PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tero Poika (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muj Dhaj (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Poika
vs
Dhaj

165 cm
22
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
19
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tero Poika!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Muj Dhaj!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Daniel Bishop and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Poika throws a head kick but Dhaj moves out of range.
Dhaj shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dhaj fails with a takedown attempt.

Poika has managed to clinch.
Poika using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dhaj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Poika looking to throw knees to the head but Dhaj is blocking nicely.
Dhaj tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dhaj wants to break the clinch but can't.
Poika with a knee to the head.
Poika throws a knee to the head but misses.
Dhaj doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Poika with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Poika looking to throw knees to the head but Dhaj is blocking nicely.
Poika misses with a hook from the clinch.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks with his arms.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks with his arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poika with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Poika slows down the pace here.

Poika breaks from the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Dhaj or perhaps it was just good defense by Poika which made him look bad.
Tero Poika has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Muj Dhaj.
Dhaj fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Poika has Dhaj up against the cage in a clinch.
Poika looking to throw knees to the head but Dhaj is blocking nicely.
Dhaj is looking to control Poika's arms but Poika gets an underhook and turns him. Now Dhaj has his back to the cage.

Poika breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tero Poika seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Poika looks to land a combination but Dhaj avoids it well.
Dhaj wants to clinch but Poika slips to the side
and Poika counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Poika throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Poika is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Dhaj tries to keep at a distance but Poika has taken the fight into the clinch.
Poika holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Poika is breathing heavily.

Dhaj pulls guard successfully.

Poika gets to his feet - Dhaj follows without any prompting.
Dhaj misses with a takedown attempt

and Poika counters by clinching up.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Poika landing knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dhaj wants to break the clinch but can't.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks with his arms.
Dhaj blocks an uppercut.
Dhaj struggles to land a body shot inside as Poika controls his hands.
Poika landing knees to the body.
Poika with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Poika tries a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks it.

Poika breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Poika lands with a slapping head kick.
Poika lands a two punch combo.

Poika gets a clinch.
Poika tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A knee to the head by Poika.
Poika holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Poika using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dhaj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Poika throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dhaj blocks it with crossed arms.
Dhaj wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Dhaj breaks the clinch.
Poika plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Poika keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Poika will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Poika misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Poika fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Dhaj, pushing him back against the cage.
Poika scores with a knee to the head.
Poika misses with a knee to the head.
Poika misses with a knee strike.
Poika lands an uppercut.
Poika tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Poika breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Poika rushes Dhaj and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Poika throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dhaj blocks it with crossed arms.
Poika looking to throw knees to the head but Dhaj is blocking nicely.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Poika misses with a knee to the head.
Dhaj tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Dhaj jumps into guard, dragging Poika to the mat.
Poika wanted to stand there but Dhaj had control of the position.

Dhaj pushes Poika off and gets back to his feet.
An inside leg kick lands from Poika.
Nice sprawl there from Poika as Dhaj shoots in.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dhaj.

Poika clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dhaj fails to pull guard.
Poika tries a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks it.

Poika breaks from the clinch.
Poika goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Dhaj tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Poika counters with a head kick. That will keep Dhaj thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Poika closes the distance and clinches.
Poika with a knee to the head.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Dhaj jumps into guard, dragging Poika to the mat.
Dhaj is trying to control the position but Poika postures up.
Poika wants to stand but Dhaj is controlling his posture from full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tero Poika dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Poika lands a head kick!
Poika throws a nice looking combination but Dhaj bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Poika doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Dhaj has a takedown stuffed.
Poika connects with a high kick.
Dhaj throws a head kick but Poika moves out of range.
Poika looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Poika throws a nice looking combination but Dhaj bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Dhaj blocks a head kick by Poika.
Poika avoids a punch combination nicely.

Poika has closed the distance and engaged Dhaj in a clinch.
Poika misses with a knee strike.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Poika misses with a knee strike.
Poika misses with a knee to the head.
Poika taking a breather.
Poika with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Poika misses with a knee to the head.
Dhaj tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Poika smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poika misses with a head kick.
Poika moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Poika gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Poika throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dhaj blocks it with crossed arms.
A knee to the head by Poika.

Poika breaks from the clinch.
A head kick misses from Poika.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Dhaj fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Tero Poika has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Muj Dhaj.
Poika prevents the takedown attempt.
Poika with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Poika using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dhaj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Poika using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dhaj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Dhaj looking to stall.
Poika tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Dhaj jumps guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Poika stands up from Dhaj's guard - Poika perhaps looking for a knockout.
Dhaj shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poika throws a nice head kick!
Poika tries a head kick but it misses.
Poika moves out of range as Dhaj throws a body kick.
Dhaj tries to clinch but Poika moves away

and Poika moves into the clinch.

Dhaj successfully pulls guard.
Poika wants to stand but Dhaj has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Dhaj looking to control.
Poika wants to stand but Dhaj is controlling his posture from full guard.

Poika stands up from Dhaj's guard - Poika perhaps looking for a knockout.
Dhaj with a poor takedown
and Poika counters with a head kick.
Dhaj tries to clinch there but Poika circles away.
Dhaj shoots in but no luck this time.
Dhaj has a takedown stuffed.
Dhaj misses with a takedown attempt
and Poika counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poika circles away from the clinch attempt.
Poika throws a nice head kick!
Dhaj avoids the head kick by Poika.
Poika scores with a head kick.
Dhaj blocks a head kick by Poika.
Dhaj blocks a head kick by Poika.
Tero Poika is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Poika drives through and clinches with Dhaj against the cage.

Dhaj jumps into guard, dragging Poika to the mat.
Poika throwing strikes but missing.
Dhaj has a closed guard, preventing Poika from standing up.
Poika wants to stand and escape but instead Dhaj has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Poika is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Dhaj is controlling him.
Poika wants to sweep here but Dhaj controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Poika throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Poika can't keep his opponent in guard - Dhaj advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Dhaj gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Poika swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Dhaj will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Dhaj has a takedown stuffed.
Poika misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dhaj misses with a wild body shot.

Poika drives through and clinches with Dhaj against the cage.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Poika tries a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks it.
Dhaj misses with a punch to the body.
Poika throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dhaj blocks it with crossed arms.
Poika using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dhaj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tero Poika dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Poika looks to land a combination. Dhaj sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
A head kick from Poika lands but Dhaj takes it in his stride.
Poika throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Dhaj's head.
Dhaj misses with a takedown attempt

and Poika counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Poika.
A nice left hand lands by Poika.
Poika with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Poika connects with a nasty looking knee right to Dhaj's face.
Poika using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dhaj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Poika looking to throw knees to the head but Dhaj is blocking nicely.
Dhaj wants to stall.
Knees to the body from Poika.
Poika misses with a knee strike.
Poika misses with a knee to the head.
Poika misses with a knee strike.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks with his arms.
Dhaj has Poika pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Poika manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Dhaj wants to break free but Poika has control.
Poika with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Dhaj wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Poika has him pressed against the cage.
Dhaj avoids the elbow strike from Poika, against the cage.
Dhaj fails to pull guard.
Tero Poika has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Muj Dhaj.

Dhaj breaks the clinch.
Dhaj shoots in and drives through. Poika sprawls well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dhaj gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Poika counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poika moves in looking to clinch but Dhaj pushes him off.
Poika pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Dhaj closes the distance and clinches up with Poika, looking for a takedown. Dhaj pushes Poika against the cage but Poika circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Poika has closed the distance and engaged Dhaj in a clinch.
Poika misses with a knee strike.
Poika scores with a shot to the side of Dhaj's head.

Poika breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A head kick misses from Poika.

Poika gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Dhaj just misses with a elbow thrown towards Poika's brow.
Dhaj misses with a hook from the clinch.
Poika looking to throw knees to the head but Dhaj is blocking nicely.
Poika using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dhaj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Poika looking to throw knees to the head but Dhaj is blocking nicely.
Dhaj is trying to break free.
Dhaj is trying to stall.

Poika breaks from the clinch.

Poika drives through and clinches with Dhaj against the cage.
Poika using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dhaj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Poika tries a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks it.
Poika throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dhaj blocks it with crossed arms.
Poika lands a knee to the head.
Dhaj is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Poika with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dhaj is working for takedown but Poika is calmly controlling the position for now.
Dhaj blocking some punches.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Dhaj just misses with a elbow thrown towards Poika's brow.
Dhaj landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Poika misses with a knee to the head.
Poika with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Dhaj breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dhaj takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Dhaj closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Dhaj lands in his opponent's guard.
Poika wants to stand and escape but Dhaj is having none of it.

Poika kicks Dhaj off and gets to his feet.

Dhaj tries to keep at a distance but Poika has taken the fight into the clinch.
Poika with a knee to the head.

Poika manages to break the clinch.

Poika darts in and clinches Dhaj up against the cage.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks with his arms.
Poika lands a right hand.
Poika throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dhaj blocks it with crossed arms.
Poika with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Poika lands a nice elbow.

Dhaj jumps guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poika tries to stand but Dhaj is controlling from the bottom.
Poika preventing the sweep.

Poika decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Poika goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Poika misses with a head kick.
Poika misses with a jab, cross combination.
Poika throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Dhaj looks for a takedown but Poika sprawls well.
Dhaj closes this distance looking for a takedown but Poika circles away.
Tero Poika is winning the standup battle so far.
Poika throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Poika drives through and clinches with Dhaj against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Poika.
Poika misses with a knee to the head.
Poika lands a knee to the head.
Poika tries to land knees in the clinch but Dhaj avoids the damage to the body.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks with his arms.
Poika using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dhaj has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A knee to the head by Poika.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poika tries to stall but Dhaj uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Dhaj breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Poika as Dhaj shoots in.
Dhaj looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Poika clinches up against the cage.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks with his arms.

Dhaj jumps guard.

Poika decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Poika moves into the clinch successfully.
Poika with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Poika tries to land a knee to the head but Dhaj blocks with his arms.
Dhaj trying to land knees to the body.
Poika misses with a knee strike.
Poika landing knees to the head.
Poika throws a knee to the head but misses.
Dhaj is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Poika missing with knees to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dhaj is trying to break free.
Poika misses with a knee strike.
Poika throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dhaj blocks it with crossed arms.
Poika throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dhaj blocks it with crossed arms.
Poika prevents a takedown attempt there.
Muj Dhaj has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Poika connects with a nasty looking knee right to Dhaj's face.
Dhaj takes a knee right on the jaw!

And that's the end of the fight!
Tero Poika showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Poika, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tero Poika!