PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Heikki Viitta (ranked 5599 p4p, 520 weight class) and Bobby Axelrod (ranked 3007 p4p, 358 weight class). Bobby Axelrod has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Heikki Viitta's chin.

Viitta
vs
Axelrod

211 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

204 cm
20
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Heikki Viitta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bobby Axelrod!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Steve Smith and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Viitta circles away from the clinch attempt.
Axelrod has a takedown stuffed.
Viitta shoots in for a double leg but Axelrod sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Axelrod tries a quick counter leg kick but Viitta is wise to it.
Viitta tries to close the distance and clinch but Axelrod swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Viitta moves in looking to clinch but Axelrod pushes him off.
Axelrod wants to clinch.
Axelrod is trying hard to land a takedown here. Viitta sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Axelrod looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Axelrod displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Viitta shoots in but Axelrod avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Axelrod misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Heikki Viitta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bobby Axelrod.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Viitta closes the distance and clinches up with Axelrod, looking for a takedown. Viitta pushes Axelrod against the cage but Axelrod circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Viitta takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Axelrod fails in his attempt to clinch.

Viitta gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Axelrod tries to break the clinch but Viitta is controlling the position.
Viitta tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Axelrod smiles and moves away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Viitta.
Viitta misses with a low kick.
Viitta pivots, looking for a leg kick but Axelrod is out of range and Viitta settles back down.
Viitta fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Viitta tries to clinch but Axelrod is having none of it.
Viitta really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Viitta with a poor takedown

and Axelrod counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Axelrod.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Axelrod has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Axelrod trying to control the position but instead, Viitta has worked for underhooks and has pushed Axelrod into the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Axelrod.
Axelrod is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Axelrod tries for a takedown. No joy.
Axelrod prevents the takedown attempt.
Viitta tries to pull guard but Axelrod forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Axelrod drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Viitta gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Axelrod is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Viitta jumps guard but Axelrod stands there with Viitta around his waist. Viitta gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Axelrod is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Viitta is defending well.

Axelrod gets control of Viitta's arms and successfully pulls guard. Axelrod will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Axelrod is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Axelrod preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Viitta 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.
Viitta slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Axelrod is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Axelrod wants to stand up but Viitta is controlling him.
Axelrod is trying to control the position from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Viitta falls off balance throwing a combination
and Axelrod counters with a solid body kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Viitta on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Axelrod tries to clinch up but Viitta circles away and keeps his distance.
Viitta tries to counter with a takedown but Axelrod is quick to defend against it.
Viitta throws a half hearted mid kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Axelrod dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Axelrod shoots in and drives through. Viitta sprawls well.
Heikki Viitta is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Viitta tries for a takedown but Axelrod sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Axelrod is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Axelrod moves into range and connects with a jab.
Axelrod tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Viitta swivels and escapes.
Axelrod wants to clinch but Viitta slips to the side
and Viitta counters with a three punch combo that has Axelrod backing up. Axelrod nods at Viitta to acknowledge the strikes.
Axelrod displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Viitta.
A little jabbing left from Axelrod on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Axelrod moves out of range of the body kick from Viitta.
Axelrod misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Viitta misses with a body shot.
Viitta shoots in looking for a takedown but Axelrod manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Viitta's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Heikki Viitta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Viitta pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Viitta defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Axelrod.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Axelrod moves out of range as Viitta throws a body kick.

Viitta has managed to clinch.
Viitta jumps guard but Axelrod turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Viitta as Axelrod tries to tie him up.
A frustrated look appears on Axelrod's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Axelrod breaks from the clinch.
Axelrod misses with a series of wild punches.

Axelrod has taken the fight to the clinch.
Axelrod is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Viitta pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Axelrod jumps guard but Viitta stands there with Axelrod around his waist. Axelrod gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Viitta wants a takedown but no success here.
Axelrod is trying to break free.
Viitta lands a hook that snaps the head of Axelrod backwards.
Viitta is looking for a takedown.
Axelrod keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Viitta's efforts to push away.
Viitta is working for takedown but Axelrod is calmly controlling the position for now.
Axelrod avoids a wild elbow strike from Viitta.
Axelrod wants a takedown.
Viitta tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Axelrod smiles and moves away.
Axelrod has a takedown stuffed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Axelrod tries to clinch but Viitta moves out of range.
Axelrod throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Viitta stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Axelrod closes this distance looking for a takedown but Viitta circles away.
Viitta tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Axelrod manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Axelrod shoots for a takedown but Viitta saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Axelrod keeps the fight on the outside.
Viitta tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Axelrod swivels and escapes.
Axelrod throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Axelrod misses the shot to the body.
Viitta seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Axelrod fails to land the takedown.
Viitta shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Axelrod sprawls well. Axelrod wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Viitta gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Axelrod throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Viitta's waist but Viitta gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Axelrod off to one side.
Viitta throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Viitta tries to clinch up but Axelrod circles away and keeps his distance.

Viitta closes the distance and pushes Axelrod back into the cage.

Axelrod breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
No joy there for Viitta, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sloppy strikes from Axelrod. Those never looked like landing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Viitta rushes Axelrod and presses him up against the cage.

Viitta pulls Axelrod into guard.
Viitta thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
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 Heikki Viitta will probably get the nod.
That's time! Viitta's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Axelrod has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Viitta shoots in but Axelrod avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Axelrod dives in for a single leg takedown but Viitta sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
It looked like Viitta was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Axelrod misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Viitta uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Axelrod.
Viitta looks to land a body kick but Axelrod moved away.
Axelrod lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Axelrod scores with a jab to the head.

Viitta is rocked!
A head kick misses from Viitta.
Oh Viitta is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Axelrod wants to clinch up but Viitta keeps it at a distance.
Viitta blocks a head kick by Axelrod.
Viitta tries to counter with a takedown but Axelrod is quick to defend against it.
Viitta seems to have got his legs back now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Viitta closes the distance and clinches.
Axelrod is trying to stall.
Axelrod is trying to stall.
Axelrod tries to stall but Viitta uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Viitta breaks from the clinch.
Axelrod darts in looking for a takedown but Viitta gets double underhooks and turns Axelrod into the cage.
Heikki Viitta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bobby Axelrod.
Viitta moves in looking to clinch but Axelrod pushes him off.

Viitta clinches.
Axelrod looking to throw knees to the head but Viitta is blocking nicely.

Axelrod successfully pulls guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Viitta controlling from the top position.
Viitta looking to pass the guard.
Axelrod is trying to keep Viitta in close.
Viitta in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Viitta has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Axelrod is proving hard to escape from.
Axelrod throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Viitta missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Viitta has his takedown stuffed
and Axelrod counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Axelrod!
Viitta keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Axelrod throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Viitta's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Viitta duly obliges.
Axelrod tries to score a power double leg takedown but Viitta sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Axelrod somewhat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Viitta has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Axelrod circles away from the clinch attempt.
Axelrod thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Viitta if he has to take too many more of those.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Viitta gets a clinch.

Axelrod escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Viitta gets a double leg takedown into Axelrod's guard.
Viitta trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Axelrod looking to control but Viitta passes into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bobby Axelrod.
I think Axelrod 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Bobby Axelrod!
Bobby Axelrod spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.