PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Flint Westwood (ranked 5573 p4p, 4700 weight class) and Temmu Pukki (ranked 513 p4p, 474 weight class). Flint Westwood has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Westwood
vs
Pukki

170 cm
18
176
0 - 1 - 0

179 cm
20
174
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Flint Westwood!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Temmu Pukki!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Percy O'Donnell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pukki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Westwood.
Pukki thows a left - swing and a miss!
And Westwood counters with a quick kick to the body but Pukki blocks it.
Pukki slips under a jab.
Pukki avoids the body shot from Westwood.
Pukki thinks about the counter body kick.

Westwood shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Westwood is pushing down on Pukki's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pukki is fighting to maintain full guard but Westwood has managed to sneak the leg through.
Westwood wants to free his trapped foot but Pukki is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Westwood seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Pukki does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Westwood passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Pukki!
Westwood unloading with bombs!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pukki tries to hold on but Westwood pushes him away.

Westwood with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Westwood tries to control but Pukki wriggling away.
Westwood is landing with some decent strikes but Pukki is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
We've been hearing that Westwood has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Pukki is looking to improve his position but Westwood isn't that keen on the idea.
Pukki wants to control but Westwood is having none of it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Pukki can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Westwood is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Westwood is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Pukki can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Pukki is working to get back to half guard.
Westwood thowing shots but they're missing.

Westwood is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Pukki to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Pukki shrugs it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pukki holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Westwood tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Pukki really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Westwood. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Westwood avoids the attempt from Pukki to control.
Westwood trying to control but Pukki is having none of it.
Pukki is in a horrible position here. Westwood smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Westwood fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Westwood looking to ground and pound but Pukki is blocking nicely.
Westwood looking to control but Pukki is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Pukki tries to reverse the position but Westwood maintains control.
Westwood working the ground and pound effectively.
Pukki is looking to get to half guard.
Westwood in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Pukki wants to hold on but Westwood pushes him away.
Westwood is landing with some decent strikes but Pukki is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Flint Westwood dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A decent looking cross lands there for Pukki.
Westwood tried to score with a low kick but Pukki checks it.
Pukki paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Westwood shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Pukki defends it nicely.
Westwood is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pukki can do to turn this around?

Westwood drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Pukki is trying to improve his position.
Westwood 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Westwood tries to advance to mount but Pukki denies him.
Westwood trying to control the action but Pukki is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pukki is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Pukki's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pukki tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Westwood wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Westwood trying to control the action but Pukki is working from the bottom.
Westwood working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Pukki parries the strikes from Westwood easily there. Westwood is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Pukki to escape.
Westwood wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pukki keeps working.
Westwood landing a few strikes.
Westwood scores with a couple of short elbows.
Pukki taking punishment in the form of punches.
Pukki stops Westwood from passing to mount.
Westwood wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pukki keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pukki is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Pukki avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Westwood.
Pukki is trying to control Westwood's posture but Westwood avoids it.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Westwood working away.
Pukki takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Westwood wants to control but Pukki is keeping him busy.
Westwood passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Pukki!
Westwood wants to control the pace but Pukki is squirming around nicely.
Westwood landing strikes, looking to finish!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Westwood landing shots from mount.
Westwood landing strikes, looking to finish!
Westwood landing punches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Flint Westwood dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Pukki closes the distance but Westwood moves to the side
and Westwood counters with an inside leg kick.
Flint Westwood is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A nice leg kick lands there from Westwood.
Pukki checks a low kick from Westwood.
Pukki swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Pukki jabs Westwood to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Good work by Pukki as he checks the leg kick.
Pukki throws a sloppy head kick and Westwood moves out of range easily.
Pukki tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Pukki misses with a left hand
and Westwood counters with a nice low kick that buckles Pukki's knee momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pukki throws a body shot but no joy.
Pukki closes the distance looking to clinch
and Westwood counters with a left and a right that stings Pukki.
Temmu Pukki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Westwood shoots in for a takedown but Pukki shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Sloppy strikes from Pukki. Those never looked like landing.
Westwood swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Pukki throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Westwood on the side of the head.
Pukki throws the left hand but Westwood avoids the punch easily.
Pukki misses with a jab to the body
and Westwood counters with an outside leg kick.
Pukki throws an off balance right hand
and Westwood counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Temmu Pukki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pukki throws a body shot but no joy.
Westwood moves out of range as Pukki strikes.
Pukki misses with a hook.
Westwood changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
A big right from Pukki misses.
Pukki throws a head kick that misses
and Westwood counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Pukki scores with a body shot.
Pukki throws a jab but it's blocked by Westwood.
A big right from Westwood misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pukki throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Pukki looks to score with a jab to the body but Westwood is just out of range.
Pukki throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pukki throws a sloppy body shot
and Westwood counters with a nice leg kick.
Pukki just misses with a punch to the body.
Pukki cracks a nice hook into Westwood's ribs.
A looping hook to the body misses from Westwood. Pukki does a little dance to reset his feet.
Temmu Pukki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Westwood. Pukki shrugs it off though.
Westwood keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Pukki.
Pukki throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A swing and a miss from Pukki.
Pukki misses the jab.
Westwood swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Pukki misses with a body shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Westwood misses the target.
Temmu Pukki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Westwood walks into a straight right hand from Pukki.
A jab from Pukki misses.
Westwood keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pukki throws a poor cross that misses
and Westwood counters with a low kick, right behind Pukki 's knee.
The fighters circling - Pukki throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Westwood was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Westwood wants to land a leg kick but Pukki is out of range.
Pukki swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Westwood.
Pukki loads up on a big right hand but Westwood slips the punch.
Westwood swats away the attempt to clinch by Pukki.
Westwood avoids the head kick by Pukki.
Westwood was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Westwood connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pukki fails to land with a series of punches.
As Pukki backs away, Westwood returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Pukki throws a big shot that misses.
Pukki punishes Westwood's body with a nice straight punch.
Pukki stuns Westwood with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Pukki throws a looping overhand right but Westwood ducks down to avoid it.
Westwood avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Westwood half committed to a counter leg kick.
Pukki on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pukki tries to close the distance and clinch but Westwood swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pukki throws a right hand that misses
and Westwood counters with a good low kick that Pukki was not able to check.
Pukki displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Westwood.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Flint Westwood. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Westwood fails in his attempt to clinch.
Westwood closes the distance and clinches up with Pukki, looking for a takedown. Westwood pushes Pukki against the cage but Pukki circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Temmu Pukki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Westwood has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Flint Westwood!
A relieved looking Flint Westwood thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.