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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Verneri Ahma (ranked 2403 p4p, 1497 weight class) and Elmore James (ranked 295 p4p, 181 weight class). James is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aMfD2O9Gds. Elmore James has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?
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| 172 cm
30
155
17 - 15 - 0 |
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172 cm
34
167
19 - 14 - 1 |
Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank |
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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 17 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Verneri Ahma!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Elmore James!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Fujiwara.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ahma rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Ahma takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ahma misses with a body shot.
Ahma tries to close the distance and clinch up but James swats him away and circles back towards the center.
James lands with a hook. Ahma tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
James slips under a jab from Ahma.
James bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
James misses with a straight right.
James closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
James is trying to control the action in half guard but Ahma is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
James looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
James seems to be working for a kimura but Ahma defends the submission attempt.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahma manages to get to full guard.
Ahma wants to stand and escape but James is having none of it.
Ahma working a defensive guard here.
James drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Ahma manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now James has Ahma in his guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
James is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ahma is aware though and is defending well.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ahma wants to control from the top but James keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
James has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Ahma trying to control but James is working from the bottom.
James seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
James is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
James can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ahma controls the pace.
Ahma avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
James is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ahma controlling from the top position.
James is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
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.
James is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ahma connects with a couple of short punches.
Ahma with a nice head shot there.
Ahma has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ahma preventing the sweep.
Ahma pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. James is keeping the position for now.
Ahma trying to control but James is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
James is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
James 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Elmore James dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!
Ahma misses with an uppercut.
Ahma misses with a low kick.
James looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
James looks to land a right hand but Ahma moved out of range.
Ahma misses with a right hand
and James counters with a nice uppercut.
Ahma ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
James has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ahma comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Ahma throws a predictable looking body shot
and James counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ahma walks into a jab.
Ahma shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Ahma uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from James.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ahma looks to clinch
enabling James to counter with a crisp jab.
Elmore James seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ahma closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
James lands a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
James prevents a body shot from Ahma.
James misses with some punches.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ahma.
That's one minute gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Ahma.
I was talking to Ahma's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Ahma misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ahma lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Ahma misses with a hook from the clinch.
James throws a head punch that misses.
Ahma tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
James misses with the head strike.
James fails to pull guard.
James misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ahma lands a body shot in the clinch.
James misses with a punch on the inside.
Ahma misses with a short punch on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Ahma.
Ahma tries for a takedown but James manages to get underhooks.
Ahma throws a head punch that misses.
Ahma lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
James blocks a body shot from Ahma.
Verneri Ahma has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ahma.
Ahma scores with a shot to the side of James's head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by James.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ahma goes for a takedown in the clinch but James prevents it.
James fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A head punch on the inside from Ahma fails to land.
James blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short right from James.
Ahma throws a head punch that misses.
A nice left hand lands by Ahma.
Ahma softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A shot in the inside from James.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ahma creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
James misses with a short punch on the inside.
James blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Ahma fails to land.
Ahma throws a punch but it's blocked by James.
Ahma tries to work over James's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ahma lands a body shot.
Ahma throws a punch but it's blocked by James.
Ahma misses with some punches.
Ahma tries a body shot but James blocks it.
A quick uppercut on the inside from James.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahma tries to score a body lock takedown but James shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Verneri Ahma. That's going to take a lot out of him.
James doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ahma blocking some punches.
Nice body punch from Ahma.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ahma.
Ahma tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Ahma working aggressively here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from James.
Ahma swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Verneri Ahma has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Ahma softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
James blocks a body shot from Ahma.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for James.
Ahma throws a punch but it's blocked by James.
Ahma is working James over against the cage.
Ahma misses with a shot to the kidneys.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for James.
Ahma tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ahma's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ahma throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
It seemed like James was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Verneri Ahma is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ahma rushes James and presses him up against the cage.
Ahma fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
James misses with a hook to the ribs.
James has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
James working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ahma lands a body punch.
A body shot lands from Ahma.
James is breathing heavily.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ahma.
James tries to pull guard but Ahma won't allow it.
Ahma throws a head punch that misses.
A nice left hand lands by Ahma.
Ahma pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
James throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Ahma sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Ahma lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and James has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from James and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Ahma takes a jab right on the kisser.
James throws a leg kick
and Ahma counters with a three punch combo that has James backing up. James nods at Ahma to acknowledge the strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
James looks to land a left hand but Ahma moved out of range nicely.
An attempted straight right counter from Ahma misses the target.
Ahma fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Verneri Ahma dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!
James takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Ahma missing with a left hand there. James was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ahma throws a quick head kick that skims the top of James's head.
It looks like Elmore James has been cut.
Ahma uses good head movement to avoid the hook from James.
Ahma throws a nice inside leg kick.
Ahma is looking to clinch but James is avoiding it.
James throws a head kick that misses
and James takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
James is rocked!
James throws a poor cross that misses
and Ahma counters with a left to the body.
James is still on wobbly legs! Can Ahma finish him?
Ahma throws a hook to the side of James's head but James sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
James seems to have recovered his senses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice leg kick lands there from Ahma.
Ahma cracks James with a good jab.
Ahma tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ahma lands a nice leg kick that just misses James's sensitive parts.
A swing and a miss from Ahma.
That's one minute gone in the round.
James avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
James swings widly with a right hand
and James takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
James misses with a hook.
The fighters circling - Ahma throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
James lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
James misses with a hook.
James slips a jab from Ahma.
Ahma is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Ahma on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ahma takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Ahma fakes high and swings low for a body shot but James manages to avoid it.
Ahma lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Ahma looks to land a combination but James avoids it well.
Ahma sends James crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Ahma is motioning to the referee to let James up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
James has closed the distance and engaged Ahma in a clinch.
Ahma lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short right from Ahma on the inside.
Ahma tries for a takedown. No joy.
James tries to throw a body punch but Ahma avoids it by throwing James back against the cage.
Ahma blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
James misses with some punches.
James misses with a punch on the inside.
Ahma works on James's body with a couple of short punches.
James takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A short uppercut from Ahma.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for James.
James blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ahma tries to work over James's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
James blocking some punches.
Ahma misses with a punch on the inside.
James throws a head punch that misses.
A nice left hand lands by Ahma.
James pushes Ahma back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ahma.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ahma.
Ahma working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Ahma misses with some punches.
Ahma is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
James blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
James blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ahma's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for James.
James throws a punch but it's blocked by Ahma.
James swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ahma lands a left hand that snaps the head of James backwards.
James misses with a punch on the inside.
James swings away with an uppercut that misses.
James goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
James blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ahma lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ahma tries to work over James's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
James throws a head punch that misses.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from James fails to land.
Ahma blocks a body shot from James.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ahma fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ahma swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ahma has hold of one of James's legs. James is fighting the takedown attempt but Ahma gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
James trying to keep a closed guard but Ahma is proving a slippery customer.
James working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ahma doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ahma manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
James keeping moving, preventing Ahma from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ahma is really struggling to control James but he's trying to hold on to the position.
James is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ahma is aware though and is defending well.
And that's the end of the fight!
Verneri Ahma showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ahma 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Verneri Ahma!
A very excited looking Verneri Ahma made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
60% |
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