PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Teemu Karjalainen (ranked 555 p4p, 68 weight class) and Mamoru Date (ranked 1219 p4p, 154 weight class). Karjalainen comes to the cage accompanied by Sentenced - End of the Road. This should be fireworks!

Karjalainen
vs
Date

171 cm
33
163 lbs
23 - 15 - 0

178 cm
29
160 lbs
18 - 8 - 2

Great wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Sportivité

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 23 - 15 - 0, fighting out of New York, Teemu Karjalainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Mamoru Date!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Date throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Karjalainen throwing a counter right hand but Date manages to avoid it.
Date missing with a left hand there. Karjalainen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Karjalainen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Karjalainen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Date manages to avoid it.
Karjalainen blocks a jab.
Karjalainen tries to counter with a takedown but Date is quick to defend against it.
Karjalainen slips under a jab.
Karjalainen misses with a lunging right hand
and Date counters with a stiff right hand.
Karjalainen uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Date.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Date lands with a shot to the body.
Karjalainen looks to land a left hand but Date moved out of range nicely.
Date uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Karjalainen.
Karjalainen stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Date.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Date scores with a shot to the body.
Date stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Date getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Nice defenses there by Karjalainen.
Date looks to land a right hand but Karjalainen moved out of range.
Karjalainen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
We've been hearing reports that Karjalainen has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Date throws an off balance right hand
and Karjalainen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mamoru Date seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Date looks to land a right hand but Karjalainen moved out of range.
Date ducks under a wild hook from Karjalainen.
Date doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Date misses with a shot to the body
and Karjalainen counters with a nice uppercut.
Date connects with a looping right hand.
Karjalainen keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
As Date looks to move away, Karjalainen throws a big counter combo but Date just gets out of the way.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Date lands with a straight right. Karjalainen didn't see that one coming.
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!
Date works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Date takes a swing at Karjalainen's ribcage but misses.
Karjalainen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Nice defenses there by Karjalainen.
Karjalainen drops down looking for a counter takedown but Date sprawls and moves away.
Date lands a body shot.
Date throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Date is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Date lands a slapping body shot.
Date misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Karjalainen.
Date lands a body shot.
Date uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Karjalainen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Date tries to score with a low kick but Karjalainen moves his leg out of the way.
As Date looks to move away, Karjalainen throws a big counter combo but Date just gets out of the way.
Date with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Date lands with a thumping leg kick.
Date throws a nice looking combination but Karjalainen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
It looked like Karjalainen was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Karjalainen scores with a shot to the body.
Karjalainen fails with the takedown
and Date counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Date throws a body shot but no joy.
It looked like Karjalainen wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Date ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Karjalainen moves away.
Karjalainen misses with a looping left.
Date misses with a low kick.
A counter left hand to the body from Karjalainen misses its target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Date misses with a body shot.
Karjalainen lands with a nice body punch.
Date jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Date blocks a jab.
Karjalainen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Karjalainen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Karjalainen on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Karjalainen on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Karjalainen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Date throws out the jab.
Karjalainen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Date fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Karjalainen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Date throws a jab but it's blocked by Karjalainen.
Karjalainen half committed to a counter leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mamoru Date 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.

Date bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Karjalainen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Karjalainen might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Date lands a jab to Karjalainen's midsection.
Karjalainen moves away from the strike by Date.
Karjalainen appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Date has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Karjalainen throws a poor cross that misses
and Date counters with a nice body shot.
A slow jab from Karjalainen misses its intended target.
Karjalainen gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Date connects with the punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Date thows a leg kick but Karjalainen checks it

and Karjalainen counters with a takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Karjalainen lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karjalainen wants to control but Date is keeping him busy.
Karjalainen working away.
Date is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Karjalainen's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Date is concentrating on defense, preventing Karjalainen from advancing position.
Karjalainen throws a strike but Date avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karjalainen throws a big right hand that misses.
Karjalainen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Date wants to sweep but no luck.
Date is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Date is trying to keep Karjalainen in close.
Date is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Date uses his free foot to push down on Karjalainen's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Karjalainen.
Date tries to control but Karjalainen wriggling away.
Karjalainen prevents Date from taking his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Date wants to stand but Karjalainen is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
Date sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Karjalainen is controlling an arm, preventing Date from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Date is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Karjalainen 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.
Date controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Date wants to stand but Karjalainen is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
Date controlling the pace for now.
Karjalainen is wriggling around trying to escape.
Karjalainen tries to hold on but Date pushes him away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Date wants to take Karjalainen's back here but Karjalainen is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mamoru Date showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Karjalainen avoids the body shot from Date.
Karjalainen throws the left hand but Date avoids the punch easily.

Karjalainen gets tackled into the cage by Date. Date maintains the clinch.
Date tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Karjalainen's elbow.
Date prevents a body shot from Karjalainen.
A nice right hand lands inside from Date.
A hook to the body from Date.
Karjalainen is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Date's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Karjalainen swings wildly with an uppercut but Date uses good head movement to avoid it.
Karjalainen tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Date avoids it.
Date blocks a body shot from Karjalainen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Date blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Karjalainen throws an elbow but it misses.
A head punch on the inside from Karjalainen fails to land.
Karjalainen prevents a body shot from Date.
Karjalainen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Date misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karjalainen blocks an uppercut.
Date tries to throw a body punch but Karjalainen avoids it by throwing Date back against the cage.
Date misses with a body punch.
Karjalainen looking to slow down the pace here.
Date blocks an uppercut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Date.
Karjalainen working Date over with knees to the body.
Date misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Date working aggressively here.
A short right from Date on the inside.
Karjalainen trying to land knees to the body.
Karjalainen is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Date is keeping busy.
Karjalainen throws an elbow that misses.
Date misses with a punch on the inside.
Karjalainen prevents a body shot from Date.
Date misses with a short punch on the inside.
Date tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Teemu Karjalainen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karjalainen is trying to maintain a safe position but Date gets an underhook and turns Karjalainen into the cage.
Date lands an uppercut.
Date misses with a hook from the clinch.
Date scores with a shoulder strike.
Date tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Karjalainen's elbow.
Date throws a head punch that misses.

Karjalainen breaks the clinch.
Date throws a looping overhand right but Karjalainen ducks down to avoid it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Date wants to land a leg kick but Karjalainen is out of range.
Date moves into range and connects with a jab.
Date rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Karjalainen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Date's corner calls for a 1-2. Date obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Karjalainen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Karjalainen is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Date stuffs the takedown attempt from Karjalainen. Karjalainen gets slowly back to his feet.
Despite the aggression on Date's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Date. That snapped Karjalainen's head back.
Date throws a front kick aimed at Karjalainen's knee but Karjalainen avoids it well.
Karjalainen misses with a double jab.
Date is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Mamoru Date is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Date misses the jab.
Karjalainen throwing a counter right hand but Date manages to avoid it.
Date uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Karjalainen.
Date swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Karjalainen.
Date lands a jab to the head.
Karjalainen works Date's body with a nice hook.
Mamoru Date is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Date lands a leg kick that knocks Karjalainen off balance momentarily.
Date feints and then cracks Karjalainen's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Karjalainen down.
Date scores with a nice strike.
Karjalainen moves forwards but Date connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Mamoru Date seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Date throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Date clinches with his opponent.
Karjalainen lands a shoulder strike.
Date tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Karjalainen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Date.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Date.
Karjalainen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mamoru Date comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Date has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mamoru Date!
Our winner, Mamoru Date, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.