PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Niko Ahonen (ranked 1609 p4p, 2066 weight class) and Panda Four (ranked 236 p4p, 297 weight class). Niko Ahonen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ahonen
vs
Four

190 cm
27
206
7 - 5 - 0

150 cm
27
205
13 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Bondi MMA ðŸï¸

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 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Niko Ahonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Panda Four!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, James Atkins and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some bone on bone action there as Four checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Ahonen throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

so Four counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Four preventing the sweep.

Four is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Ahonen is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Ahonen has escaped and now he's on top!

Ahonen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Four is proving hard to escape from.
Ahonen throws a strike but Four rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Four tries to free his leg and advance position but Ahonen is retaining full guard.

Four drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Four jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Ahonen working for a triangle but Four defends it easily.

Ahonen has his foot on Four's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Four works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahonen looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Four puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Four is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Ahonen's coaches at Hare of the Dog Gym have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Ahonen is looking to improve his position.

Four is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ahonen sees it coming and defends easily.

Four is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ahonen defends it well.
Ahonen is looking to control Four's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ahonen avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Four is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ahonen defends it well.
Four prevents Ahonen from improving his position.

Ahonen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Four is working for a kimura but Ahonen is defending it quite comfortably.

Four is looking for a kimura but Ahonen is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Four to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Four is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ahonen sees it coming and defends easily.

Ahonen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ahonen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Four is looking for a kimura here.

Four 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.
Ahonen trying to hold on to Four's head to control him but Four postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.

Four seems to be looking for submissions.
Ahonen is looking for a sweep. Four is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ahonen wants to control but Four is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Four is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Ahonen is trying to maintain the position but Four is very close to passing his half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Panda Four dominated that 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.

Four is looking to clinch but Ahonen is avoiding it.
Ahonen tries to work over Four's front leg with a kick but Four checks it.
Ahonen checks the leg kick.
Four shoots in but no luck this time.
Four fails with a takedown attempt.
Ahonen appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Panda Four seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Four closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Four looking to stall.
Four jumps guard but Ahonen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Niko Ahonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Panda Four.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahonen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Four backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ahonen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Four jumps guard but Ahonen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Four jumps guard and drags Ahonen to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Ahonen is looking to stand up but Four won't let him.

Four has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ahonen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Four throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ahonen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Four works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ahonen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Ahonen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ahonen wants to get up but he can't break Four's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Four is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Ahonen rolls with it to try and escape but Four cranks on the arm and Ahonen is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:19 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Panda Four!