PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tusing Pocc (ranked 2327 p4p, 218 weight class) and Marcus Aurelius (ranked 2368 p4p, 221 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Pocc
vs
Aurelius

165 cm
39
150 lbs
20 - 24 - 1

167 cm
23
156 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Dark Knight Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 24 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Tusing Pocc!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Marcus Aurelius!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pocc misses with a takedown attempt - Aurelius sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Aurelius has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.

Pocc gets the takedown into side control.

Pocc tries for a kimura but Aurelius is defending well.
Aurelius defending against the ground and pound.
Pocc scores with a couple of short elbows.
Aurelius can't do much from the bottom here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pocc thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Pocc with the ground and pound but Aurelius regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pocc scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Pocc misses with a head shot. Aurelius uses the momentum to regain guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Pocc is looking to work some ground and pound but Aurelius has wrist control.
Pocc postures up in Aurelius's guard and throws a big left but Aurelius blocks it.
Pocc is in close to Aurelius's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Pocc 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.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pocc accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Pocc scoring with punches to the head and body.
Pocc wants to control from the top but Aurelius keeps moving.
Pocc trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pocc trying to control the position from guard on top but Aurelius is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pocc working some strikes from top position.
Pocc trying to control but Aurelius is working from the bottom.
Aurelius utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pocc accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Aurelius preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Pocc working some strikes from top position.
Pocc with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pocc throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Aurelius shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pocc's guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Pocc looking for a sweep. Not yet Pocc, not yet.
Aurelius stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pocc swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Aurelius with a flurry of punches that miss.

Pocc is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Aurelius cracks Pocc with a solid left hand.

Pocc isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Aurelius stacks Pocc on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Aurelius!
Pocc tries to bench press Aurelius off him but Aurelius keeps the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pocc is working hard here to advance position.
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.
Aurelius misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Pocc is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pocc avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Aurelius.
Aurelius throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
We've been hearing good reports from Pocc's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Pocc is looking to reverse the position.
Pocc is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Aurelius off and has taken his back!

Pocc is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Aurelius is defending well though. Pocc let's go of the attempt for now.

Pocc has got his arm under Aurelius's chin working for the choke… has he got it? It looks pretty tight! Oh! Aurelius has spun round into Pocc's guard beautifully! Well done that man!

Aurelius drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Aurelius jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Pocc looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Aurelius slips nicely into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pocc tries to get to full guard but Aurelius has control of the leg.
Aurelius blocks the strikes from Pocc.

Aurelius is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Pocc is just riding it out for now. Aurelius eventually gives up the hold.
Pocc avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Aurelius.
Pocc is trying to stand up here but Aurelius is controlling him well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pocc wants to control but Aurelius is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Aurelius takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Aurelius trying to work for an americana but Pocc has managed to regain full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Aurelius accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Aurelius showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Aurelius fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Pocc shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Aurelius is trying to defend but Pocc finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Aurelius wants to control but Pocc is keeping busy.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Pocc lands a nice short elbow.

Pocc is working for a kimura but Aurelius is defending it quite comfortably.
Pocc thows a huge punch but Aurelius dodges it nicely.
Tusing Pocc overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aurelius has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Pocc is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pocc is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Aurelius doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Pocc.

Pocc is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Aurelius has managed to free his arm - good work.
Aurelius is trying to stand.
Pocc thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Pocc seems to be working for a kimura but Aurelius defends the submission attempt.

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.
Pocc throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Pocc is looking for a kimura here.
Aurelius is looking to control Pocc's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Aurelius avoid being mounted?
Tusing Pocc is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Aurelius on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pocc content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Aurelius keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tusing Pocc showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Pocc has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 for Tusing Pocc!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Tusing Pocc!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Tusing Pocc!

Tusing Pocc wins by unanimous decision!
A relieved looking Tusing Pocc thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Marcus Aurelius spoke after the fight, saying 'Nothing happens to any man that he is not formed by nature to bear'.