PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Niko Sikaniska (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joonas Havulehto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sikaniska's entrance music is Medeia - Cold Embrace. A fine choice. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Sikaniska
vs
Havulehto

174 cm
21
185 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

185 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niko Sikaniska!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joonas Havulehto!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crunch! Havulehto slams his shin into Sikaniska's torso.
Havulehto scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Sikaniska has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Havulehto.
Havulehto tries to clinch up.
Havulehto swinging wilding here.
Sikaniska throws a combination that misses
and Havulehto counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Danga de danga de dang - Havulehto scores with a four punch combination!
Havulehto tries to bum rush Sikaniska with a series of wild strikes but Sikaniska uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sikaniska is defended easily by Havulehto.
Havulehto throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Sikaniska counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Havulehto keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Sikaniska working over Havulehto with some ground and pound. Havulehto looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Havulehto makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Havulehto.

Havulehto is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sikaniska defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sikaniska trying to control the position from guard on top but Havulehto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sikaniska is breathing heavily.
Havulehto working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sikaniska.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sikaniska won't allow Havulehto to sweep him here.

Havulehto working for a triangle but Sikaniska defends it easily.
Havulehto is pulling down on Sikaniska's head to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Havulehto looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Sikaniska postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sikaniska takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Havulehto jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Havulehto chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Havulehto clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Havulehto comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Havulehto is trying to drag Sikaniska to the mat but Sikaniska just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Havulehto is leaning against Sikaniska and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Sikaniska takes an elbow to the forehead.
Havulehto is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Havulehto stalling in the clinch.
The crowd are getting on Havulehto's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.

Havulehto's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Havulehto gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Havulehto is working for takedown but Sikaniska is calmly controlling the position for now.

Havulehto breaks the clinch.

Havulehto closes the distance and clinches.
A knee to the head by Havulehto.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joonas Havulehto dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sikaniska drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sikaniska is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Havulehto gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Sikaniska is working for takedown but Havulehto is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Niko Sikaniska. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Havulehto lands a knee to the head.
Sikaniska looking for a takedown.
Havulehto goes for a takedown attempt but Sikaniska pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Havulehto swinging wilding here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Havulehto throws a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Havulehto rushes Sikaniska and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Havulehto scores a nice knee to the body.
Havulehto drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Havulehto crunches a lovely knee into Sikaniska's ribcage.
Havulehto landing knees to the body.
Havulehto controlling the action here for a moment.
Havulehto landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Havulehto connects with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Havulehto unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sikaniska lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Havulehto breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Havulehto clinches.

Havulehto gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Havulehto wants to control but Sikaniska is keeping him busy.

Havulehto decides to stand up.

Havulehto gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sikaniska wants a takedown but no success here.

Havulehto escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Havulehto scores with a kick to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Havulehto throws a series of punches but Sikaniska moves out of range.

Havulehto rushes Sikaniska and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Havulehto's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Havulehto lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Sikaniska circles away from the clinch attempt

and Sikaniska counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Havulehto is pressing down on Sikaniska's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sikaniskais looking to pass into half guard but Havulehto pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Havulehto is in guard.
Havulehto passes Sikaniska's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sikaniska wants to control but Havulehto is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sikaniska wants to get back to full guard.
Sikaniska tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Sikaniska trying to control from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Havulehto is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joonas Havulehto showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Havulehto stuffs the takedown attempt from Sikaniska. Sikaniska gets slowly back to his feet.
Joonas Havulehto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Havulehto lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Sikaniska is looking to clinch but Havulehto is avoiding it.
Sikaniska slips a jab and a cross from Havulehto.
Havulehto lands a two punch combo.

Havulehto gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sikaniska tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Havulehto breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Havulehto displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Havulehto has managed to clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Sikaniska as Havulehto tries to tie him up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Havulehto avoiding damage.

Havulehto escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Havulehto stalks Sikaniska and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Sikaniska's face. Sikaniska staggers backwards, shaken.
Havulehto's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Havulehto duly obliges.
Havulehto scores with a jab. Sikaniska acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Havulehto scores with a nice body kick.
Havulehto closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Niko Sikaniska is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice uppercut lands for Havulehto. That snapped Sikaniska's head back.

Havulehto forces Sikaniska back against the cage and clinches.

Havulehto pulls guard effortlessly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Havulehto is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sikaniska is controlling him.
Havulehto looking to control.
Havulehto might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sikaniska kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Havulehto is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Sikaniska has his hands clasped together but Havulehto extends an breaks Sikaniska's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Havulehto.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Joonas Havulehto!