PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Argat Khan (ranked 726 p4p, 98 weight class) and Mika Saarenpaa (ranked 593 p4p, 84 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 Mika Saarenpaa was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Khan
vs
Saarenpaa

178 cm
27
176 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

183 cm
42
170 lbs
47 - 21 - 2

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Argat Khan!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 47 - 21 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mika Saarenpaa!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Daniel Franklin and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khan throws a shot from downtown. Saarenpaa moves away and avoids it.
Saarenpaa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Saarenpaa throws the left hand but Khan avoids the punch easily.
We've been informed that Saarenpaa has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Khan takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Saarenpaa checks a low kick from Khan.
Saarenpaa scores with a body shot.
Saarenpaa throws a leg kick but Khan sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Khan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Saarenpaa manages to avoid it.
Saarenpaa tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Khan was well out of range. Poor timing from Saarenpaa.
Khan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Khan throws a nice inside leg kick.
Khan changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khan tries a head kick but it misses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Saarenpaa checks a leg kick.
Saarenpaa looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Saarenpaa throws a body shot but no joy.
Argat Khan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Khan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A nice side step and Saarenpaa releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Khan defending well as Saarenpaa loads up on a big left hand.
Saarenpaa tries to close the distance and clinch but Khan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khan lands with a thumping leg kick.
Khan with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Saarenpaa to score with a decent uppercut.
Saarenpaa checks a leg kick.
Khan throws a low kick but it's checked well by Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa throws a series of punches but Khan moves out of range.
Saarenpaa throws a big shot that misses.
Khan throws a big counter combination but Saarenpaa scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Khan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Saarenpaa turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Khan scores with a punch to the head.
Khan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa throws a big shot that misses.
Khan looks to score with a jab to the body but Saarenpaa is just out of range.
Saarenpaa lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Khan throws a head kick but Saarenpaa moves out of range.
Khan ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Khan looks to land a body kick but Saarenpaa moved away.
Khan has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Shark Tank MMA in the buildup to the fight.
Saarenpaa blocks a head kick by Khan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarenpaa is looking to clinch.
Khan scores with a decent looking hook.
Khan misses with a head kick.
Saarenpaa takes a jab right on the kisser.
Saarenpaa moves into range and connects with a jab.
Khan just misses with a punch to the body.
Khan misses with a left hand
and Khan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Khan wants to slow Saarenpaa down by chopping away at his legs.
Saarenpaa uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Khan.
Khan connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Khan swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Khan attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Khan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Saarenpaa 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.
Khan lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Khan misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khan looks for the body kick but Saarenpaa saw that one coming.
Saarenpaa looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A big right from Khan misses.
Khan misses with a body punch
and Saarenpaa finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Khan walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Khan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A jab from Saarenpaa misses.
Khan stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa misses with a wild combination.

Saarenpaa gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Khan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Saarenpaa misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Khan scores with a shoulder strike.
Khan misses with a punch on the inside.
Khan swings wildly with an uppercut but Saarenpaa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Khan misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saarenpaa digs a right hand into Khan's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Khan's gas tank.
Khan lands a nice shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Khan stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Khan struggles to land a body shot inside as Saarenpaa controls his hands.
A short left from Khan.
Khan stalling against the cage.
Khan blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Saarenpaa blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A shot in the inside from Saarenpaa.
Khan blocks a body shot from Saarenpaa.
Khan misses with a body punch.
Khan has a couple of punches blocked by Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa scores with a shoulder strike.
Khan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Khan lands a body shot in the clinch.
Saarenpaa misses with the head strike.
Khan has a couple of punches blocked by Saarenpaa.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Khan.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Khan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Khan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Argat Khan dominated that round.
That's time! Khan's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Khan takes a swing at Saarenpaa's ribcage but misses.
Khan goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Khan moves out of range of the body kick from Saarenpaa.
Khan throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Saarenpaa stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Saarenpaa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Khan lands a jab to Saarenpaa's midsection.
Khan bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Saarenpaa's head.
Khan digs a good body shot into Saarenpaa's ribs.
Khan misses with a body shot.
It seemed like Saarenpaa was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Khan is looking to clinch but Saarenpaa is avoiding it.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Khan.
Saarenpaa keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Khan misses with a straight right.
Saarenpaa throws out a counter right but Khan avoids it with no problem.
An inside leg kick from Saarenpaa misses.
Khan takes a body punch but keeps moving.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Khan misses with a right hand
and Saarenpaa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Khan swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarenpaa ducks right into an uppercut from Khan.
An inside leg kick from Khan misses.
Khan bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Saarenpaa's head.
Khan tries to land a leg kick but Saarenpaa saw it coming and moves away.
Khan throws an overhand right that lands on Saarenpaa's shoulder, as Saarenpaa tries to avoid the shot.
Khan pivots, looking for a leg kick but Saarenpaa is out of range and Khan settles back down.
Khan lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Saarenpaa avoids the body shot from Khan.
The fighters circling - Khan throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Saarenpaa flicks out a counter leg kick but Khan steps away.
Saarenpaa connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Khan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Saarenpaa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Saarenpaa slips a straight right by Khan.
Khan throws a head kick but Saarenpaa moves out of range.
Saarenpaa works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Khan throws a leg kick that is checked
and Saarenpaa counters with a left and a right that stings Khan.

Khan is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Khan misses with a hook. Saarenpaa ducked under it nicely.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Saarenpaa checks a leg kick.
Khan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Argat Khan is winning the standup battle so far.
Khan throws a sloppy body shot
letting Saarenpaa counter with a right hand.
Oh Khan is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Khan throws a leg kick that misses.
Saarenpaa checks a low kick from Khan.
Saarenpaa chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Khan seems to have got his legs back now.
Saarenpaa wants to clinch up but Khan keeps it at a distance.
Khan thows a leg kick but Saarenpaa checks it
and Saarenpaa counters with a nice uppercut.
Khan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Saarenpaa. Khan does a little dance to reset his feet.
Saarenpaa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Khan moves away.
Khan is looking to clinch.
Saarenpaa throws out a counter right but Khan avoids it with no problem.
Khan lands with a good body shot.
Khan throws a sloppy head kick and Saarenpaa moves out of range easily.
Saarenpaa slips a jab from Khan.
Saarenpaa thinks about the counter body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khan throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Khan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Khan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saarenpaa digs a good hook to Khan's body.
Saarenpaa throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Khan stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Khan moves out of range as Saarenpaa throws a body kick.
Khan swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Saarenpaa checks a leg kick nicely.
Saarenpaa looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Khan uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Saarenpaa.
Khan looks to throw the jab but Saarenpaa is out of range.
Saarenpaa chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Khan can pounce on him.
Khan misses with a low kick.
Saarenpaa throws out a counter right but Khan avoids it with no problem.
Khan walks into a stiff left hand from Saarenpaa.
Khan misses the shot to the body.
A countering left hand to the body from Saarenpaa misses.
Khan throws a leg kick that is checked
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Saarenpaa looks to score with a jab to the body but Khan is just out of range.
Khan misses with a hook to the body
and Saarenpaa counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khan throws a nice inside leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Saarenpaa scores with a decent looking hook.
Saarenpaa jabs Khan to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Saarenpaa jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Khan looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A head kick misses from Khan.
Saarenpaa throws a jab but it's blocked by Khan.
Khan tried to counter with a leg kick but Saarenpaa avoided it.
Khan misses with a two punch combination.
Khan throws a leg kick that misses.
Khan jabs at Saarenpaa's body.
A big right from Saarenpaa misses.
Saarenpaa throws a shot to the body.
Saarenpaa ducks under a wild hook from Khan.
Saarenpaa let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Saarenpaa throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saarenpaa fakes the leg kick and cracks Khan in the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Argat Khan will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Khan misses the shot to the body.
Saarenpaa catches Khan with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Saarenpaa walks into a stiff left hand from Khan.
Saarenpaa takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Khan misses the body punch
and Saarenpaa counters with a nice low kick that buckles Khan's knee momentarily.
Saarenpaa takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Khan lands a nice hook to Saarenpaa's body. Saarenpaa takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Khan throws the kick towards the body but Saarenpaa avoids it.
Khan misses with a shot to the body
and Saarenpaa counters with a straight right hand.
Khan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Khan throws a looping overhand right but Saarenpaa ducks down to avoid it.
Saarenpaa defending well as Khan loads up on a big left hand.
It seemed like Saarenpaa was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Khan throws a chopping leg kick but Saarenpaa manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Khan chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Saarenpaa can pounce on him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Khan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Saarenpaa blocks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarenpaa dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Saarenpaa pushes Khan up against the cage in a clinch.
Khan is looking to control Saarenpaa's arms but Saarenpaa gets an underhook and turns him. Now Khan has his back to the cage.
Khan blocking some punches.
A right hook to the body lands for Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Argat Khan has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Saarenpaa swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Saarenpaa lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Saarenpaa lands an uppercut.
Khan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Khan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Saarenpaa doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa lands with a light punch inside.
Khan misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Saarenpaa manages to break the clinch.
Khan steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Saarenpaa. That one must have hurt.
A jab from Khan misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Khan misses with a leg kick
and Saarenpaa counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Saarenpaa drives through and clinches with Khan against the cage.
Saarenpaa tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Khan avoids it.
Saarenpaa blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Saarenpaa tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Saarenpaa.
Khan throws a head punch that misses.
Khan pushes Saarenpaa back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Khan struggles to land a body shot inside as Saarenpaa controls his hands.
Khan tries to throw a body punch but Saarenpaa avoids it by throwing Khan back against the cage.
A short right from Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa lands a left hand that snaps the head of Khan backwards.
A shot in the inside from Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa lands a hook to the side of the head.
Saarenpaa swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Saarenpaa blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Khan is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Saarenpaa is keeping busy.
Khan misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khan lands a hook to the side of the head.
Khan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Saarenpaa's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Nice body punch from Khan.
Khan misses with a punch to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Saarenpaa.
Khan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Saarenpaa digs a right hand into Khan's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Khan's gas tank.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Saarenpaa.
Khan trying to control the position but instead, Saarenpaa has worked for underhooks and has pushed Khan into the cage.
Khan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Khan gets through Saarenpaa's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Khan tries to throw a body punch but Saarenpaa avoids it by throwing Khan back against the cage.
Saarenpaa pushes Khan back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Still in the clinch, Saarenpaa scores with a nice short uppercut.
Saarenpaa lands a shoulder strike.
Khan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saarenpaa blocks a body shot from Khan.
Saarenpaa lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Khan backwards.
Saarenpaa tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A short right from Khan on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Saarenpaa letting Khan take a breather here.
Khan tries a body shot but Saarenpaa blocks it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Khan.
Saarenpaa struggles to land a body shot inside as Khan controls his hands.
Khan struggles to land a body shot inside as Saarenpaa controls his hands.
A head punch on the inside from Khan fails to land.
A hook to the body from Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Saarenpaa lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Khan swings wildly with an uppercut but Saarenpaa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Saarenpaa tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A nice left hand lands by Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa can't find room to land a body shot as Khan controls the action.
Khan misses with some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mika Saarenpaa really dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Khan thumps Saarenpaa with a low kick.
Khan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Saarenpaa.
Khan swings away with a body shot that misses
and Saarenpaa counters with a stiff right hand.
Khan throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Saarenpaa counters with a nice uppercut.
Saarenpaa tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Khan was well out of range. Poor timing from Saarenpaa.
Saarenpaa has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Khan finds it's way round the side to connect with Saarenpaa's head.
Saarenpaa avoids the body shot from Khan.
Khan throws a right and a left that Saarenpaa avoids nicely.
Khan throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Saarenpaa stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Khan is looking to wear down Saarenpaa with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Khan connects with a crisp jab.
Saarenpaa swats away the attempt to clinch by Khan.
Saarenpaa connects with a right that clearly hurt Khan. He's backed up against the cage with nowhere to go as Saarenpaa proceeds to tee off with vicious combinations till Khan collapses and taps out under the pressure!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:53 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mika Saarenpaa!
Mika Saarenpaa is the new welterweight champion!
Mika Saarenpaa thanked the fans post fight for their support.