PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Albatross (ranked 18 p4p, 72 weight class) and Lusmu Kutvonen (ranked 1 p4p, 4 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Albatross
vs
Kutvonen

170 cm
28
140
21 - 4 - 0

170 cm
35
140
28 - 15 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Conquer
Conviction

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johnny Albatross!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 15 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Lusmu Kutvonen!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Albatross will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Kutvonen drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Albatross defends it well.
Nice shot lands for Kutvonen.
Kutvonen checks a low kick from Albatross.
Kutvonen flicks out a counter leg kick but Albatross steps away.
Kutvonen has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
That kick from Kutvonen tenderised Albatross's leg. Albatross is trying to keep his angry face on.
Albatross lands a glancing blow to the side of Kutvonen's head.
Kutvonen misses with a straight right.
Albatross lands with an overhand left.

Kutvonen scores with a takedown into Albatross's guard.
Kutvonen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Kutvonen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Albatross's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Albatross blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kutvonen.
Kutvonen lands with a punch from half guard.
Kutvonen stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kutvonen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Albatross does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Still in half guard, Kutvonen seems content to control.
Kutvonen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kutvonen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Albatross's head.
Albatross keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kutvonen is looking to advance position but Albatross won't allow it.
Kutvonen wants to control but Albatross is keeping him busy.
Kutvonen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Kutvonen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two 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.
Albatross is looking to improve his position.
Kutvonen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Albatross knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kutvonen on the ground.
Kutvonen lands with a punch from half guard.
Kutvonen throwing shots but Albatross is blocking nicely.
Albatross keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Kutvonen decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Albatross blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kutvonen.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Albatross on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Kutvonen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Albatross with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Albatross avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kutvonen.
Kutvonen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kutvonen wants to pass to mount but Albatross is defending the position.
Albatross is not content to let Kutvonen control the position.
Kutvonen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Albatross is refusing to be controlled, as Kutvonen sits in half guard.
Nice strikes from Kutvonen there.
Kutvonen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Albatross defending well though.
Kutvonen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Albatross is looking for a sweep. Kutvonen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Albatross taking some punishment here, with Kutvonen in his half guard.
Kutvonen is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

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.
It looks like Kutvonen might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Albatross blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kutvonen.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kutvonen checks a leg kick nicely.
Albatross throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kutvonen moves into range and connects with a jab.

Kutvonen gets a double leg takedown into Albatross's guard.
Kutvonen wants to control from the top but Albatross keeps moving.
Kutvonen stopping the sweep attempt from Albatross.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lusmu Kutvonen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Kutvonen checks a leg kick.

Kutvonen feints and as Albatross raises his hands in defense, Kutvonen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kutvonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Albatross is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kutvonen throws a big right hand that misses.
Kutvonen throwing strikes from guard but Albatross blocks nicely.
Kutvonen passes Albatross's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Albatross is staying active underneath Kutvonen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Albatross is looking to control Kutvonen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Albatross avoid being mounted?
Nice strikes from Kutvonen there.
Kutvonen is keen to just control but Albatross is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kutvonen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Kutvonen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Kutvonen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kutvonen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Lusmu Kutvonen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Albatross is trying to get back to full guard.
Nice strikes from Kutvonen there.
Kutvonen controlling the action here.
Kutvonen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Albatross's head.
Albatross has hold of Kutvonen's hands but Kutvonen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kutvonen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Kutvonen in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Albatross on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Kutvonen is keen to just control but Albatross is a slippery customer.
Kutvonen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Albatross on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Albatross tries to get out of the position.
Albatross is refusing to be controlled, as Kutvonen sits in half guard.
Kutvonen is taking a breather. Albatross says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Albatross scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kutvonen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Albatross moves away.
Nice straight punches there by Kutvonen. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Kutvonen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kutvonen scores with the left hand. Albatross knows he should have avoided that one.
Kutvonen checks a low kick from Albatross.
Kutvonen throws a predictable looking body shot
and Albatross counters with a nice low kick that buckles Kutvonen's knee momentarily.
Albatross looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Lusmu Kutvonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Albatross swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kutvonen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nice defenses there by Albatross.

Kutvonen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Kutvonen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Albatross looking for a sweep but Kutvonen has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Kutvonen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Kutvonen with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kutvonen with good strikes from the mount here!
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 nice elbow there by Kutvonen.
Kutvonen landing punches.
Kutvonen punching from mount but Albatross doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Albatross wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Kutvonen.
Albatross taking shots to the head.
Kutvonen working the ground and pound effectively.
Kutvonen controlling from mount.
Kutvonen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Albatross is looking to escape.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lusmu Kutvonen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Albatross moves out of range as Kutvonen strikes.
Albatross misses with a wild body shot.
Kutvonen looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Kutvonen's jab looks to have found its range, popping Albatross under the eye.
Albatross walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Albatross keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
It looked like Albatross wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Albatross tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kutvonen was well out of range. Poor timing from Albatross.
Kutvonen with the counter takedown but Albatross avoids it easily.
Kutvonen slips a straight right by Albatross.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kutvonen. Albatross does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kutvonen throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Albatross quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Albatross throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kutvonen misses with a wild body shot.

Kutvonen fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Albatross sprawls well initially but Kutvonen persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kutvonen trying to control from half guard but Albatross is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Albatross keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kutvonen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Kutvonen connects with a nice short shot to Albatross's temple.
Kutvonen trying to pass the guard but Albatross defending well.
Albatross keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kutvonen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kutvonen has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Albatross blocking the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kutvonen dominating with strikes here.
Kutvonen lands a big shot there that rocks Albatross but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Albatross is working to get back to half guard.
Kutvonen lands a heavy elbow.
Kutvonen with a couple of short strikes.
Kutvonen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Albatross is rocked!
Kutvonen landing shots from mount.
Oh Albatross is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Kutvonen loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Albatross scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Kutvonen land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Kutvonen stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Lusmu Kutvonen!
Lusmu Kutvonen is the new bantamweight champion!
A victorious Lusmu Kutvonen thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.