PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sebastian Halstenberg (ranked 677 p4p, 93 weight class) and Aulis Homelius (ranked 1045 p4p, 139 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.

Halstenberg
vs
Homelius

172 cm
28
185 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

181 cm
21
196 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sebastian Halstenberg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Aulis Homelius!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Bruno Hogan and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Homelius shoots in but no luck this time.
Halstenberg swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Halstenberg throws a body shot but no joy.
Homelius misses with a shot to the body
and Halstenberg counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Halstenberg dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Homelius falls off balance throwing a combination
and Halstenberg counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Homelius moves away from the strike by Halstenberg.
And Homelius tries to counter it with a takedown but Halstenberg pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Homelius tries to land a leg kick but Halstenberg saw it coming and moves away.
Homelius throws a lazy uppercut
and Halstenberg counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Halstenberg has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Returning Pride in the buildup to the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Homelius tries for a takedown but Halstenberg circles away easily
and Halstenberg counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Homelius goes for a double leg but Halstenberg avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Halstenberg continues to drive forward.
Sebastian Halstenberg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aulis Homelius.
Halstenberg slips a straight right by Homelius.
Halstenberg scores with a punch to the head.
Homelius connects with a body shot that sends Halstenberg's belly button to the back.
A low kick from Homelius misses
enabling Halstenberg to counter with a crisp jab.
No joy there for Halstenberg, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halstenberg misses with a wild body shot.
Homelius throws a right hand that Halstenberg ducks under and follows up with a left that Halstenberg also avoids with ease.
Halstenberg appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Sebastian Halstenberg is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Homelius rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Halstenberg connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Aulis Homelius seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Halstenberg feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Homeliuss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Homelius darts in trying to clinch
and Halstenberg counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Halstenberg lands with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Homelius closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Halstenberg on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Homelius throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Homelius is working for a submission of some sort.
Homelius trying to control the pace.
Homelius thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Halstenberg's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Homelius stops Halstenberg from getting back to his feet.
Halstenberg on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Homelius thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Homelius is figuring out what he wants to do next.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Homelius thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sebastian Halstenberg dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Halstenberg misses with an uppercut

and Homelius counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Homelius lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Homelius sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Halstenberg defending well though.
Halstenberg wants to get back to his feet.
Homelius sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Halstenberg defending well though.
Homelius working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Homelius controlling the pace.
Homelius throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Halstenberg keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Homelius looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Halstenberg blocking the ground and pound attempt from Homelius.
Halstenberg looks like he's trying to stand up.
Homelius sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Halstenberg defending well though.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Halstenberg swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Homelius holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Halstenberg lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Homelius or not.
Halstenberg tries to throw a body punch but Homelius avoids it by throwing Halstenberg back against the cage.
Homelius blocks a body shot from Halstenberg.
Halstenberg tries to work over Homelius's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Halstenberg manages to break the clinch.
Halstenberg throws a poor cross that misses

and Homelius decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Halstenberg's guard.
Homelius postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Homelius throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Homelius working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Homelius throwing strikes from guard but Halstenberg blocks nicely.
Homelius in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Homelius working some strikes from top position.
Homelius is stalling in the full guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Homelius throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Halstenberg misses with a lunging right hand

and Homelius counters with a nice double leg into side control. Halstenberg won't be happy with that.
Homelius is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Halstenberg's shoulder. That is not cool.
Homelius wants to control but Halstenberg is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halstenberg gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Homelius looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Homelius content just to control the position here.
Halstenberg on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Halstenberg tries to get out of the position.
Halstenberg is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Homelius pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Homelius scoring with strikes but Halstenberg is staying in there.
Homelius wants to control but instead Halstenberg manages to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aulis Homelius showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Halstenberg stuffs the takedown attempt from Homelius. Homelius gets slowly back to his feet.
Halstenberg lands a body shot.
Halstenberg is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Homelius.
Homelius drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Halstenberg defends it well.
Halstenberg throws a lazy right hand but Homelius sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Homelius feints the counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Homelius misses with a wild body shot.
Homelius ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Halstenberg moves away.
Halstenberg is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Homelius ducks under a wild hook from Halstenberg.
Homelius slips under a jab from Halstenberg.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Homelius! But no joy.
Homelius throws out a loose jab but Halstenberg uses good head movement to avoid it.
A counter left hand to the body from Halstenberg misses its target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Halstenberg. Homelius does a little dance to reset his feet.
Homelius is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Homelius looks to land a right hand but Halstenberg moved out of range.
Homelius fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Halstenberg manages to avoid it.
Halstenberg appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Halstenberg changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Halstenberg connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Homelius momentarily.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halstenberg looks to land a combination but Homelius avoids it well.
Homelius closes the distance but Halstenberg moves to the side
and Halstenberg counters with a stiff right hand.
Homelius throws a lazy right hand but Halstenberg sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Homelius moves out of range of the strikes.
Homelius has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Sebastian Halstenberg is winning the standup battle so far.
Homelius displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Halstenberg throws out the jab.
Halstenberg throws out a loose jab but Homelius uses good head movement to avoid it.
Homelius with the counter takedown but Halstenberg avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Homelius gets a takedown into half guard.
Homelius has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Homelius throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Halstenberg to regain full guard.
Halstenberg wants to stand and escape but Homelius is having none of it.
Homelius lands a couple of digs.
Halstenberg wants to stand up but Homelius is controlling him.
Homelius wants to control from the top but Halstenberg keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Halstenberg knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Homelius on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halstenberg being controlled here, momentarily.
Homelius throws a big right hand that misses.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Halstenberg throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Homelius sizes up Halstenberg with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Halstenberg throws a body shot but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sebastian Halstenberg showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Halstenberg 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sebastian Halstenberg!
An out of breath Sebastian Halstenberg thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.