrow tries to land a leg kick but Ekstrovertti saw it coming and moves away.
Fergus Darrow seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ekstrovertti stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Darrow.
A slow jab from Darrow misses its intended target.
Darrow keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Ekstrovertti closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Ekstrovertti connects with a crisp jab.
Some bone on bone action there as Ekstrovertti checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Ekstrovertti steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Darrow.
Darrow ducks under a wild hook from Ekstrovertti.
Darrow tried to counter with a leg kick but Ekstrovertti avoided it.
Ekstrovertti moves away from the strike by Darrow.
Ekstrovertti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Darrow.
Ekstrovertti displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Darrow throws out the jab.
Ekstrovertti throws a head kick but Darrow moves out of range.
Darrow walks forward, straight into a front kick from Ekstrovertti.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Darrow feints and then cracks Ekstrovertti's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Ekstrovertti down.
Ekstrovertti is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Darrow.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ekstrovertti. Darrow does a little dance to reset his feet.
Darrow appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Ekstrovertti throws a head kick but Darrow moves out of range.
Ekstrovertti slips under a jab.
An inside leg kick lands from Darrow.
Darrow throws a shot from downtown. Ekstrovertti moves away and avoids it.
Ekstrovertti's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Ekstrovertti avoids the body shot from Darrow.
Ekstrovertti shoots and misses
and Ekstrovertti takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Fergus Darrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vertti Ekstrovertti.
Darrow feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ekstrovertti's calf.
Ekstrovertti swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Darrow keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ekstrovertti lands a nice looking body shot.
Darrow slips under a jab from Ekstrovertti.
Ekstrovertti throws a sloppy head kick and Darrow moves out of range easily.
Darrow pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
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 Fergus Darrow will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

The fighters circling - Darrow throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ekstrovertti misses with a wild body shot.
Ekstrovertti misses with a straight right.
Fergus Darrow is winning the standup battle so far.
Ekstrovertti throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Darrow tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick misses from Ekstrovertti.
Darrow throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ekstrovertti throws a shot from downtown. Darrow moves away and avoids it.
Ekstrovertti on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Darrow misses the shot to the body.
Ekstrovertti takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ekstrovertti tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darrow is looking to clinch but Ekstrovertti is avoiding it.
Darrow connects with a looping right hand.
Darrow tries to land a leg kick but Ekstrovertti saw it coming and moves away.
Darrow walks into a stiff left hand from Ekstrovertti.
Darrow buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ekstrovertti dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darrow throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Darrow checks a leg kick.
Darrow feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Ekstrovertti looks to score with a jab to the body but Darrow is just out of range.
Darrow lands a nice shot to the body.
Ekstrovertti misses with a hook.
Darrow slaps away a takedown attempt from Ekstrovertti, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Darrow lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Darrow keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ekstrovertti throws a hook but Darrow blocks it.
It looked like Darrow wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Darrow looks to land a left hand but Ekstrovertti moved out of range nicely.
Darrow throws a shot to the body.
Ekstrovertti misses with a lunging right hand
and Darrow counters with a good low kick that Ekstrovertti was not able to check.

Darrow rushes Ekstrovertti and presses him up against the cage.
Ekstrovertti tries to stall but Darrow uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekstrovertti lands a right hand.
Ekstrovertti's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Ekstrovertti lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ekstrovertti swings wildly with an uppercut but Darrow uses good head movement to avoid it.
Darrow is trying to break the clinch but Ekstrovertti has him pressed against the cage.
Darrow wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ekstrovertti has him pressed against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Darrow.
Darrow tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ekstrovertti's elbow.
Ekstrovertti prevents a body shot from Darrow.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ekstrovertti - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ekstrovertti.
Darrow misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ekstrovertti displaying some good clinch control by pressing Darrow up against the cage.
Darrow lands a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekstrovertti tries to stall but Darrow uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Darrow lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Ekstrovertti fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Darrow taking a breather.
Ekstrovertti stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A head punch on the inside from Darrow fails to land.
Ekstrovertti lands a shoulder strike.
Ekstrovertti misses with a hook to the ribs.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ekstrovertti.
Darrow misses with a punch on the inside.
Darrow being controlled against the cage.
Ekstrovertti's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darrow can't find room to land a body shot as Ekstrovertti controls the action.
Ekstrovertti pushes Darrow back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Darrow escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ekstrovertti lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Darrow walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Ekstrovertti checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Darrow with a hook.
Ekstrovertti dips to his left and cracks Darrow with an uppercut!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ekstrovertti misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Darrow was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Darrow scores with a hook to the body. Ekstrovertti takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Darrow lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A slapping leg kick lands for Darrow.
Darrow throws a body shot but no joy.
Ekstrovertti feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Darrows jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Ekstrovertti shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Ekstrovertti was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Ekstrovertti goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Darrow has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Ekstrovertti but great work by Darrow.
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 Fergus Darrow will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Darrow misses the shot to the body.
Ekstrovertti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Darrow.
Ekstrovertti misses with a leg kick
and Darrow counters with a stiff right hand.
Darrow takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Good leg kick by Darrow there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Darrow ducks right into an uppercut from Ekstrovertti.
Ekstrovertti lands with an uppercut that bounces Darrow off the cage and back into range.
Darrow scoring well with a low kick there.

Ekstrovertti throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Darrow was covering up waiting for the punch and Ekstrovertti finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Darrow is pulling down on Ekstrovertti's head to control his posture.
Ekstrovertti trying to control the position from guard on top but Darrow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekstrovertti controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ekstrovertti tries to free his leg and advance position but Darrow is retaining full guard.
Ekstrovertti trying to control the position from guard on top but Darrow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ekstrovertti looking to sit in guard and control but Darrow gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Ekstrovertti is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Darrow rolls with it to try and escape but Ekstrovertti cranks on the arm and Darrow is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Vertti Ekstrovertti!
Vertti Ekstrovertti is the new middleweight champion!
Vertti Ekstrovertti 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.