PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Louie Lopez (ranked 844 p4p, 682 weight class) and Janne Virtanen (ranked 57 p4p, 50 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Lopez
vs
Virtanen

190 cm
27
270
7 - 4 - 0

199 cm
27
278
8 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Pulling Guard

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Louie Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Janne Virtanen!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Radbod Blank and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lopez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Virtanen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lopez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Virtanen.

Lopez clinches up against the cage.
Virtanen stops a takedown attempt from Lopez.
Virtanen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

It looks like Louie Lopez has been cut.
Lopez tries to score a body lock takedown but Virtanen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Virtanen can't find room to land a body shot as Lopez controls the action.
Virtanen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lopez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Virtanen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Virtanen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Lopez wants the takedown. Virtanen is fighting it off but Lopez persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Virtanen's guard against the cage.
Virtanen wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Lopez manages to pass to side control.

We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Virtanen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lopez is working away from the top position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lopez looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez wants to take a breather but Virtanen is having none of it.
Lopez perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Lopez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Virtanen defending well though.
Virtanen looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Lopez is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Virtanen taking some punishment here, with Lopez in his half guard.
Lopez controlling the pace.

That's two 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.
Lopez is trying to control. Virtanen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We've been hearing good reports from Lopez's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Virtanen is trying to maintain the position but Lopez is very close to passing his half guard.
Virtanen is refusing to be controlled, as Lopez sits in half guard.
Lopez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Virtanen defending well though.
Virtanen keeps control of the position for the meantime.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lopez is looking to advance position but Virtanen won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Virtanen's head.
Lopez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Lopez with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Lopez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Virtanen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lopez blocks a jab.

Lopez has Virtanen up against the cage in a clinch.
Virtanen prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Louie Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Virtanen misses with the head strike.
Virtanen lands a left hand that snaps the head of Lopez backwards.
Virtanen has a couple of punches blocked by Lopez.
Virtanen misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Lopez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Virtanen is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen has a couple of punches blocked by Lopez.
Virtanen prevents the takedown attempt.
Virtanen swings wildly with an uppercut but Lopez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lopez trying to stall but Virtanen improves his position.
Lopez misses with a body punch.
Virtanen misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Virtanen.
Virtanen is pressed up against the cage. Lopez has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Virtanen down to the mat. Virtanen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
The fighters circling - Virtanen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lopez tries to clinch but Virtanen is having none of it.
Virtanen circles away from the clinch attempt.

Virtanen closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lopez changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Virtanen fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A decent looking cross lands there for Virtanen.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Virtanen throws a hook but Lopez blocks it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Janne Virtanen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Louie Lopez's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lopez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Lopez moves into the clinch.
Virtanen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Virtanen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Virtanen effectively controlling the action here.
Lopez's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lopez.
Virtanen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Lopez will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Virtanen up against the cage.

Lopez gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Virtanen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lopez is working away from the top position though.
Virtanen tries to roll over but Lopez keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Virtanen trying to hold on to Lopez's head to control him but Lopez postures up.
Lopez tries to pass to full mount but Virtanen defends it.
Lopez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Virtanen defending well though.
Virtanen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Virtanen is trying to maintain the position but Lopez is very close to passing his half guard.
Lopez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Virtanen keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Lopez throwing shots but Virtanen is blocking nicely.
Lopez sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Virtanen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lopez moves away.
Virtanen throws a hook to the side of Lopez's head but Lopez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Lopez closes the distance but Virtanen moves to the side
and Virtanen counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Lopez clinches up with Virtanen and pushes him back against the cage.
Lopez prevents a body shot from Virtanen.
Virtanen misses with a short punch on the inside.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Virtanen is trying to stall.
Virtanen is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Lopez has denied him.
Lopez can't get the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Virtanen misses with some punches.
Virtanen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Good body shot from Virtanen.
Lopez has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Lopez blocking some punches.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Lopez takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A head punch on the inside from Virtanen fails to land.
Lopez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A right handed body shot lands from Virtanen.
Lopez tries to land knees in the clinch but Virtanen avoids the damage to the body.
Virtanen scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Virtanen throws a punch but it's blocked by Lopez.
Lopez blocks a body shot from Virtanen.
Lopez changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Virtanen fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Lopez slips a jab from Virtanen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lopez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Virtanen gets tackled into the cage by Lopez. Lopez maintains the clinch.
Lopez has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Virtanen after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Louie Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Virtanen misses with a punch on the inside.
Virtanen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Virtanen lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Lopez or not.
Janne Virtanen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Virtanen is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A short uppercut from Virtanen.
Virtanen misses with a punch on the inside.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lopez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lopez is trying to stall.
Virtanen misses with a hook to the ribs.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Janne Virtanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Louie Lopez's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Virtanen throws a shot from downtown. Lopez moves away and avoids it.
Louie Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Virtanen throws a hook but Lopez blocks it.
Lopez tries to clinch up but Virtanen circles away and keeps his distance.

Virtanen clinches up with Lopez and pushes him back against the cage.
Virtanen blocks an elbow strike from Lopez.
Still in the clinch, Virtanen scores with a nice short uppercut.
Virtanen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Virtanen scores with a shot to the side of Lopez's head.
Lopez takes a shot to the head.
Lopez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Virtanen.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Virtanen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez is working for takedown but Virtanen is calmly controlling the position for now.
Lopez is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Virtanen pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A short left from Virtanen.
Virtanen prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Louie Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lopez trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Virtanen lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Lopez or not.
Virtanen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Virtanen lands a body shot in the clinch.
Virtanen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Virtanen just leaning against Lopez, taking a breather.
Virtanen's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Virtanen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Virtanen scores with a shoulder strike.
Virtanen's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Virtanen is pressed up against the cage. Lopez has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Virtanen down to the mat. Virtanen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Virtanen lands a big uppercut and this one is all over! His foe lies motionless on the canvas - a massive one punch knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Janne Virtanen!