PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Top Heavy (ranked 2110 p4p, 266 weight class) and Jaakko Ilmarinen (ranked 2328 p4p, 291 weight class). Top Heavy has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Heavy
vs
Ilmarinen

190 cm
35
212 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

186 cm
22
197 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Top Heavy!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jaakko Ilmarinen!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Steven Brown and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Heavy fails with a takedown attempt.
Heavy dives in for a single leg takedown but Ilmarinen sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Ilmarinen unleashes a big counter combination but Heavy bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Heavy has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Top Heavy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Heavy shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ilmarinen but Ilmarinen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ilmarinen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Ilmarinen. No joy for Heavy on that attempt.
A countering left hand to the body from Ilmarinen misses.
Heavy shoots for a double leg takedown but Ilmarinen sprawls well. He's pushed Heavy's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Despite the aggression on Ilmarinen's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ilmarinen leaves Heavy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Heavy chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Ilmarinen can pounce on him.
Ilmarinen stalks Heavy and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Heavy's face. Heavy staggers backwards, shaken.
Heavy misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heavy closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ilmarinen circles away.
Ilmarinen thinks about the counter body kick.
Ilmarinen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Heavy.
Ilmarinen is looking for the big counter here.
Ilmarinen has worked on his takedown defense in the runup to this fight and it is paying off so far.
Ilmarinen fails to land with a series of punches.
Heavy closes the distance and clinches up with Ilmarinen, looking for a takedown. Heavy pushes Ilmarinen against the cage but Ilmarinen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Top Heavy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ilmarinen leaves Heavy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ilmarinen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Top Heavy has been cut.
Heavy shoots in for a takedown but Ilmarinen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
The crowd cheers as Ilmarinen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Heavy doesn't seem phased though.
Ilmarinen lands with a nice body punch.
Heavy shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ilmarinen sprawls well. Ilmarinen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Heavy gets slowly back to his feet.
Heavy is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen lands a jab to Heavy's midsection.
Heavy takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Ilmarinen is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Heavy rather than just go for the knockout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
No luck for Heavy with that takedown attempt.
Ilmarinen stuffs the takedown.
Heavy fails with the takedown
and Ilmarinen counters with a left and a right that stings Heavy.
Ilmarinen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ilmarinen wants it to stay on the feet.
Ilmarinen looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Ilmarinen throws a series of punches but Heavy moves out of range.
Heavy appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Heavy shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ilmarinen sprawls well. Ilmarinen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Heavy gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heavy takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Heavy shoots in for a takedown but Ilmarinen shows good takedown defense.
Heavy shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ilmarinen as he avoids it easily.
Ilmarinen doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

Heavy shoots in and gets a takedown into Ilmarinen's guard.
Ilmarinen wants to stand and escape but Heavy is having none of it.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Ilmarinen manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Heavy is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ilmarinen is defending well for now.
Ilmarinen blocks an uppercut.
Heavy tries a body shot but Ilmarinen blocks it.
Heavy misses with a short punch on the inside.

Ilmarinen breaks the clinch.
Ilmarinen throws a series of punches but Heavy moves out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Heavy gets a takedown into half guard.

Ilmarinen manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heavy fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ilmarinen avoids it really well and circles away.
Heavy shoots in looking for a takedown. Ilmarinen tries to sprawl out of it but Heavy keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ilmarinen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Heavy tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ilmarinen defends well and Heavy ends up having to push Ilmarinen into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Ilmarinen doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
A punch combination from Ilmarinen misses.
Sloppy strikes from Ilmarinen. Those never looked like landing.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ilmarinen.

Heavy scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ilmarinen is trying to get back to half guard.
Heavy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ilmarinen keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jaakko Ilmarinen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Top Heavy's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ilmarinen tries to bum rush Heavy with a series of wild strikes but Heavy uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Heavy feinted with a counter takedown.
Ilmarinen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ilmarinen lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ilmarinen.
Heavy doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ilmarinen counters with a left and a right that stings Heavy.
Heavy shoots in and drives through. Ilmarinen sprawls well.
Heavy is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ilmarinen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Top Heavy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Heavy shoots in for a takedown but Ilmarinen shows good takedown defense.
Ilmarinen is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Heavy with a body shot.
Heavy shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ilmarinen as he avoids it easily.
Ilmarinen unleashes a big counter combination but Heavy bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Ilmarinen slaps away a takedown attempt from Heavy, before circling back to the center of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ilmarinen lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Ilmarinen lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ilmarinen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Heavy.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Ilmarinen!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilmarinen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Heavy.
Ilmarinen is looking for the big counter here.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Ilmarinen. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Ilmarinen throws a shot to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nice body punch from Ilmarinen.
Some wild striking there from Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen digs a good hook to Heavy's body.
Ilmarinen comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Jaakko Ilmarinen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ilmarinen lands a jab.

Top Heavy's cut is getting worse.
Ilmarinen looks to land a combination but Heavy avoids it well.
Heavy darts in looking for a takedown but Ilmarinen gets double underhooks and turns Heavy into the cage.
Ilmarinen lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Heavy backs up against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ilmarinen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heavy misses with a takedown attempt - Ilmarinen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ilmarinen unleashes a big counter combination but Heavy bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Heavy will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ilmarinen stalks Heavy and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Heavy's face. Heavy staggers backwards, shaken.

Heavy shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ilmarinen manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Heavy trying to control but Ilmarinen is working from the bottom.
Ilmarinen lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ilmarinen wants to control from the top but Heavy keeps moving.

Ilmarinen stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Heavy has his takedown stuffed
and Ilmarinen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heavy shoots in looking for a takedown. Ilmarinen tries to sprawl out of it but Heavy keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ilmarinen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Heavy misses with a takedown
and Ilmarinen counters with a left and a right that stings Heavy.
Ilmarinen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Top Heavy's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Heavy throws a poor cross that misses
and Ilmarinen counters with a left and a right that stings Heavy.

Heavy is rocked!
Ilmarinen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Heavy stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Oh Heavy is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Jaakko Ilmarinen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ilmarinen batters Heavy with a massive right followed by a huge left! Heavy is out on his feet looking like a zombie as Ilmarinen lands a final crushing right hand to drop Heavy to the mat with a gruesome thud! Ilmarinen is running around like a mad man after that fight and for good reason!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Jaakko Ilmarinen!
Jaakko Ilmarinen is the new light heavyweight champion!