PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Pekka Pikkarainen (ranked 1843 p4p, 92 weight class) and Kassim Suluhu (ranked 1993 p4p, 96 weight class). Pikkarainen comes to the cage accompanied by Nikopol - City of Victory. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Pikkarainen
vs
Suluhu

162 cm
20
147 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

165 cm
24
145 lbs
7 - 8 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good takedowns
Good kicks
Good gas tank

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pekka Pikkarainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kassim Suluhu!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Suluhu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Pikkarainen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Suluhu follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Suluhu scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Suluhu takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Suluhu swings for the body but Pikkarainen moves out of range.
Suluhu delivers a nice body kick.
Suluhu throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Pikkarainen takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Suluhu will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A jab from Pikkarainen does it's job there.
Pikkarainen misses with a left hand
and Suluhu counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Suluhu moves out of range of the strikes.
Suluhu throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
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!
Suluhu fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Suluhu fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pikkarainen avoids it really well and circles away.
Pekka Pikkarainen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kassim Suluhu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pikkarainen misses the shot to the body.
Pikkarainen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Suluhu shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Pikkarainen is trying to defend but Suluhu finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Pikkarainen is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Suluhu's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Suluhu's back!
Suluhu wants to get back to his feet.
Pikkarainen throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Suluhu!
Suluhu is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Can Suluhu hold on?! Pikkarainen is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Suluhu is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Pikkarainen is punishing Suluhu with strikes - can he finish him?!
Pikkarainen throwing strikes and Suluhu squirms under the pressure, ending up mounted.
Pikkarainen scores with a couple of good head shots there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A nice elbow there by Pikkarainen.

Suluhu is rocked!
Pikkarainen looking to finish with strikes here!
Pikkarainen 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.
Pikkarainen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Suluhu is still in real trouble! Can Pikkarainen finish him?
Pikkarainen is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Suluhu can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pikkarainen lands a big shot there that rocks Suluhu but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Pikkarainen cracks Suluhu with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:23 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Pekka Pikkarainen!
An out of breath Pekka Pikkarainen thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.