PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sampsa Pellervoinen (ranked 2127 p4p, 276 weight class) and Ralph Gardner (ranked 2775 p4p, 348 weight class). Gardner is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Thug Luv. Ralph Gardner acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Pellervoinen
vs
Gardner

195 cm
24
217 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

188 cm
24
210 lbs
9 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class 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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Sampsa Pellervoinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 1, fighting out of London, Ralph Gardner!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paul Aken and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pellervoinen misses with a wild combination.
Pellervoinen thows a left - swing and a miss!

Pellervoinen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gardner has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Pellervoinen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Pellervoinen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Pellervoinen looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Pellervoinen stalling away here and it's allowed Gardner to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardner is pulling down on Pellervoinen's head to control his posture.
Gardner wants to stand and escape but Pellervoinen is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pellervoinen looking to sit in guard and control but Gardner gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gardner tries to stand but Pellervoinen is controlling from the bottom.

Pellervoinen had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gardner defends it easily.
Gardner controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Pellervoinen is looking to sweep but instead, Gardner has passed into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Gardner seems content to control.
Pellervoinen is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Seppo's Massage Temple , so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Pellervoinen tries to roll over but Gardner keeps him under control.
Gardner moves nicely into side control.
Pellervoinen is trying to improve his position.
Gardner wants to stand but Pellervoinen is controlling his arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pellervoinen is trying to get back to half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Pellervoinen manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gardner's best efforts.
Pellervoinen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Pellervoinen.
Gardner trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pellervoinen working a defensive guard here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Gardner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gardner misses with a straight left.
Pellervoinen is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gardner misses with a jab to the body
and Gardner takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Pellervoinen scores with a jab. Gardner acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
The fighters circling - Pellervoinen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gardner throws out a counter right but Pellervoinen avoids it with no problem.
Gardner connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Pellervoinen moves out of range of the strikes.
Pellervoinen works Gardner's body with a nice hook.
A decent looking cross lands there for Pellervoinen.
Gardner walks into a straight right hand from Pellervoinen.
Ralph Gardner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
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!
Gardner on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Gardner on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Gardner stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gardner wants it to stay on the feet.
Gardner jabbing away but nothing is landing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pellervoinen fails with a takedown attempt.
Pellervoinen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sampsa Pellervoinen dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Pellervoinen misses with an uppercut.
Pellervoinen connects with the punch.
Gardner missing with a left hand there. Pellervoinen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gardner keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gardner doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Pellervoinen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gardner.
Gardner throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Pellervoinen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gardner can do to turn this around?
Gardner misses with a straight right.
Pellervoinen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gardner sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A combination from Pellervoinen does no damage.
Pellervoinen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gardner.
Pellervoinen throws a lazy right hand but Gardner sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardner lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Gardner closes the distance and pushes Pellervoinen back into the cage.
Pellervoinen is trying to break the clinch but Gardner has him pressed against the cage.
A hook to the body from Gardner.
Gardner prevents a body shot from Pellervoinen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pellervoinen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gardner misses with a body punch.
Pellervoinen throws a punch but it's blocked by Gardner.
Gardner lands with a short shot to the head.
Gardner is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
A right hand to the body from Gardner.
Gardner blocks a body shot from Pellervoinen.
Pellervoinen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gardner lands a shot to the body.
Gardner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Pellervoinen's elbow.
Gardner tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Gardner is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Pellervoinen is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Gardner misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pellervoinen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Gardner uses from the top position.
Pellervoinen controls Gardner momentarily but Gardner frees himself.
Gardner wanted to stand there but Pellervoinen had control of the position.
Gardner stopping the sweep attempt from Pellervoinen.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gardner is pushing down on Pellervoinen's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pellervoinen is fighting to maintain full guard but Gardner has managed to sneak the leg through.

Pellervoinen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Pellervoinen wants to control but Gardner passes into side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardner working away.
Pellervoinen is trying to work for a sweep but Gardner has mounted him!
Gardner tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Gardner avoids the attempt from Pellervoinen to control.
Gardner controlling from the full mount.
Gardner is continuing to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pellervoinen is looking to improve his position but Gardner isn't that keen on the idea.
Pellervoinen wants to hold on but Gardner pushes him away.
Pellervoinen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gardner sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pellervoinen is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pellervoinen tries to hold on but Gardner pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ralph Gardner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Pellervoinen connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Gardner momentarily.
Pellervoinen lands a two punch combo.
Pellervoinen connects with a crisp jab.
Gardner throws the left hand but Pellervoinen avoids the punch easily.
Jab by Gardner.

It looks like Sampsa Pellervoinen has been cut.
Nice uppercut lands for Gardner. That snapped Pellervoinen's head back.
Gardner throws a jab but it's blocked by Pellervoinen.
Gardner throws a big shot that misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pellervoinen. Gardner does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pellervoinen swings for the body but Gardner moves out of range.
Gardner throws a jab when Pellervoinen was well out of range.
Gardner takes a shot right to the bread basket.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gardner misses with a low kick.
Gardner loads up on a big right hand but Pellervoinen slips the punch.
Gardner avoids the body shot from Pellervoinen.
Gardner stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pellervoinen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Pellervoinen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Gardner is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Pellervoinen asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Ralph Gardner has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pellervoinen throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Gardner works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Gardner has a hand on Pellervoinen's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Pellervoinen takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Gardner keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pellervoinen lands with some strikes.
Pellervoinen punching from mount but Gardner doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Pellervoinen controlling the position easily from mount.
Pellervoinen sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Gardner is squirming around, avoiding Pellervoinen's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardner tries to hold on but Pellervoinen pushes him away.
Pellervoinen thowing shots but they're missing.
Pellervoinen working the ground and pound effectively.
Pellervoinen thowing shots but they're missing.
Gardner wants to control but Pellervoinen is having none of it.
Pellervoinen trying to control but Gardner is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gardner wants to control but Pellervoinen is having none of it.
Pellervoinen throws a sloppy strike and Gardner uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Gardner has ended up in Pellervoinen's guard.
Gardner wants to stand but Pellervoinen is controlling his posture from full guard.
Pellervoinen wants to improve his position but instead Gardner has moved into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sampsa Pellervoinen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Pellervoinen 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sampsa Pellervoinen!