PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gerard Messing (ranked 2958 p4p, 2208 weight class) and Horus Hekkala (ranked 303 p4p, 234 weight class). Gerard Messing could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Horus Hekkala's chin.

Messing
vs
Hekkala

189 cm
23
277
6 - 7 - 0

201 cm
25
255
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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FF Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Gerard Messing!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Horus Hekkala!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Alec Ball and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Hekkala.
A jab lands there for Messing.

It looks like Horus Hekkala has been cut.
Messing fails with a takedown attempt.
Hekkala tries to clinch but Messing is having none of it.
Messing gets cracked there but stands up to it.

It looks like Gerard Messing has been cut.
Messing takes a swing at Hekkala's ribcage but misses.
Hekkala now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Messing loads up on a big right hand but Hekkala slips the punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Messing looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hekkala is fending him off so far but Messing persists. Nope, Hekkala circles away and we're back to standing.
Hekkala looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Messing takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Hekkala avoids the body shot from Messing.
Messing swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messing fails to land with a series of punches.

Hekkala clinches up against the cage.
Messing goes for a takedown attempt but Hekkala pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gerard Messing. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Messing swings for the body but Hekkala moves out of range.
Hekkala throws out a counter right but Messing avoids it with no problem.
Messing lands with a right hand.
Messing looks to score with a jab to the body but Hekkala is just out of range.
Gerard Messing seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hekkala tries to sprawl but Messing drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Messing is looking to take a break and control but Hekkala is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. Hekkala manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Hekkala is pulling down on Messing's head to control his posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hekkala keeping moving, preventing Messing from controlling successfully.
Messing stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hekkala swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hekkala pulls Messing in close to prevent any damage.
Messing trying to control the position from guard on top but Hekkala is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Messing with a flurry of punches that miss.
Messing pushing down on Hekkala's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Messing is pressing down on Hekkala's thigh, looking to free his foot. Hekkala is holding on for now.
Messing is thwarting Hekkala's attempts to control the position.

Messing is looking for a kimura but Hekkala is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Messing to get the leverage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Messing throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Hekkala cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Messing comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Messing is looking to wear down Hekkala with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Hekkala is looking to clinch.
Hekkala throws a sloppy head kick and Messing moves out of range easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messing shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hekkala connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A low kick from Hekkala is predictable there

and Messing decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hekkala's guard.
Hekkala is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Messing throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Messing might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Messing trying to control the position from guard on top but Hekkala is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Messing passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hekkala is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Messing landing strikes.
Messing is looking to take a break and control but Hekkala is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The strikes coming from Messing are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Messing is trying to get an arm triangle but Hekkala is defending well.
Messing wants to control but Hekkala is keeping him busy.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Messing tries to score with some ground and pound. Hekkala controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Messing throwing shots but missing, from side control.
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.
Messing creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Hekkala sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Messing trying to control the action but Hekkala is working from the bottom.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Messing takes a little break here. Hekkala wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hekkala dodges the ground and pound from Messing.
The strikes coming from Messing are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hekkala tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Messing wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hekkala slips under a jab.
Messing throws a shot from downtown. Hekkala moves away and avoids it.
Hekkala looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.

That's eight 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.
Hekkala throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Messing connects with a good right hand that stumbles Hekkala. Hekkala circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Hekkala walks into a stiff left hand from Messing.
Hekkala is looking to clinch.
Messing misses with an uppercut.
Hekkala moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Messing fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Hekkala uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Messing.
Hekkala delivers a nice body kick.
Messing takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Hekkala wants to land a leg kick but Messing is out of range.
Hekkala lands a head shot.
Messing lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Messing waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hekkala.
Messing tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hekkala was well out of range. Poor timing from Messing.
Hekkala appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Messing fails with the takedown
and Hekkala counters with a nice low kick that buckles Messing's knee momentarily.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Messing.
Messing 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.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hekkala can't do much from the bottom here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gerard Messing dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hekkala connects with a nice looking jab.
Messing looks to land a right hand but Hekkala moved out of range.
Messing takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Messing waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hekkala.
Hekkala uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Messing has time to react.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hekkala.
Gerard Messing is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hekkala tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Messing manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hekkala throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Messing counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Messing wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hekkala keeps working.
Messing not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messing trying to mount his opponent but Hekkala defends it.

Messing seems to be looking for submissions.
Messing wants to pass to mount but Hekkala is defending the position.
Messing takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Messing throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hekkala is trying to maintain the position but Messing is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Messing is trying to control the action in half guard but Hekkala is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Messing changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hekkala tries to avoid it but Messing manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hekkala to the ground. Hekkala escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Messing misses with a right hand
and Hekkala counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Hekkala catches Messing with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Hekkala gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A shot in the inside from Hekkala.

Messing is rocked!
Hekkala tries to work over Messing's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Messing tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hekkala's elbow.
Hekkala has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Hekkala makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Oh Messing is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Messing can't get the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Hekkala.
Hekkala throws a big uppercut that drops Messing! More strikes from Hekkala and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Messing lies dazed against the cage as Hekkala celebrates with his cornermen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:14 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Horus Hekkala!
After winning the bout, Horus Hekkala thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.