PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Moe Lester (ranked 333 p4p, 44 weight class) and Teemu Karjalainen (ranked 265 p4p, 34 weight class). Karjalainen has chosen Poisonblack - Sun Shines Black as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Lester
vs
Karjalainen

180 cm
34
164 lbs
30 - 13 - 2

171 cm
32
163 lbs
22 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Bullet Proof System

Riner Clothing and Laundry (85%)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Moe Lester!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Teemu Karjalainen!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shirou Masuda and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karjalainen defending well as Lester loads up on a big left hand.
Despite the aggression on Karjalainen's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Lester misses with a body kick.
A swing and a miss from Lester.
Lester displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Karjalainen throws out the jab.
Nice jab there from Lester.
A big left from Lester misses.
Karjalainen misses with a low kick.
Lester scores with a decent looking hook.
Lester has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karjalainen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Karjalainen looks to score with a jab to the body but Lester is just out of range.
Lester punishes Karjalainen's body with a nice straight punch.
Lester pivots, looking for a leg kick but Karjalainen is out of range and Lester settles back down.
And Karjalainen tries to counter it with a takedown but Lester pushes his down on his head and steps out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lester throws an off balance right hand
and Karjalainen counters with a body kick that stops Lester in his tracks momentarily.
Lester motions for Karjalainen to come forward. Lester throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Lester throws a lazy right hand but Karjalainen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Karjalainen misses with a two punch combination.
Lester throws a good cross that connects.
A swing and a miss from Lester.
Karjalainen tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Karjalainen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lester.
Karjalainen swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Lester looks to land a body kick but Karjalainen moved away.
Karjalainen slips under a jab.
Karjalainen swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Lester swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lester misses with a body shot.
Lester misses with a hook. Karjalainen ducked under it nicely.
Karjalainen feints a counter leg kick.
Lester throws the left hand but Karjalainen avoids the punch easily.
Lester misses with a wild body shot.
Karjalainen throws a chopping leg kick but Lester manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Lester thuds his right hand into Karjalainen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Karjalainen takes one to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Karjalainen tries to clinch but Lester moves out of range.
Lester misses with a hook.
Lester misses the shot to the body.
Karjalainen moves out of range of the strikes.
Karjalainen lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lester misses with a straight right.
Lester tries to land a front kick but Karjalainen steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Karjalainen takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Lester pushes Karjalainen away with a front kick.
Karjalainen misses with an uppercut
and Karjalainen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Moe Lester is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lester avoids a kick to the body.
Lester catches Karjalainen with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Lester throws out a powerful jab.
Karjalainen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lester was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Lester throws a hook but Karjalainen blocks it.
Karjalainen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karjalainen throws a low kick but Lester moves out of range easily.
A little feinted left hand from Lester on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A shot to the body from Lester misses

and Karjalainen counters with a shoot takedown. Lester fights it but they end up in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Karjalainen throws an elbow that misses. Lester uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Karjalainen's guard. Nice move by Lester!

Karjalainen is working an open guard so Lester takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Lester lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Karjalainen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Karjalainen tries a quick counter leg kick but Lester is wise to it.
Karjalainen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lester.
Lester thows a left - swing and a miss!
Lester misses with an uppercut
and Karjalainen counters with a three punch combo that has Lester backing up. Lester nods at Karjalainen to acknowledge the strikes.
Lester fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Moe Lester dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Lester throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Karjalainen counters with a nice uppercut.

It looks like Moe Lester has been cut.
Moe Lester is winning the standup battle so far.
A slapping leg kick lands for Karjalainen.
Lester lands with a right hand.
Lester gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Lester throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Karjalainen counters with a stiff right hand.
Lester throws a right hand that misses
and Karjalainen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lester scores with a body shot.
Lester swings for the body but Karjalainen moves out of range.
Karjalainen slips under a jab from Lester.
Karjalainen feints the counter takedown.
Lester throws a jab when Karjalainen was well out of range.
Karjalainen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lester.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lester connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Moe Lester seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Karjalainen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Lester.
Lester throws a shot from downtown. Karjalainen moves away and avoids it.
Karjalainen appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Lester throws a half hearted mid kick.
Karjalainen lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Lester at a distance.
Lester misses with the body kick
and Karjalainen counters with a straight right hand.
Lester chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Karjalainen can pounce on him.
Lester dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lester takes a swing at Karjalainen's ribcage but misses.
Karjalainen swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lester throws the left hand but Karjalainen avoids the punch easily.
Karjalainen feints the counter takedown.
Lester throws a head kick that misses

and Karjalainen counters with a takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lester parries the strikes from Karjalainen easily there. Karjalainen is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Lester to escape.
Karjalainen sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Lester is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karjalainen trying to control the position but Lester is working away.
Sloppy strikes there by Karjalainen.
Karjalainen remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Karjalainen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Karjalainen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karjalainen is looking to take a break and control but Lester is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
An elbow from Karjalainen crashes against the mat.
Karjalainen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Karjalainen prevents Lester from escaping the position.
The strikes coming from Karjalainen are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Lester is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Karjalainen can do to turn this around?
Karjalainen misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Karjalainen working the ground and pound.
Karjalainen tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
The strikes coming from Karjalainen are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's four 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.
Karjalainen tries to score with some ground and pound. Lester controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lester swings and misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lester throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Karjalainen to counter with a crisp jab.
Lester is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Lester throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Lester doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Karjalainen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lester.
Lester lands a really nice looking cross but Karjalainen seems unphased.
Lester gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Karjalainen counters with an inside leg kick.
Lester avoids a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Teemu Karjalainen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Moe Lester's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Lester misses with a hook
and Karjalainen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lester throws a lazy uppercut
and Karjalainen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Karjalainen slips under a jab from Lester.
Karjalainen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling Lester to counter with a crisp jab.
Lester throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Lester throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Karjalainen to counter with a crisp jab.
Lester cracks Karjalainen with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karjalainen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Lester.
Lester misses with a wild body shot.
Karjalainen is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Karjalainen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Karjalainen.
Karjalainen has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Lester.
Karjalainen takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Lester connects with a good right hand that stumbles Karjalainen. Karjalainen circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Karjalainen tries a head kick but it misses.
Lester pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A nice side step and Karjalainen releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Karjalainen doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Karjalainen doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Karjalainen forces Lester back against the cage and clinches.
Karjalainen has a couple of punches blocked by Lester.
Still in the clinch, Lester scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karjalainen has had enough of the clinch but Lester keeps him there for the moment.
Lester lands a left hand that snaps the head of Karjalainen backwards.

Karjalainen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lester connects with a good right hand that stumbles Karjalainen. Karjalainen circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Lester takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Lester misses with an uppercut
and Karjalainen counters with a nice leg kick.
The fighters circling - Lester throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Karjalainen swings widly with a right hand
and Lester cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Karjalainen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Karjalainen raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

Karjalainen shoots in and gets a takedown into Lester's guard.

Lester wriggles free and stands up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karjalainen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Lester throws a lazy body kick

and Karjalainen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Karjalainen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lester tries to kick Karjalainen off but Karjalainen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Karjalainen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Karjalainen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lester is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karjalainen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Lester with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Karjalainen.
Karjalainen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Karjalainen scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Karjalainen with the ground and pound but Lester uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Karjalainen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lester works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Teemu Karjalainen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Karjalainen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Karjalainen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Karjalainen postures up in Lester's guard and throws a big left but Lester blocks it.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Lester looks to land a body kick but Karjalainen moved away.
It seemed like Karjalainen was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A jab from Lester does it's job there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Karjalainen takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Moe Lester.
I think Lester 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Moe Lester!
In his post fight interview, Moe Lester started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.