PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Graham Mantle (ranked 83 p4p, 110 weight class) and Odin Markkanen (ranked 2 p4p, 5 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Odin Markkanen was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Mantle
vs
Markkanen

169 cm
35
145
27 - 12 - 1

170 cm
34
150
16 - 2 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

New Standard
Ajax Cloth

Northern Zombie
Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Graham Mantle!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Odin Markkanen!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Percy O'Donnell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Markkanen lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Mantle closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Markkanen did well to prevent Mantle getting side control.
Mantle working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Markkanen tries to roll over but Mantle keeps him under control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Markkanen trying to control here.
Markkanen taking some punishment here, with Mantle in his half guard.
Mantle has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Markkanen is trying to get back to full guard.
Mantle is keen to just control but Markkanen is a slippery customer.
Markkanen has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Mantle lands strikes from half guard.
Mantle is trying to control the action in half guard but Markkanen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Markkanen trying to hold on to Mantle's head to control him but Mantle postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markkanen tries to get to full guard but Mantle has control of the leg.
Markkanen is refusing to be controlled, as Mantle sits in half guard.
Markkanen gets full guard.
Markkanen keeping full guard, as Mantle tries to pass.
Mantle postures up.

Markkanen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mantle is aware though and is defending well.
Markkanen keeping full guard, as Mantle tries to pass.
Mantle is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Mantle working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mantle controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Mantle avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mantle is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Markkanen looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Mantle puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Markkanen tries to get to full guard but Mantle has control of the leg.
Mantle seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Mantle there.
Markkanen tries to roll over but Mantle keeps him under control.
Mantle is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Markkanen tries to get to full guard but Mantle has control of the leg.
Markkanen is still trying to improve position.
Mantle working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Markkanen looking for submissions off his back.
Mantle is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Mantle working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mantle perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Mantle passes to side control.
We've been hearing that Mantle has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Mantle lands a few punches from side control.
Markkanen tries to bench press Mantle off him but Mantle keeps the position.
Mantle has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Markkanen is desperately trying to improve his position but Mantle has a good base and remains in mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mantle sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Markkanen working to try and regain half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Graham Mantle dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Markkanen cracks Mantle with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Markkanen throws a body punch but Mantle moves out of range.
Markkanen misses with a body kick.
Mantle looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mantle throws an overhand right that lands on Markkanen's shoulder, as Markkanen tries to avoid the shot.
Markkanen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A big right from Mantle misses.
Mantle slips a jab and a cross from Markkanen.
Mantle will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Mantle gets caught flat footed, as Markkanen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Mantle looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Markkanen works over Mantle with some ground and pound from guard.
Graham Mantle overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mantle keeping moving, preventing Markkanen from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantle manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Markkanen manages to get himself to full guard.

Mantle trying to control the position from guard on top but Markkanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mantle postures up.
Mantle sitting in guard here, content to control.

Markkanen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mantle is aware though and is defending well.
Mantle won't allow Markkanen to sweep him here.
Mantle is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mantle's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Mantle stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Markkanen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mantle stopping the sweep attempt from Markkanen.
Mantle lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Markkanen looking to control.

Mantle got a little sloppy there for a moment and Markkanen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mantle has managed to get both his arms back between Markkanen's legs - danger averted.
Mantle chips away with some ground and pound.

Markkanen is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mantle defends well.
Markkanen keeping moving, preventing Mantle from controlling successfully.
Mantle keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Markkanen's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Markkanen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mantle can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Mantle distracts Markkanen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Markkanen pushes a forearm under Mantle's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Mantle is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Odin Markkanen!
Odin Markkanen is the new featherweight champion!
Odin Markkanen thanked the fans post fight for their support.