PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anton Ilmarinen (ranked 283 p4p, 992 weight class) and Samuel Sycek (ranked 30 p4p, 121 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ilmarinen
vs
Sycek

186 cm
32
198
17 - 5 - 0

178 cm
29
193
15 - 15 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)

Shadow Realm Apparel

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 17 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Anton Ilmarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Samuel Sycek!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Chris Edwards and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sycek closes the distance but Ilmarinen moves to the side

and Ilmarinen decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sycek's guard.
Sycek pulls Ilmarinen in close to prevent any damage.
Sycek is trying to keep Ilmarinen in close.
Ilmarinen trying to control the position from guard on top but Sycek is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ilmarinen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ilmarinen preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ilmarinen postures up and lands a big shot to Sycek's brow.
Sycek trying to keep a closed guard but Ilmarinen is proving a slippery customer.
Ilmarinen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sycek keeping moving, preventing Ilmarinen from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilmarinen is really struggling to control Sycek but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Ilmarinen throws a big right hand that misses.
Sycek wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Ilmarinen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ilmarinen trying to control but Sycek is working from the bottom.
Ilmarinen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ilmarinen wants to control from the top but Sycek keeps moving.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Sycek rushes Ilmarinen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ilmarinen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sycek is stalling here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sycek prevents it.
Ilmarinen blocks an uppercut.

Ilmarinen has Sycek pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Ilmarinen pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Sycek tumbling to the mat - Ilmarinen dives into Sycek's guard.
Sycek wants to sweep here but Ilmarinen controlling him for the moment.
Ilmarinen 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.
Ilmarinen trying to control the position from guard on top but Sycek is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ilmarinen stopping the sweep attempt from Sycek.
Ilmarinen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sycek trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Sycek thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Ilmarinen wants to control from the top but Sycek keeps moving.
Ilmarinen works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ilmarinen is thwarting Sycek's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Ilmarinen is trying to control the action in half guard but Sycek is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ilmarinen lands with a punch from half guard.
Sycek is looking to improve his position.
Sycek trying to control from the bottom.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ilmarinen lands a nice short elbow.
Sycek wants to control but Ilmarinen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sycek desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Sycek is looking to control Ilmarinen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sycek avoid being mounted?
Ilmarinen sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sycek moves into full guard.
Sycek looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ilmarinen is one step ahead there.
Ilmarinen lands a couple of elbows.
Sycek looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ilmarinen trying to control but Sycek is working from the bottom.
Ilmarinen is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sycek is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Ilmarinen landing with the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ilmarinen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ilmarinen landing some decent shots from guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Anton Ilmarinen 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.

Sycek tries to close the distance and clinch but Ilmarinen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sycek walks into a straight right hand from Ilmarinen.

Ilmarinen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sycek looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sycek wants to control but Ilmarinen postures up.
Ilmarinen is looking to take a break and control but Sycek is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sycek is looking to regain half guard here but Ilmarinen keeps moving and retains side control.
Ilmarinen working the body and head with strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ilmarinen scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Sycek to see if he's OK.
You can see the frustration on Sycek's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ilmarinen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sycek can do to turn this around?
Ilmarinen scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Sycek to see if he's OK.
Sycek is looking for a sweep.
Sycek is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sycek stops Ilmarinen from passing to mount.
Sycek tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Ilmarinen presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Sycek tries to lock up and control but Ilmarinen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ilmarinen content just to control the position here.
Sycek is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ilmarinen with the ground and pound from mount.
Ilmarinen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sycek is looking to escape.
Ilmarinen landing strikes from the mount.
Ilmarinen working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sycek tries to lock up and control but Ilmarinen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen lands with some strikes.
Sycek holds on for dear life, controlling Ilmarinen's posture momentarily.
Ilmarinen looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sycek in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ilmarinen postures up and connects with a big shot that has rocked Sycek badly. He's trying desperately to grab hold of Ilmarinen around the waist but Ilmarinen pushes him off and unloads with more strikes, forcing the referee to jump in and save him! Ilmarinen is the winner by TKO! Ilmarinen jumps onto the cage and shouts into the camera. "We did it momma!"

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Anton Ilmarinen!
Anton Ilmarinen decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.