PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Lynch (ranked 25107 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lil Soulman (ranked 7394 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Lil Soulman was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Lynch
vs
Soulman

213 cm
18
214 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

190 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ben Lynch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lil Soulman!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soulman blocks a head kick by Lynch.
Lynch really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Soulman shoots and misses

and Lynch counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Soulman breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lynch fails to land the takedown.
Soulman gets cracked there but stands up to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soulman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Soulman forces Lynch back against the cage and clinches.
Soulman is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lynch drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Soulman pulls guard successfully.
Soulman is pulling down on Lynch's head. It's preventing any offense from Lynch, at least for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Soulman is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Lynch cracks Soulman with a solid left hand.
Soulman manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lynch manages to get himself to full guard.

Soulman trying to control but Lynch is working from the bottom.
Soulman must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Soulman throws a big elbow that misses.
Soulman keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Lynch's head.
Soulman trying to control but Lynch is working from the bottom.
Soulman working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

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

Soulman is adopting a defensive guard.
Soulman wants to sweep but no luck.
Lynch cracks Soulman with a solid left hand.
Soulman looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Soulman wants to stand up but Lynch is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lynch loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lynch is looking to work some ground and pound but Soulman has wrist control.
Soulman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lynch missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lynch lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ben Lynch will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Soulman clinches up with Lynch and pushes him back against the cage.
Soulman drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Lynch's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lynch misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lynch moves to clinch but Soulman breaks away
and Soulman counters with a thumping low kick.
Soulman pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soulman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lynch swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lynch is looking to counter the offense by Soulman and move into the clinch.
Lynch rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Soulman counters with an inside leg kick.
Lynch misses with a right hand
enabling Soulman to counter with a crisp jab.
Soulman has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Lynch tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Soulman swivels and escapes.
Soulman scores with a nice right hand.
Soulman avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Soulman moves in looking to clinch but Lynch pushes him off.
Lynch darts in trying to clinch
and Soulman counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lynch smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Lynch leaves Soulman with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lynch throws a predictable looking body shot
and Soulman counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Lynch is looking to clinch.

Lynch tries to keep at a distance but Soulman has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Soulman.
Soulman is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lynch gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ben Lynch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lil Soulman.
Soulman fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Soulman jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Lynch walks away with a smile on his face. Soulman gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Soulman goes for a double leg but Lynch avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Lynch continues to drive forward.
Lynch moves to clinch but Soulman breaks away
and Soulman counters with a left to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lynch will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Soulman shoots in but no luck this time.
No luck for Soulman with that takedown attempt.
Lynch half committed to a counter leg kick.
Ben Lynch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lynch tries to land a leg kick but Soulman saw it coming and moves away.
As Lynch backs off Soulman throws a huge counter combo but Lynch manages to avoid it all.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Lynch rushes Soulman and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Lynch is trying to pull guard but Soulman turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lil Soulman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Lynch's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Lynch clinches with his opponent.

Soulman successfully pulls guard.
Soulman wants to improve his position but instead Lynch has moved into half guard.
Lynch landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Lynch thows a huge punch but Soulman dodges it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soulman is trying to get back to full guard.
Soulman has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lynch is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lynch stops Soulman from getting back to his feet.
Lynch not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lynch thows a huge punch but Soulman dodges it nicely.
Soulman wants to control but Lynch is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Soulman is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Lynch thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Soulman's head.
Lynch will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Lynch is looking for a kimura but Soulman is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lynch to get the leverage.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two 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.
Lynch with a lazy takedown attempt
and Soulman counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Lynch shoots in for a double leg but Soulman sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Soulman closes the distance and pushes Lynch back into the cage.

Soulman breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lynch wants to clinch but Soulman slips to the side
and Soulman counters with a stiff right hand.

Lynch moves into the clinch.
Soulman leaning against his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soulman has Lynch pressed against the cage.
Soulman receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Soulman is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Lynch blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Soulman looking for a takedown.
Soulman creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Lynch's defenses.

It looks like Ben Lynch has been cut.
A short right from Soulman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soulman tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lynch smiles and moves away.
Lynch tries to clinch up but Soulman circles away and keeps his distance.
Lynch will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Soulman tries to counter by closing the distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Lynch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Soulman moves in looking to clinch but Lynch pushes him off.
Lynch is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Soulman.
Soulman has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lynch tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Soulman closes the distance and pushes Lynch back into the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lynch blocks an elbow strike.
Soulman lands a good knee to the midsection. Lynch won't want to take too many of those.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lil Soulman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Soulman has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lil Soulman!