PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mantak Garuda (ranked 63 p4p, 92 weight class) and Joosep Lõhmus (ranked 11 p4p, 17 weight class). Garuda comes to the cage accompanied by Djiin Djiin. Lõhmus has chosen Amon Amarth - The Way of Vikings as his entrance music. 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.

Garuda
vs
Lõhmus

190 cm
30
218
22 - 4 - 0

190 cm
33
205
26 - 10 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Core Combat
Shadow Warrior Nutrition

Core Combat
Gatoroids

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mantak Garuda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 10 - 1, fighting out of New York, Joosep Lõhmus!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Chris Edwards and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garuda moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Garuda blocks a jab.
Lõhmus throws a right hand that Garuda ducks under and follows up with a left that Garuda also avoids with ease.
Garuda lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Garuda has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Zoo in the buildup to the fight.
Garuda looks to land a left hand but Lõhmus moved out of range nicely.
Garuda moves out of range as Lõhmus strikes.
Garuda throwing a counter right hand but Lõhmus manages to avoid it.
Garuda misses with a body kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Garuda.
Garuda uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lõhmus.
Garuda's jab looks to have found its range, popping Lõhmus under the eye.
Garuda cracks Lõhmus with an open hand slap.
Garuda feints and then cracks Lõhmus's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Lõhmus down.
Lõhmus takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lõhmus with a nice calf kick.
Lõhmus uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Garuda.
Garuda fakes the leg kick and cracks Lõhmus in the body.
Garuda takes one on the button.
Lõhmus tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Garuda is able to avoid easily.
Lõhmus takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garuda tries to clinch but Lõhmus moves out of range.
Garuda doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Garuda throws a jab but it's blocked by Lõhmus.
Garuda closes the distance but Lõhmus moves to the side
and Lõhmus counters with a nice low kick that buckles Garuda's knee momentarily.
Garuda bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Garuda rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lõhmus counters with a nice low kick that buckles Garuda's knee momentarily.
Garuda with the inside leg kick.
Garuda ducks under a wild hook from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus lands with a nice body punch.
Lõhmus misses the shot to the body.
Lõhmus steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Garuda.
Lõhmus pivots, looking for a leg kick but Garuda is out of range and Lõhmus settles back down.
Lõhmus lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Lõhmus swinging wildly here.
Garuda swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
A low kick lands for Garuda.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Garuda throws a body shot but no joy.
Garuda on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Lõhmus. Lõhmus obviously looking to wear him down.
Lõhmus misses with a hook to the body
and Garuda counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Lõhmus scores with a nice strike.
Lõhmus is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Garuda lands a glancing blow to the side of Lõhmus's head.
Lõhmus throws a lazy right hand but Garuda sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Garuda misses with a low kick.
Garuda checks a low kick from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus is looking to chop away at Garuda's legs.
A big right from Garuda misses.
Lõhmus throws a jab when Garuda was well out of range.
Lõhmus with a nice calf kick.
Lõhmus is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Lõhmus uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Garuda has time to react.
Garuda takes a swing at Lõhmus's ribcage but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garuda throws a leg kick but Lõhmus sees it coming and moves out of range.
Garuda is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Lõhmus misses with a body kick.
Garuda quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Lõhmus takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Lõhmus on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Lõhmus slips a straight right by Garuda.
Garuda changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Lõhmus. That's going to slow Garuda down.
Garuda is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Good standup being displayed there by Garuda as he connects with a hook.
Lõhmus is looking to chop away at Garuda's legs.
Lõhmus tries to score with a low kick but Garuda moves his leg out of the way.
Garuda scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
An inside leg kick lands from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus thows a left - swing and a miss!
Garuda lands a really nice looking cross but Lõhmus seems unphased.
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!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Garuda.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garuda connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Lõhmus's hands.
Lõhmus throws a lazy uppercut
and Garuda counters with a right hand to the body.
Garuda ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lõhmus misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Garuda to counter with a crisp jab.
Garuda jabs at Lõhmus's body.
Garuda lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Lõhmus throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Garuda uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lõhmus.
Garuda misses with a body shot.
Lõhmus looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Garuda checks a low kick from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Lõhmus blocks a leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lõhmus pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
A jab from Garuda misses.
A nice side step and Lõhmus releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Garuda lands a jab.
Garuda pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mantak Garuda dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Garuda throws a poor cross that misses
and Lõhmus counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Lõhmus tries to land a leg kick but Garuda saw it coming and moves away.
Garuda blocks a jab.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Lõhmus 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 Garuda has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Garuda and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Lõhmus misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Lõhmus fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Garuda manages to avoid it.
Garuda moves out of range of the body kick.
Lõhmus uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Garuda.
Donk. Garuda catches Lõhmus right on the button with a cross.
Garuda moves away from the strike by Lõhmus.
Lõhmus attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Garuda attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garuda throws a leg kick but Lõhmus sees it coming and moves out of range.
Garuda swings away with a body shot that misses
and Lõhmus counters with an inside leg kick.
Garuda thows a left - swing and a miss!
Garuda misses with an attempted mid kick.
Garuda is looking to land body kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lõhmus sizes up Garuda with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Mantak Garuda is winning the standup battle so far.
Lõhmus keeps Garuda at a distance using the push kick.
Lõhmus scores with a crisp jab that stopped Garuda in his tracks.
Lõhmus slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Lõhmus scoring well with a low kick there.
Lõhmus lands with a kick to the ribs.
Garuda moves out of range of the body kick from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus tries a head kick but it misses.
Garuda swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Garuda jabs Lõhmus to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A clash of legs there as Lõhmus blocks the low kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Garuda checks a leg kick.
Lõhmus misses with a leg kick.
Garuda is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Lõhmus buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Garuda with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A decent looking cross lands there for Lõhmus.
Garuda is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Lõhmus.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lõhmus slips under a jab from Garuda.
Lõhmus on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A jab from Garuda misses.
Lõhmus throws out a leg kick but Garuda moves out of range and Lõhmus only half commits.
A big left from Garuda misses.
Garuda lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Garuda throws a lazy uppercut
and Lõhmus counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Garuda misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus throws a jab but it's blocked by Garuda.
A big left from Lõhmus misses.
Lõhmus connects with a single shot there.
Lõhmus throws a low kick but Garuda moves out of range easily.
Garuda gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Lõhmus.
Garuda lands a front kick.
Nice body punch from Garuda.
Garuda throws a sloppy head kick and Lõhmus moves out of range easily.
A nice side step and Lõhmus releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garuda misses with a body shot
and Lõhmus counters with a thumping low kick.
Garuda avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Garuda seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Garuda misses the jab.
Lõhmus defending well as Garuda loads up on a big left hand.
Garuda lands a lovely overhand right.
Lõhmus uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Garuda.
Lõhmus misses with a straight right.
Garuda misses with a jab to the body
and Lõhmus makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Garuda really felt that one!
A big right from Lõhmus misses.
Lõhmus checks a leg kick nicely.
Lõhmus walks into a stiff left hand from Garuda.
Garuda clobbers Lõhmus with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Lõhmus misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Garuda.
Garuda is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Lõhmus.
Garuda shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Garuda lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Garuda misses with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garuda fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lõhmus manages to avoid it.
Garuda throws a looping overhand right but Lõhmus ducks down to avoid it.
Garuda moves into range and connects with a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lõhmus gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Lõhmus rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Garuda counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Garuda with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Garuda loads up on a big right hand but Lõhmus slips the punch.
Garuda throws a low kick, looking for Lõhmus's leg but Lõhmus calmly moves out of range.
Garuda misses with a left hand
and Lõhmus connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jab from Lõhmus.
Good exchange - Lõhmus coming out on top.
Garuda throws a lazy right hand but Lõhmus sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Lõhmus moves into range and connects with a jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Garuda throws a solid leg kick but Lõhmus takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Garuda.
Garuda misses with a low kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Joosep Lõhmus will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

A right-left combo lands from Lõhmus.
Garuda lands a jab to the nose.
Lõhmus slips a straight right by Garuda.
Garuda misses with a hook. Lõhmus ducked under it nicely.
Lõhmus has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Lõhmus throws a looping overhand right but Garuda ducks down to avoid it.
Garuda jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Lõhmus misses with a low kick.
Garuda misses the shot to the body.
Lõhmus moves away from the strike by Garuda.
Lõhmus swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lõhmus. Garuda does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lõhmus moves out of range as Garuda throws a body kick.
Garuda showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Lõhmus.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garuda throws a leg kick that misses.
Lõhmus misses with a low kick.
Lõhmus tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Garuda was well out of range. Poor timing from Lõhmus.
As Lõhmus backs away, Garuda returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Lõhmus lands with a kick to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garuda will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Lõhmus tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Garuda was well out of range. Poor timing from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus blocks a jab.
Lõhmus throws a big shot that misses.
Garuda swings for the body but Lõhmus moves out of range.
Lõhmus moves out of range of the strikes.
Lõhmus works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Lõhmus pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Garuda rushes Lõhmus and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Lõhmus escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lõhmus misses with a low kick.
Garuda ducks right into an uppercut from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus throws a leg kick that misses.
Garuda throws a body kick that misses.
A jab from Garuda misses.
Lõhmus throws a lazy right hand but Garuda sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lõhmus slips under a jab.
A jab from Lõhmus misses.
Garuda steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Lõhmus. That one must have hurt.
Garuda will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Lõhmus slips under a jab.
Garuda moves out of range as Lõhmus throws a body kick.
Lõhmus moves out of range as Garuda throws a body kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Garuda connects with a nice looking jab.
Garuda misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Garuda misses with a kick to the body
and Lõhmus counters with a low kick, right behind Garuda 's knee.
Garuda scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Lõhmus misses with a hook to the body
and Garuda counters with an outside leg kick.
Lõhmus moves out of range of the body kick from Garuda.
Garuda ducks under a wild hook from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus ducks under a wild hook from Garuda.
Garuda scores with a sloppy right hand. Lõhmus should have avoided that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lõhmus misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A good leg kick by Garuda.
Lõhmus throws out a loose jab but Garuda uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lõhmus throws a hook but Garuda blocks it.
Garuda misses with a looping left.
Garuda swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Garuda throws a wild body kick that Lõhmus sees coming a mile off.
Garuda thumps Lõhmus with a low kick.
Garuda stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lõhmus.
Lõhmus throws a shot to the body.
Garuda thuds his right hand into Lõhmus's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Garuda needs to keep his hands up - Lõhmus had a free shot at his head there.
Garuda tries to work over Lõhmus's front leg with a kick but Lõhmus checks it.
Lõhmus throws a body shot but no joy.
Garuda is looking to counter with a body kick.
Lõhmus misses with a hook. Garuda ducked under it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lõhmus throws a body punch but Garuda moves out of range.
Lõhmus has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Lõhmus there as he acknowledges the shot.
Lõhmus throws a shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Garuda waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lõhmus.
Garuda misses with a wild body shot.
It seemed like Lõhmus was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Garuda turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Lõhmus misses with an uppercut
and Garuda counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lõhmus misses with a hook.
Garuda scores with a nice right hand.
Garuda takes a swing at Lõhmus's ribcage but misses.
Lõhmus walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Garuda checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Garuda scores with a leg kick.
Lõhmus avoids the body shot from Garuda.
Good exchange - Garuda coming out on top.
Garuda looks to land a right hand but Lõhmus moved out of range.
Garuda with a nice cross.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mantak Garuda showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Garuda 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28

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