PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Peter Parker (ranked 1418 p4p, 2077 weight class) and Reima Poika (ranked 178 p4p, 253 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Parker
vs
Poika

173 cm
23
143
7 - 6 - 0

168 cm
24
165
7 - 6 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

Voodoo Nutrition
Urban Fighter

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 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Peter Parker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Reima Poika!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Parker throws a poor cross that misses
and Poika counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Parker misses with a wild body shot.
Poika was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Parker dives in for a single leg takedown but Poika sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Parker fails with the takedown.
A shot to the liver by Parker. Beautiful body shot.
Parker throws a predictable looking body shot
and Parker takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Peter Parker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Poika shoots in looking for a takedown. Parker tries to sprawl out of it but Poika keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Parker manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poika slips a straight right by Parker.
Parker moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromPoika.

Parker is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Poika's half guard.
Parker has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Parker slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Parker prevents Poika from improving his position.
Parker wants to advance to full mount but Poika doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Poika trying to keep a closed guard but Parker is proving a slippery customer.
Parker working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Poika is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Poika throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Parker passes into half guard.
Poika has hold of Parker's hands but Parker slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Parker lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Poika tries to roll over but Parker keeps him under control.
Parker wants to lay and pray for a moment but Poika keeps working.
Parker is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Poika reverses the position - he's now on top in Parker's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poika works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Parker manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Poika not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Poika pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Parker is keeping the position for now.
Parker trying to keep a closed guard but Poika is proving a slippery customer.
Poika tries to free his leg and advance position but Parker is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Parker pulls Poika in to control the position.
Poika throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Parker looking to control.
Poika is working Parker over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
My spies in Zenarals' House inform me that Poika has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Poika tries to free his leg and advance position but Parker is retaining full guard.
Poika seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Poika in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Poika working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Reima Poika will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Parker fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Poika manages to avoid it.

Poika closes the distance and clinches.
Poika tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Poika's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Parker lands a nice hook to Poika's body. Poika takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Parker misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A good leg kick by Poika.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Parker throws a hook but Poika avoids it easily.
Despite the aggression on Poika's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Parker gets the takedown into side control.
Poika tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Parker wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Poika keeps trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poika stops Parker from passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Parker is putting a hurting on Poika here, landing some big shots from side control.
Poika is not content to let Parker control the position.
Parker lands a nice forearm strike.
Poika is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Parker works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Parker wants to control but Poika is keeping him busy.
Parker wants to take a breather but Poika manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Parker.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poika bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Parker's guard.

Poika postures up.
Parker controlling the position.
Parker lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Parker forces his way into half guard.
Parker looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Poika with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Parker trying to control from half guard but Poika is working away.
Poika wants to control but Parker is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Parker wants to control but Poika is keeping him busy.
Parker is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Poika is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Poika taking some punishment here, with Parker in his half guard.

Poika looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Poika trying to hold on to Parker's head to control him but Parker postures up.
Parker is nestled in close to Poika, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Parker is looking to take a break and control but Poika is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Parker takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's four 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.
Parker working the head and body with strikes.
Parker 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.
Parker trying to control the action but Poika is working from the bottom.
Poika makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Poika.
Parker connects with a couple of short punches.
Parker wants to control from the top but Poika keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Poika is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Parker trying to control the position from guard on top but Poika is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Peter Parker dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Good exchange - Poika coming out on top.
Parker tries for a takedown but Poika circles away easily
and Poika counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Parker misses with a straight left.

Parker shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Parker won't allow Poika to sweep him here.
Parker passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Poika manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poika is trying to get back to full guard.
Poika trying to control but Parker postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poika tries to roll over but Parker keeps him under control.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Parker here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Parker trying to control the action but Poika is working from the bottom.
Poika wants to improve his position but Parker is controlling well.

Poika looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poika trying to hold on to Parker's head to control him but Parker postures up.
Parker performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

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.

Parker seems to be looking for submissions.
Poika is looking for a sweep. Parker is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Poika is still trying to improve position.
Parker is nestled in close to Poika, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Poika trying to control but Parker postures up.
Parker is stalling here. Poika is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Parker seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Poika has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Parker prevents Poika from improving position.
Parker avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Poika.
Parker sneaks back into half guard.
Parker is trying to control but can't.
Parker tries to roll over but Poika keeps him under control.
Poika with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Parker has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Poika is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Poika lands a nice short elbow.
Parker gets back to full guard.
Poika cracks Parker with a solid left hand.
Poika landing with the ground and pound.
Poika with a flurry of punches that miss.
Parker working a defensive guard here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Parker has Poika pulled in close to control his posture.
Parker looking for a sweep. Not yet Parker, not yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Reima Poika.
I think Poika 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 George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reima Poika!
After winning the bout, Reima Poika thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.