PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between David Svenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joni Valimaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Valimaki has chosen Clint Mansell - Lux Aeterna as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Svenson
vs
Valimaki

177 cm
24
159 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

170 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, David Svenson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joni Valimaki!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Valimaki rushes Svenson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Svenson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Valimaki is trying to drag Svenson to the mat but Svenson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Valimaki jumps into guard, dragging Svenson to the mat.
Valimaki throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Valimaki wants to stand but Svenson is controlling the position.
Svenson wants to control from the top but Valimaki keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Valimaki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Svenson is one step ahead there.
Svenson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Svenson is in close to Valimaki's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Svenson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Valimaki has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Svenson has managed to get both his arms back between Valimaki's legs - danger averted.
Svenson throwing strikes from guard but Valimaki blocks nicely.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Valimaki shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Valimaki looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Svenson fails with the takedown
and Valimaki counters with a straight right hand.
Valimaki tries for a takedown but Svenson circles away easily
and Svenson counters with a right hand to the body.
David Svenson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joni Valimaki.
Svenson lands a high kick!

It looks like Joni Valimaki has been cut.

Svenson clinches.

Svenson gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Svenson passes Valimaki's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Svenson passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Valimaki!
Svenson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Svenson connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Svenson lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

Svenson with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Svenson scoring with strikes but Valimaki is staying in there.
Svenson landing shots from mount.
Svenson dominating with strikes here.
Svenson works his way to his opponent's back.
Valimaki staying busy and making it hard for Svenson to control.
Svenson scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Valimaki is looking for a way out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valimaki tries to escape but Svenson has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Svenson is persistently looking for the submission but Valimaki is defending it well.
Valimaki covering up well under a series of strikes from Svenson.

Svenson looking to break Valimaki's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Valimaki remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Svenson will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Valimaki trying to get back to his feet but Svenson is in full control for now.
Svenson trying to control momentarily.

Svenson tightening his grip on Valimaki, looking for the choke.
Svenson connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Valimaki to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valimaki rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Svenson passes to side control.
Svenson throws a strike aimed at the side of Valimaki's head but Valimaki avoids it well.
Svenson trying to control the position but Valimaki is working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Svenson decides to stand back up. Svenson steps back and let's Valimaki get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Svenson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joni Valimaki's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Valimaki looks to clinch
and Svenson counters with a stiff right hand.
Valimaki wants to clinch
and Svenson counters with a head kick.
Valimaki misses with a takedown
and Svenson counters with a nice kick to the body.
Svenson wants to clinch.
Svenson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Valimaki decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Svenson's guard.
Svenson will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Svenson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Valimaki's guard.
Valimaki trying to strike off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valimaki will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Svenson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Valimaki keeping moving, preventing Svenson from controlling successfully.
Svenson advances to half guard.
Valimaki landing a few short strikes.
Valimaki tries to get to full guard but Svenson has control of the leg.
Valimaki trying to hold on to Svenson's head to control him but Svenson postures up.
Svenson prevents Valimaki from improving his position.
Valimaki wants to control but Svenson is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Svenson is pressing down on Valimaki's thigh, looking to free his foot. Valimaki is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Svenson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Valimaki with a lazy takedown attempt
and Svenson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Svenson fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Valimaki looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Svenson lands a jab-cross combination.
Joni Valimaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Valimaki walks into a straight right hand from Svenson.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Valimaki looking for a takedown.
David Svenson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joni Valimaki.

Svenson gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Svenson thows a huge punch but Valimaki dodges it nicely.
David Svenson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svenson trying to control from half guard but Valimaki is working away.
Valimaki trying to control from the bottom.
Svenson 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.
Valimaki might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Svenson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Valimaki misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Valimaki is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Svenson pulls his head out easily.
Svenson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Valimaki's head.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Valimaki shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Svenson counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Valimaki is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Svenson has closed the distance and engaged Valimaki in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Svenson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Svenson has Valimaki pushed against the cage.
Svenson works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Valimaki drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Svenson stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Svenson is trying to drag Valimaki to the mat but Valimaki just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Valimaki blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Valimaki gets control of Svenson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Valimaki will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Valimaki has momentary wrist control but Svenson slips an elbow through the middle.
Valimaki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Svenson is one step ahead there.
Svenson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Svenson dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joni Valimaki's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Valimaki keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Svenson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Valimaki has his takedown stuffed

and Svenson counters by moving into the clinch.
Svenson is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Svenson connects with a nasty looking knee right to Valimaki's face.
Svenson lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Svenson gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Svenson tries to pass to full mount but Valimaki defends it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valimaki has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Svenson is working away from the top position though.
Valimaki tries to kick Svenson off but Svenson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valimaki is refusing to be controlled, as Svenson sits in half guard.
Svenson is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Valimaki is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Svenson wants to free his trapped foot but Valimaki is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Svenson is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Valimaki doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Svenson.
Svenson tries to pass to full mount but Valimaki defends it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Valimaki avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

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.
Valimaki tries for a takedown but Svenson circles away easily
and Svenson counters with a low kick, right behind Valimaki 's knee.
Nice uppercut lands for Svenson. That snapped Valimaki's head back.

Svenson has closed the distance and engaged Valimaki in a clinch.
Valimaki prevents the takedown attempt.
Svenson looking to slow down the pace here.
Valimaki avoiding damage as Svenson throws knees to the body.

Valimaki jumps guard and drags Svenson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Valimaki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Svenson trying to control but Valimaki is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valimaki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Svenson is one step ahead there.
Svenson looking to pass the guard.
Valimaki will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Svenson works over Valimaki with some ground and pound from guard.

Svenson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Svenson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Svenson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Valimaki sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Svenson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four 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.
Svenson moves in looking to clinch but Valimaki pushes him off.

Valimaki scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Svenson manages to get to full guard.
Valimaki wants to control from the top but Svenson keeps moving.
Valimaki trying to stand up but can't free himself from Svenson's guard.
Svenson trying to keep a closed guard but Valimaki is proving a slippery customer.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Valimaki throwing strikes from guard but Svenson blocks nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Svenson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Svenson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Svenson!