PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mikko Halonen (ranked 5872 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavier LaFera (ranked 4293 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Halonen
vs
LaFera

170 cm
18
135 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

160 cm
25
134 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mikko Halonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xavier LaFera!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Halonen moves into the clinch successfully.

Halonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Halonen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
LaFera wants to clinch up but Halonen keeps it at a distance.
LaFera has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Halonen is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Halonen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Halonen throws a body shot but no joy.
Halonen lands a head kick!
Halonen seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Halonen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
LaFera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
LaFera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Halonen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Halonen tests LaFera's chin there with a solid looking shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halonen scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. LaFera doesn't seem bothered though.
Halonen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Halonen looks to score with a jab to the body but LaFera is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
LaFera is looking to clinch.
Halonen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent LaFera stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
LaFera closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Halonen to counter with a crisp jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Halonen. LaFera does a little dance to reset his feet.
Halonen keeps the fight on the outside.
Halonen scores with a nice head shot.
Halonen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Halonen is looking to wear down LaFera with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Halonen misses with a looping left.
Good work by LaFera as he checks the leg kick.
Mikko Halonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Halonen closes the distance and pushes LaFera back into the cage.
LaFera tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
LaFera lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Halonen blocking some punches.
Halonen blocks an uppercut.
LaFera fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
LaFera throws a head punch that misses.
LaFera misses with some punches.
LaFera misses with a hook from the clinch.
Halonen is trying to work for a single leg takedown but LaFera pulls him back up using the underhooks.
LaFera gets through Halonen's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Halonen dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
LaFera throws a punch but it's blocked by Halonen.
LaFera throws a punch but it's blocked by Halonen.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Halonen successfully pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
LaFera has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Halonen is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halonen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. LaFera manages to get himself to full guard.

LaFera keeping moving, preventing Halonen from controlling successfully.
Halonen is working LaFera over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Halonen is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! LaFera is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! LaFera has escaped and now he's on top!

Halonen looking to control.
Halonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

LaFera decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Halonen, up you get!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halonen scores with a jab to the jaw.
Halonen throws a front kick aimed at LaFera's knee but LaFera avoids it well.
LaFera has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Halonen finds it's way round the side to connect with LaFera's head.
LaFera doesn't manage to clinch there - Halonen circles away.
Halonen thows a leg kick but LaFera checks it
and LaFera counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Halonen throws a body shot but no joy.
Halonen misses with an uppercut. LaFera saw that one coming.
Halonen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Halonen closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Halonen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
LaFera lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
LaFera is pushing Halonen up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
LaFera lands a right hand that snaps the head of Halonen backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikko Halonen dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Halonen lands with a cross.
LaFera doesn't manage to clinch there - Halonen circles away.

LaFera pushes Halonen up against the cage in a clinch.
Halonen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that LaFera can do to turn this around?
LaFera lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A short right from LaFera.
LaFera misses with a punch on the inside.
Halonen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Halonen displaying some good clinch control by pressing LaFera up against the cage.
LaFera throws an elbow but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
LaFera lands a hook to the side of the head.
Xavier LaFera seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Halonen takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Halonen is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
LaFera misses with a hook from the clinch.
LaFera gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
LaFera misses with a short punch on the inside.
Halonen jumps guard but LaFera stands there with Halonen around his waist. Halonen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
LaFera swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Halonen blocking some punches.
LaFera tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Halonen displaying some good clinch control by pressing LaFera up against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for LaFera.
Halonen is looking for a takedown.
A head punch on the inside from LaFera fails to land.
The referee calls for LaFera to work.
LaFera fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
LaFera lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
LaFera stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
The referee calls for LaFera to work.
Halonen tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and LaFera avoids it.
Halonen stalling.
Halonen has LaFera pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. LaFera manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikko Halonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Halonen tries to pull guard but LaFera holds him up against the cage and eventually Halonen drops back down to his feet.
LaFera misses with a punch on the inside.
Halonen is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables LaFera to keep the fight standing.
LaFera scores with a shoulder strike.
LaFera tries to land knees in the clinch but Halonen avoids the damage to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Halonen.
Halonen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
LaFera lands a hook that snaps the head of Halonen backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halonen tries to circle away but LaFera has him pinned against the cage.
LaFera stalls.
Halonen has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by LaFera after a bit of a struggle.
LaFera has a couple of punches blocked by Halonen.
Halonen is trying to pull guard but LaFera turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
LaFera tries a knee to the head but Halonen blocks it.
LaFera is breathing heavily.
LaFera trying to control the position but instead, Halonen has worked for underhooks and has pushed LaFera into the cage.

Halonen breaks the clinch.

LaFera moves into the clinch.
Halonen is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables LaFera to keep the fight standing.
Halonen lands a body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Halonen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Halonen throws a knee to the head but misses.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Halonen can't get the takedown.

Halonen turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Halonen manages to end up in side control.

Halonen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, LaFera has escaped the position, nice work there.
Halonen working the ground and pound but LaFera is defending the strikes.
Halonen trying to control the action but LaFera is working from the bottom.
LaFera is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Halonen has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier LaFera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Halonen lands a body shot.
Halonen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Halonen lands a body shot.
Halonen lands a slapping body shot.
LaFera is looking to clinch.
LaFera is looking to clinch but Halonen is avoiding it.
LaFera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Halonen is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from LaFera.
Mikko Halonen is winning the standup battle so far.
Halonen misses with an uppercut
and LaFera counters with a nice leg kick.
LaFera ducks under a wild hook from Halonen.
LaFera tries to counter by closing the distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halonen misses with a hook.
Halonen shoots for a double leg takedown but LaFera sprawls well. He's pushed Halonen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Halonen throws a head kick that misses.

Halonen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with LaFera, pushing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Halonen is trying to pull guard but LaFera turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
LaFera will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Halonen up against the cage.
Halonen jumps guard but LaFera stands there with Halonen around his waist. Halonen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikko Halonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Halonen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
LaFera has a couple of punches blocked by Halonen.
Nice body punch from Halonen.
LaFera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
LaFera looking to throw knees to the head but Halonen is blocking nicely.

Halonen breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
LaFera displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Halonen throws out the jab.
Halonen fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but LaFera is out of range.
Halonen lands the left hand.
Halonen punishes LaFera's body with a nice straight punch.
LaFera tries to clinch up.
LaFera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Halonen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Halonen throws a body punch but LaFera moves out of range.
LaFera takes one to the chin there.
Halonen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Halonen wants to land a leg kick but LaFera is out of range.
Halonen tries to bum rush LaFera with a series of wild strikes but LaFera uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
LaFera wants to clinch.
Halonen connects with a good right hand that stumbles LaFera. LaFera circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Halonen drives through with a takedown into guard.
Halonen trying to control the position from guard on top but LaFera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

LaFera pushes Halonen off and gets back to his feet.
LaFera ducks right into an uppercut from Halonen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
LaFera fails with an attempt to clinch.
LaFera wants to clinch up but Halonen keeps it at a distance.
Halonen connects with a solid leg kick.
LaFera takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Halonen throws a nice looking combination but LaFera bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Halonen misses with a wild body shot.
Halonen throws a right and a left that LaFera avoids nicely.
Halonen swings for the body but LaFera moves out of range.
Halonen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Halonen cracks the inside of LaFera's front leg.
Xavier LaFera is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Halonen, right into the meat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikko Halonen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Halonen 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikko Halonen!