PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joshua Burton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lalli Kuutamo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Burton
vs
Kuutamo

170 cm
19
165 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

176 cm
19
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joshua Burton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lalli Kuutamo!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burton fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Kuutamo shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Kuutamo is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Kuutamo has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Burton's face.
Kuutamo lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Kuutamo lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Burton is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Burton is looking to improve his position but Kuutamo isn't that keen on the idea.
Kuutamo is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Burton wants to control but Kuutamo is having none of it.
Burton gets back to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Burton on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Burton won't allow Kuutamo to pass to mount.
Kuutamo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kuutamo is working for a kimura but Burton is defending it quite comfortably.
Burton keeping hold of Kuutamo's head, controlling as best he can.
Burton is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kuutamo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kuutamo's back!
Burton controlling from the back.
Burton seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Kuutamo for as long as he can get away with.
Kuutamo has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
You can see the frustration on Kuutamo's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Good control from Burton.
Burton is hanging on to Kuutamo's back as he tries to escape.
Kuutamo looks gassed!
Burton slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Joshua Burton just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Burton with a poor takedown

and Kuutamo counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
With the fighters up against the cage, Burton throws an elbow but misses.
Burton is trying to stall.
Burton creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Kuutamo avoiding damage as Burton throws knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kuutamo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Burton pulls his leg out and moves away.
Burton fails with the takedown

and Kuutamo counters with a shoot takedown. Burton fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Burton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kuutamo thows a big elbow that misses.
Burton has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Kuutamo throwing strikes but missing.
Burton not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Burton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kuutamo is one step ahead there.
Burton is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuutamo is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Burton looking for a sweep. Not yet Burton, not yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Burton shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Kuutamo's guard.
Burton sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kuutamo's guard.
Kuutamo punching from the bottom.
Kuutamo wants to improve his position but Burton is controlling well.
Burton stalling.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Burton passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kuutamo!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lalli Kuutamo dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Burton gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Kuutamo counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Burton wants to control but Kuutamo is keeping busy.
Kuutamo throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Kuutamo sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Burton defending well though.
Kuutamo is thwarting Burton's attempts to control the position.
Burton tries to roll over but Kuutamo keeps him under control.
Burton is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kuutamo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kuutamo's back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burton doesn't have the hooks in and Kuutamo manages to turn into his guard.
Kuutamo postures up.
Kuutamo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Burton tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kuutamo thows a big elbow that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuutamo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Burton escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kuutamo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kuutamo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Burton has his hands on Kuutamo's head, controlling the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kuutamo scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Burton fails with the takedown
and Kuutamo counters with a series of strikes. Burton will be more careful next time no doubt.
Burton moves forwards but Kuutamo connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Burton shoots in and drives through. Kuutamo sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Burton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kuutamo shoots in for a double leg but Burton sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kuutamo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Burton shoots for a double leg takedown but Kuutamo sprawls well. He's pushed Burton's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Burton takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Kuutamo gets caught flat footed, as Burton shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuutamo thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Burton prevents Kuutamo from getting back to his feet.
Burton stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kuutamo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Burton not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Kuutamo wants to stand and escape but Burton is having none of it.
Kuutamo throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Burton is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Burton shoots in but Kuutamo avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Burton scores a takedown into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burton content just to control the position here.
Burton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kuutamo is looking to escape.
Kuutamo is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Burton controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Burton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kuutamo is looking to escape.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Joshua Burton just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Burton shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kuutamo as he jumps to the side.
Burton tries for a takedown but Kuutamo circles away easily

and Kuutamo counters by clinching up.
Kuutamo tries to score a body lock takedown but Burton shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
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 Joshua Burton will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Burton shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Kuutamo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Burton stays in close to Kuutamo's body and controls the position.

Kuutamo looking for a guillotine here but Burton defends easily.

Kuutamo had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Burton is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Kuutamo Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Burton's back instead.
Burton controlling Kuutamo 's hands.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Burton rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burton tries to get to full guard but Kuutamo has control of the leg.
Burton on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Burton tries to get out of the position.
Kuutamo is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Burton moves into full guard.
Burton is trying to keep Kuutamo in close.
Burton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kuutamo postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kuutamo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Burton fails with the takedown
letting Kuutamo counter with a right hand.
Burton circles away from the clinch attempt.
Burton fails with the takedown.
Kuutamo lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Burton backs up against the cage.
Burton shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kuutamo as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Burton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Burton keeps the fight on the outside.
Burton shoots in for a double leg but Kuutamo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Burton will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Burton changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kuutamo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Kuutamo is looking for a sweep.
Burton knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kuutamo on the ground.
Burton trying to control the action but Kuutamo is working from the bottom.
Kuutamo is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burton works his way into full mount!
Burton controlling the position easily from mount.
Burton cracks Kuutamo with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Joshua Burton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kuutamo is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Burton sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kuutamo is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Burton landing strikes, looking to finish!
Burton takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four 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.
Kuutamo can't escape the position.
Kuutamo wants to control but Burton is having none of it.
Kuutamo throwing hammer fists to the chest of Burton. What's that going to do exactly?
Burton tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Burton wants to control the pace but Kuutamo is squirming around nicely.
Burton looking to control and managing it successfully.
Burton's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joshua Burton showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Burton has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Joshua Burton!