PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jihadi Joseph (ranked 421 p4p, 784 weight class) and Michael Aalto (ranked 39 p4p, 80 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Joseph
vs
Aalto

175 cm
32
145
23 - 11 - 1

177 cm
33
157
22 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Conviction
Hoarse Pills

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
NARCOS

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jihadi Joseph!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Michael Aalto!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, James Glass and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aalto checks a low kick from Joseph.
Joseph fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Joseph checks a leg kick.
Aalto throws out a loose jab but Joseph uses good head movement to avoid it.
It looked like Joseph was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Aalto.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Joseph blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Joseph tries to work over Aalto's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short left from Aalto.
Joseph lands with a left to the head.
A short left from Joseph.
Aalto's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Aalto lands with a left to the head.
Joseph throws a punch but it's blocked by Aalto.

Aalto ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Aalto no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Aalto working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Joseph doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Joseph manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Joseph won't allow Aalto to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joseph looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Aalto looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Aalto is looking for a triangle but Joseph pushes his legs off easily.
Joseph stopping the sweep attempt from Aalto.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Aalto is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Aalto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Joseph.
Joseph works Aalto's body with a nice hook.
Aalto connects with a single shot there.
Joseph lands a nice leg kick that just misses Aalto's sensitive parts.
Joseph fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Aalto manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Joseph throws an off balance right hand

and Aalto counters with a nice double leg into side control. Joseph won't be happy with that.
Aalto postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Aalto tries to move to mount but Joseph blocks the move with his legs.
Aalto misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Aalto throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Aalto tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

Aalto wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Joseph, who protects the arm well.
Joseph prevents Aalto from improving position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aalto is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Joseph has escaped the position, nice work there.
Aalto looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Joseph is avoiding damage well.
Joseph prevents Aalto from improving position.
Joseph holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Joseph gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Aalto rushes Joseph and presses him up against the cage.
I was talking to Joseph's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Joseph can't find room to land a body shot as Aalto controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Aalto is trying to trip Joseph. He has hold of a leg but Joseph is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Aalto persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Aalto trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Aalto missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Joseph keeping full guard, as Aalto tries to pass.
Aalto working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Aalto trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Aalto throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Joseph works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Aalto with a flurry of punches that miss.
Aalto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Joseph keeping full guard, as Aalto tries to pass.
Aalto trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jihadi Joseph dominated that round.
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.

A looping hook to the body misses from Aalto. Joseph does a little dance to reset his feet.
Joseph looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Joseph with a nice cross.
Joseph slips under a jab.
Joseph half committed to a counter leg kick.
Joseph throws a lazy right hand but Aalto sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Joseph connects with the punch.
Aalto throws a right hand that misses
and Joseph counters with a nice body shot.

Aalto bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Joseph isn't going anywhere.
Joseph stops Aalto from passing to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joseph dodges the ground and pound from Aalto.

Aalto is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Joseph has escaped the position, nice work there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aalto throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aalto is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Joseph has escaped the position, nice work there.
An elbow from Aalto crashes against the mat.
Aalto looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Joseph is avoiding damage well.

Aalto is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Joseph is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
The ground and pound from Aalto seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Aalto throws a strike aimed at the side of Joseph's head but Joseph avoids it well.

That's two 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.
Aalto misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Aalto throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Aalto tries to score with some ground and pound. Joseph controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Aalto sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Joseph is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Aalto tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Aalto has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Joseph holding on.
Aalto sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Joseph is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Aalto postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Aalto.
Aalto working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Aalto moves into full mount!
Joseph wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Aalto.
Joseph is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Aalto can do to turn this around?
Aalto fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Aalto with shots to the head and body - Joseph looks very uncomfortable down there.
Joseph is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Aalto lands a big shot there that rocks Joseph but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Aalto has isolated one of Joseph's arms. Joseph looking to fight him off but Aalto twists into an armbar. It's tight... Will he tap?? YES, he's tapped! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Michael Aalto!
A very excited looking Michael Aalto 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.