PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Metuselah Paakkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johan August Sandels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sandels is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Teflon Brothers - Hikoilen ku raiskaaja. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Paakkanen
vs
August Sandels

188 cm
23
188 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

185 cm
19
187 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Metuselah Paakkanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Johan August Sandels!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paakkanen feints and then cracks Sandels's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sandels down.
Sandels looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Paakkanen wants to clinch up but Sandels keeps it at a distance.
Paakkanen scores with a nice body kick.
Sandels keeps the fight on the outside.
Paakkanen is looking to clinch.
Sandels avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Paakkanen tries to clinch but Sandels is having none of it.
Paakkanen tries to clinch up but Sandels circles away and keeps his distance.
A left and a right from Paakkanen both land. Nice combination.

Paakkanen clinches up against the cage.
Paakkanen trying to land knees to the body.
Paakkanen misses with an elbow strike.
Paakkanen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sandels.
Paakkanen tries to land a knee to the head but Sandels blocks with his arms.
Paakkanen wants to break free but Sandels has control.

Paakkanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Paakkanen lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Paakkanen tries to clinch but Sandels is having none of it.
Paakkanen is looking to clinch but Sandels is avoiding it.
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch but Sandels swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sandels takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
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!
Sandels swats away the attempt to clinch by Paakkanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Paakkanen scores with a four punch combination!

Paakkanen gets a clinch.
Sandels tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Paakkanen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Paakkanen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Paakkanen controlling the action here for a moment.
Paakkanen tries to land a knee to the head but Sandels blocks with his arms.
Paakkanen can't break the clinch.
Paakkanen wants to get back to striking at distance but Sandels won't allow it.
Paakkanen has had enough of the clinch but Sandels keeps him there for the moment.

Paakkanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sandels on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Paakkanen doesn't manage to clinch there - Sandels circles away.
Paakkanen tries to clinch there but Sandels circles away.

Paakkanen has closed the distance and engaged Sandels in a clinch.
Sandels fails to pull guard.
Paakkanen trying to land knees to the body.
Paakkanen looking to throw knees to the head but Sandels is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sandels blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sandels blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sandels keeps control of Paakkanen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Knees to the body from Paakkanen.
Paakkanen missing with knees to the body.
Sandels blocks an elbow strike from Paakkanen.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Paakkanen.
Paakkanen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Paakkanen lands a damaging elbow.
Paakkanen throws an elbow but it misses.

Paakkanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Paakkanen throws a head kick but Sandels moves out of range.
Sandels swats away the attempt to clinch by Paakkanen.

Paakkanen has closed the distance and engaged Sandels in a clinch.
Paakkanen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sandels tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Metuselah Paakkanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johan August Sandels.
Paakkanen trying to land knees to the body.

Sandels ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Sandels no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Paakkanen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sandels is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Paakkanen throws and elbow that misses. Sandels uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Paakkanen's guard. Nice move by Sandels!

Sandels is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Paakkanen scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Paakkanen is looking to clinch but Sandels is avoiding it.

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.
Sandels walks forward, straight into a front kick from Paakkanen.

Paakkanen pushes Sandels up against the cage in a clinch.
Sandels blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Paakkanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch but Sandels swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sandels avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Paakkanen moves in looking to clinch but Sandels pushes him off.
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sandels paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Paakkanen closes the distance and clinches.

Paakkanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Metuselah Paakkanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Paakkanen scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Paakkanen tries to clinch but Sandels moves out of range.

Paakkanen pushes Sandels up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sandels avoiding damage as Paakkanen throws knees to the body.
Paakkanen tries to land a knee to the head but Sandels blocks with his arms.

Paakkanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Paakkanen fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Metuselah Paakkanen dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Paakkanen throws a nice head kick!
Paakkanen lands a high kick!
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sandels swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Paakkanen wants to clinch.
Paakkanen plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sandels paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Paakkanen wants to clinch.
Paakkanen wants to clinch up but Sandels keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paakkanen tries to clinch up.
Paakkanen plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Sandels is breathing heavily.
Sandels keeps the fight on the outside.
Sandels slips a jab and a cross from Paakkanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paakkanen stuffs the takedown.
Paakkanen throws a series of strikes that have Sandels backpedaling.
Metuselah Paakkanen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sandels takes a kick to the side of the head.
Paakkanen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sandels paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Paakkanen tries to clinch but Sandels is having none of it.
Sandels takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sandels swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sandels circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sandels tries for a takedown but Paakkanen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Paakkanen clinches with his opponent.
Sandels managing to block the knees to the body from Paakkanen.
Paakkanen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Paakkanen is looking to control Sandels's arms but Sandels gets an underhook and turns him. Now Paakkanen has his back to the cage.

Paakkanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Paakkanen is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sandels avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Paakkanen throws a front kick that sends Sandels stumbling back into the cage.
Paakkanen lands a nice shot that snaps Sandels's head back.
The fight stays on the outside here - Paakkanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sandels swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sandels avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sandels avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Paakkanen tries to clinch there but Sandels circles away.
Paakkanen tries to clinch up but Sandels circles away and keeps his distance.

Paakkanen clinches with his opponent.

Paakkanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Paakkanen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Paakkanen is looking to clinch but Sandels is avoiding it.
Paakkanen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sandels paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paakkanen lands a high kick!
Paakkanen tries to clinch there but Sandels circles away.
Sandels swats away the attempt to clinch by Paakkanen.
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sandels swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Paakkanen instigates a clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Paakkanen.
Sandels blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Paakkanen has had enough of the clinch but Sandels keeps him there for the moment.
Paakkanen using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sandels has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Paakkanen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Paakkanen missing with knees to the body.
Sandels is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Paakkanen gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Metuselah Paakkanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johan August Sandels.
Paakkanen gets underhooks to prevent Sandels's takedown attempt.
Sandels tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Paakkanen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sandels blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sandels fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paakkanen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Paakkanen prevents a takedown attempt there.
Paakkanen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sandels fails to pull guard.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Paakkanen takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Paakkanen missing with knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Sandels is trying to drag Paakkanen to the mat but Paakkanen just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Sandels drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Paakkanen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Paakkanen trying to land knees to the body.
Paakkanen trying to land knees to the body.
Paakkanen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sandels.
Paakkanen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sandels.
Sandels managing to block the knees to the body from Paakkanen.
Paakkanen wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sandels managing to block the knees to the body from Paakkanen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Metuselah Paakkanen 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!

Sandels changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Paakkanen tries to avoid it but Sandels manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Paakkanen to the ground. Paakkanen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sandels swats away the attempt to clinch by Paakkanen.
Paakkanen tries to clinch but Sandels is having none of it.
Sandels circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sandels swats away the attempt to clinch by Paakkanen.
Paakkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sandels swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Paakkanen wants to clinch.
Paakkanen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sandels swats away the attempt to clinch by Paakkanen.
Sandels circles away from the clinch attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Paakkanen.
Paakkanen tries to clinch but Sandels is having none of it.
A head kick from Paakkanen lands but Sandels takes it in his stride.
The fight stays on the outside here - Paakkanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Paakkanen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Paakkanen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Paakkanen closes the distance and pushes Sandels back into the cage.
Paakkanen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sandels has him pressed against the cage.
Paakkanen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Paakkanen misses with a knee to the head.
Sandels fails to pull guard.
Sandels blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Paakkanen trying to land knees to the body.
Paakkanen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sandels's defenses.
Sandels looking to slow down the pace here.
Paakkanen is looking to control Sandels's arms but Sandels gets an underhook and turns him. Now Paakkanen has his back to the cage.
Paakkanen pushes off an throws an elbow but Sandels leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paakkanen is trying to break free.

Paakkanen breaks the clinch.
Paakkanen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Sandels crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Paakkanen - the referee stops the clock and Sandels gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Paakkanen. Sandels manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

Paakkanen closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Paakkanen misses with a knee to the head.
Paakkanen missing with knees to the body.
Paakkanen missing with knees to the body.
Sandels tries to score a body lock takedown but Paakkanen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Metuselah Paakkanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johan August Sandels.
Paakkanen stops a takedown attempt from Sandels.
Paakkanen tries to land knees in the clinch but Sandels avoids the damage to the body.
Paakkanen throws an elbow that misses.
Paakkanen tries to break the clinch but Sandels is controlling the position.
Sandels jumps guard but Paakkanen stands there with Sandels around his waist. Sandels gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sandels tries to pull guard but Paakkanen won't allow it.
Paakkanen tries a knee to the head but Sandels blocks it.
Paakkanen tries to land knees in the clinch but Sandels avoids the damage to the body.
Sandels has Paakkanen pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Paakkanen manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Paakkanen is trying to maintain a safe position but Sandels gets an underhook and turns Paakkanen into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sandels has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Paakkanen avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Paakkanen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Paakkanen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Sandels jumps guard and drags Paakkanen to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Paakkanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Sandels is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Paakkanen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Sandels manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Paakkanen manages to get himself to full guard.
Sandels passes Paakkanen's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Paakkanen trying to control but Sandels postures up.
Johan August Sandels has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Paakkanen on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Paakkanen tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paakkanen is trying to stand.

Sandels is trying for a kimura here. Paakkanen looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Sandels wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Johan August Sandels!