PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hulk Butane (ranked 1154 p4p, 150 weight class) and Alexi Laiho (ranked 1405 p4p, 186 weight class). Butane kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Genesis. Laiho comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Cold Sweat/ Thin Lizzy kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! On his way into the cage it seems that Hulk Butane has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Hulk Butane seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Butane
vs
Laiho

197 cm
29
255 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

190 cm
37
225 lbs
20 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Sin City Allstars

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Hulk Butane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alexi Laiho!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Butane lands with a thumping leg kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Butane lands a leg kick that knocks Laiho off balance momentarily.

Laiho is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Butane's half guard.
Butane avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Laiho.
Laiho landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Butane blocking the ground and pound attempt from Laiho.
Butane preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
The fighters are battling for position here. Butane manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Butane has control of Laiho's left arm, preventing Laiho from doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laiho keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Butane's head.
Butane controls Laiho momentarily but Laiho frees himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Laiho wants to control from the top but Butane keeps moving.
Laiho trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laiho working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Laiho passes Butane's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Laiho thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Laiho looks to land a strike but Butane avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Laiho throws a big right hand that misses.
Laiho postures up in Butane's guard and throws a big left but Butane blocks it.
Laiho trying to control but Butane is working from the bottom.
Butane has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Butane keeping full guard, as Laiho tries to pass.
Laiho working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laiho engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Laiho has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Laiho throws a big elbow that misses.
Laiho trying to control but Butane is working from the bottom.

Butane looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Laiho scoring with some ground and pound.
Laiho postures up.
Laiho loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Laiho wants to control from the top but Butane keeps moving.
Laiho lands a couple of elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laiho sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Butane's guard.

Laiho seems to be looking for submissions.
Laiho seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Butane does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Laiho is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Butane is looking to improve his position but Laiho isn't that keen on the idea.
Laiho looking to control and managing it successfully.
Laiho looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Laiho lands a couple of good shots and Butane has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Laiho biding his time, looking for the opening.
Laiho scores with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laiho trying to control momentarily.
Laiho is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Butane is really stuck here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Laiho throwing sloppy strikes.
Laiho throwing sloppy strikes.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Laiho's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Butane takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Laiho is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Butane up.
Laiho tries to keep control of the position but Butane is staying busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexi Laiho dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Laiho misses with an uppercut. Butane saw that one coming.
Butane throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Laiho wants to counter the offense by Butane and move into the clinch position.
Laiho on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Butane misses the shot to the body.
Laiho swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Butane looks to throw the jab but Laiho is out of range.
Butane walks into a straight right hand from Laiho.
Alexi Laiho is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice shot lands for Laiho.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Laiho is defended easily by Butane.
Laiho keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butane dips to his left and cracks Laiho with an uppercut!
Butane fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Laiho checks it well.
Laiho gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Butane counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Butane uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Laiho.
Laiho lands a jab to the nose.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butane lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Laiho darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Butane is controlling Laiho's trapped leg to prevent Laiho from advancing to side control.
Laiho drops an elbow to the side of Butane's head.
Laiho is keen to just control but Butane is a slippery customer.
My spies in Ramirez School Of Excellence inform me that Laiho has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Laiho trying to control from Butane's half guard. Butane has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Laiho looking to pass the guard.
Laiho is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Butane tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butane utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Laiho working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Butane's head.
Laiho chips away with some ground and pound.

Laiho postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Butane is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Laiho, into his guard.

Butane trying to control but Laiho is working from the bottom.
Butane passes into half guard.
Butane trying to mount his opponent but Laiho defends it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Laiho wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butane tries to pass to full mount but Laiho defends it.
Laiho is trying to get back to full guard.
Laiho is staying active underneath Butane, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Laiho is trying to get back to full guard.
Butane wants to advance to full mount but Laiho doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

Laiho looking for a guillotine here but Butane defends easily.
Butane trying to stand up but can't free himself from Laiho's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Laiho looking for a guillotine here but Butane defends easily.
Butane tries to free his leg and advance position but Laiho is retaining full guard.
Laiho wants to stand up but Butane is controlling him.
Butane is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Butane trying to control but Laiho is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Laiho trying to control the position here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alexi Laiho will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Butane throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Laiho's head.
Butane throws a body shot but no joy.
Laiho tries for a takedown but Butane circles away easily
letting Butane counter with a right hand.
Laiho ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Butane throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Laiho sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Butane swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Laiho.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Butane.
A solid leg kick lands there for Butane.
Laiho doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Butane counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laiho fails to land the takedown.
Hulk Butane has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexi Laiho.
Butane gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laiho darts in looking for a takedown but Butane gets double underhooks and turns Laiho into the cage.
Butane throws a series of punches but Laiho avoids them all with ease.
Butane misses with a body shot.
Laiho throws a left and a right that both miss
and Butane counters with a left to the body.
Laiho shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Butane as he jumps to the side.
Butane with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Butane lands with an overhand left.
Butane takes one on the button.
Laiho has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Laiho closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Butane did well to prevent Laiho getting side control.
Laiho throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Butane looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Laiho is stalling here. Butane is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Laiho seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Butane has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Butane slows the pace down.
Alexi Laiho has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laiho is trying to improve his position.
Butane taking a breather here.
Hulk Butane has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Butane advances to full mount.
Laiho is desperately trying to improve his position but Butane has a good base and remains in mount.
Butane sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laiho is trying desperately to improve position.
Butane throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Butane prevents Laiho from getting the reversal.
Butane wants to take Laiho's back here but Laiho is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Butane controlling from mount.
Laiho blocking the ground and pound.
Butane pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Laiho is looking to improve his position but Butane isn't that keen on the idea.
Alexi Laiho is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butane lands a heavy elbow.
Butane fails to advance to Laiho's back.
Laiho is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Laiho is working to get back to half guard.
Laiho holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Butane tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Butane tries to control but Laiho wriggling away.
Laiho is trying to escape the mount.
Laiho is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hulk Butane showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Laiho 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexi Laiho!
Alexi Laiho managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Sportivité, into his post fight interview.