PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rogerio Fernandez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kaapo Hannuksela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hannuksela comes into a darkened arena with his song building. The Sex Pistols - Submission kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! 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.

Fernandez
vs
Hannuksela

190 cm
22
210 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
20
198 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Pacheco Labratories Inc

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rogerio Fernandez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kaapo Hannuksela!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hannuksela shoots in but no luck this time.

Fernandez takes the fight into the clinch.
Fernandez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hannuksela walks away with a smile on his face. Fernandez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Fernandez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Hannuksela looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Hannuksela lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Fernandez!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Hannuksela scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Hannuksela working for a submission but Fernandez is keeping him at bay.
Fernandez tries to hold on but Hannuksela pushes him away.

Hannuksela working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Fernandez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernandez throws a strike from the bottom but Hannuksela uses the opportunity to take his back.

Hannuksela is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Fernandez has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Fernandez fending off the submission attempt from Hannuksela.
Hannuksela looks gassed!
Fernandez manages to reverse the position and now he's in Hannuksela's guard. Nice work there by Fernandez.
Hannuksela looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Fernandez looking to sit in guard and control but Hannuksela gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hannuksela loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fernandez pushes Hannuksela off and gets back to his feet.

Hannuksela gets caught flat footed, as Fernandez shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Hannuksela is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Fernandez is looking to control Hannuksela's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Fernandez avoid being mounted?
Fernandez gets full guard.
Fernandez has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Hannuksela has passed into side control.
Fernandez is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Hannuksela is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Hannuksela scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Fernandez?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hannuksela with shots to the head and body - Fernandez looks very uncomfortable down there.
Fernandez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Fernandez sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Fernandez punching from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Hannuksela connects with a nice short shot to Fernandez's temple.

Fernandez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Fernandez is not content to let Hannuksela control the position.
Hannuksela wants to free his trapped foot but Fernandez is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Hannuksela seems to be looking for submissions.
Hannuksela looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Fernandez 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.
Fernandez moves into full guard.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Fernandez throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Fernandez controls Hannuksela momentarily but Hannuksela frees himself.
Hannuksela forces his way into half guard.
Hannuksela frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Hannuksela working Fernandez over with strikes here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hannuksela landing strikes, looking to finish!
Hannuksela connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kaapo Hannuksela will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hannuksela shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Fernandez counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Hannuksela looking for a guillotine here but Fernandez defends easily.
Fernandez works over Hannuksela with some ground and pound from guard.
Hannuksela has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Fernandez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Fernandez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hannuksela looking to hit a scissor sweep but Fernandez is one step ahead there.
Fernandez trying to control the position from guard on top but Hannuksela is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fernandez working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hannuksela is looking for a triangle but Fernandez pushes his legs off easily.
Hannuksela keeping moving, preventing Fernandez from controlling successfully.
Hannuksela keeping full guard, as Fernandez tries to pass.

Fernandez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Fernandez wants to get up but he can't break Hannuksela's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Hannuksela is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

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.
Fernandez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Hannuksela looking for a sweep. Not yet Hannuksela, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Hannuksela shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Fernandez gives up his back whilst trying to strike.
Fernandez trying to control the position but Hannuksela manages to sink in the hooks.
Fernandez tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Fernandez is trying desperately to improve position.
Fernandez is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hannuksela trying to control but Fernandez is having none of it.
Hannuksela landing strikes from the mount.
Hannuksela punishing his opponent with strikes.
Fernandez throwing hammer fists to the chest of Hannuksela. What's that going to do exactly?
Hannuksela looking to finish Fernandez with some ground and pound. This is bad for Fernandez!
Hannuksela prevents Fernandez from getting the reversal.

Hannuksela looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Hannuksela sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Hannuksela sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fernandez slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Hannuksela looking for a submission but Fernandez manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.

Fernandez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hannuksela gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hannuksela wants to control from the top but Fernandez keeps moving.
Fernandez throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Fernandez manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Fernandez breaks from Hannuksela's wrist control and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogerio Fernandez dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Fernandez with a poor takedown

and Hannuksela counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Hannuksela is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Fernandez tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

Hannuksela is working for a submission of some sort.
Fernandez flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Hannuksela looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hannuksela thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Fernandez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernandez keeping moving, preventing Hannuksela from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fernandez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Hannuksela thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Fernandez keeping full guard, as Hannuksela tries to pass.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Fernandez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hannuksela is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Hannuksela has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Fernandez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Fernandez avoids the elbow strike from Hannuksela, against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Fernandez pulls guard successfully.

Fernandez working for a triangle but Hannuksela defends it easily.

Fernandez throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Hannuksela escapes and throws Fernandez's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Hannuksela working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Hannuksela wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fernandez keeps working.
Fernandez regains half guard.
Hannuksela thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Fernandez's head.
Hannuksela moves nicely into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hannuksela trying to control the action but Fernandez is working from the bottom.
Fernandez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Fernandez flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Hannuksela trying to pass the guard but Fernandez defending well.
Fernandez tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Fernandez regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hannuksela stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fernandez swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fernandez can't keep his opponent in guard - Hannuksela advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Hannuksela seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Fernandez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hannuksela lands strikes from half guard.
Hannuksela is looking to take a break and control but Fernandez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fernandez tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Hannuksela looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Fernandez is looking to improve his position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Hannuksela lands a nice short elbow.
Hannuksela is looking to take a break and control but Fernandez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Fernandez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kaapo Hannuksela.
I think Hannuksela 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kaapo Hannuksela!