PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sonny Barella (ranked 1280 p4p, 1305 weight class) and Ari Katajamaki (ranked 104 p4p, 107 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Barella
vs
Katajamaki

167 cm
29
135
13 - 17 - 0

162 cm
28
135
11 - 15 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Sakura Style

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sonny Barella!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 15 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Ari Katajamaki!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Katajamaki on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Barella lands a nice shot to the body.
Barella dives in and grabs Katajamaki's left leg, looking for a takedown. Katajamaki pushes down on Barella's head and hops out.
Katajamaki fails with a takedown attempt.

Katajamaki moves into range and clinches up with Barella.

Barella pulls guard effortlessly.

Barella is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Katajamaki defends well.
Katajamaki working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Barella's head.

Barella has his foot on Katajamaki's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Katajamaki works his way back into a safe position though.

Katajamaki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Barella is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Katajamaki wants to pass the guard but Barella is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barella has his foot on Katajamaki's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Katajamaki works his way back into a safe position though.
Barella has momentary wrist control but Katajamaki slips an elbow through the middle.
Katajamaki chips away with some ground and pound.
Katajamaki content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Barella trying to keep a closed guard but Katajamaki is proving a slippery customer.
Katajamaki with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Barella has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Katajamaki can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Katajamaki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Barella is looking for a triangle here but Katajamaki uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Barella takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barella is looking to regain half guard here but Katajamaki keeps moving and retains side control.
Barella manages to get back to half guard.
Katajamaki takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Katajamaki is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Katajamaki wants to free his trapped foot but Barella is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Katajamaki looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Katajamaki lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Barella looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Barella is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Katajamaki's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Katajamaki's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki trying to control the hands but Barella breaks the grip.
Katajamaki tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Katajamaki has given up his back. Will we see Barella going for some submissions?

Barella looking for the choke from the back.

Katajamaki fending off the submission attempt from Barella.
Barella trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Katajamaki can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barella struggling to keep hold of the position.

Barella looking for the RNC.
Katajamaki wants to escape the position.

Barella goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Katajamaki escapes and is now in half guard on top.
Katajamaki scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Barella is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Katajamaki pulls his head out easily.

Barella actively working from the bottom here.
Barella wants to control but Katajamaki is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sonny Barella dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Katajamaki shoots in for a double leg but Barella sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Some wild striking there from Barella.
Sonny Barella is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barella lands with a hook. Katajamaki tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

It looks like Ari Katajamaki has been cut.
Barella throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Katajamaki is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Barella's half guard.
Katajamaki slips a nice elbow through Barella's hands, connecting with Barella's forehead.
Katajamaki 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.

Barella looking for submissions off his back.
Barella trying to hold on to Katajamaki's head to control him but Katajamaki postures up.
Katajamaki working the head and body with strikes.
Katajamaki scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katajamaki seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Barella does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ground and pound from Katajamaki.
Barella has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Katajamaki is working away from the top position though.
Katajamaki seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Katajamaki is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Barella is trying to maintain the position but Katajamaki is very close to passing his half guard.
Barella is looking for a sweep. Katajamaki is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Katajamaki lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Barella looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki slips a nice elbow through Barella's hands, connecting with Barella's forehead.
Katajamaki wants to take a breather but Barella is having none of it.
Barella wants to get back to full guard.

Barella looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Katajamaki drops an elbow to the side of Barella's head.
Katajamaki scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Barella trying to hold on to Katajamaki's head to control him but Katajamaki postures up.
Katajamaki is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Katajamaki winds up and cracks Barella with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barella trying to control from the bottom.
Katajamaki is nestled in close to Barella, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Katajamaki scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Katajamaki prevents Barella from standing back up.
Barella has hold of Katajamaki's hands but Katajamaki slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Barella pushes Katajamaki off and gets back to his feet.
Barella throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Katajamaki's waist but Katajamaki gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Barella off to one side.
Nice sprawl there from Barella as Katajamaki shoots in.

Barella moves into the clinch.
Barella wants to get back to striking at distance but Katajamaki won't allow it.

Katajamaki is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Barella can't fight it off and eventually Katajamaki manages to take the fight to the floor. Barella looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Katajamaki trying to control but Barella is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Barella seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Barella is trying to keep Katajamaki in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Sonny Barella!
A determined Sonny Barella didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!