PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Wesley Gattuso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikael Kerpen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gattuso comes to the cage accompanied by doo doo doo. Wesley Gattuso has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Gattuso
vs
Kerpen

170 cm
23
153 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

180 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent knees
Granite chin

Natural Nutrition

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Wesley Gattuso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikael Kerpen!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kerpen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gattuso.
Gattuso throws a head kick that misses.
Kerpen tries for a takedown but Gattuso sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A solid leg kick lands there for Gattuso.
Kerpen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kerpen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gattuso as he avoids it easily.
Gattuso blocks the body kick.
Gattuso slaps away a takedown attempt from Kerpen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Wesley Gattuso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikael Kerpen.
Gattuso stuffs the takedown.
Kerpen keeps the fight on the outside.
Kerpen has a takedown stuffed.
Gattuso goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kerpen on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Gattuso. Gattuso obviously looking to wear him down.
Kerpen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Kerpen looks gassed!

Gattuso shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kerpen is trying to defend but Gattuso finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Gattuso takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Gattuso tries to pass to full mount but Kerpen defends it.
Gattuso takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Kerpen with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Gattuso keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Kerpen pushes Gattuso off looking to stand but Gattuso dives back in and keeps control.
Kerpen is in trouble now - Gattuso has advanced to mount!
Gattuso with good strikes from the mount here!
Gattuso unloading with bombs!
Gattuso content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Kerpen is bucking up trying to escape but Gattuso cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Gattuso takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Gattuso pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Gattuso with the ground and pound from mount.
Gattuso lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso punishing his opponent with strikes.
Gattuso controlling from the full mount.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Wesley Gattuso just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Gattuso gets a takedown into half guard.
Gattuso is taking a breather. Kerpen says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gattuso landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wesley Gattuso 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.

Gattuso thuds his right hand into Kerpen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Kerpen tries to clinch

and Gattuso counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Gattuso controlling the action here.
Gattuso is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Gattuso seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kerpen is looking for a sweep. Gattuso is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kerpen is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Gattuso lands a nice short elbow.
Gattuso lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Gattuso landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Gattuso works his way into full mount!
Gattuso sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gattuso lands a big shot there that rocks Kerpen but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso looking to finish Kerpen with some ground and pound. This is bad for Kerpen!
Gattuso 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.
Gattuso takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Gattuso with good strikes from the mount here!
Gattuso has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kerpen's face.
Gattuso tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kerpen is desperately trying to improve his position but Gattuso has a good base and remains in mount.
Gattuso controlling the position easily from mount.
Gattuso has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Wesley Gattuso just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Gattuso shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Kerpen manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Gattuso is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso passes Kerpen's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Gattuso content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Gattuso seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Kerpen for as long as he can get away with.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wesley Gattuso dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Gattuso closes the distance and clinches.
Gattuso misses with a knee strike.
Kerpen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
The referee calls for Gattuso to work.
Kerpen tries to pull guard but Gattuso won't allow it.
Gattuso is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kerpen can do to turn this around?
Kerpen tries to pull guard but Gattuso won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kerpen working hard to break the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Kerpen tries to score a body lock takedown but Gattuso shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Wesley Gattuso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikael Kerpen.
Kerpen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gattuso has Kerpen pressed against the cage, preventing Kerpen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gattuso stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Gattuso works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Gattuso is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Gattuso has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Kerpen is trying to keep an underhook but Gattuso manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Gattuso performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Gattuso tries to pass to full mount but Kerpen defends it.
Gattuso is nestled in close to Kerpen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gattuso controlling the action here.
Gattuso moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Kerpen.
Kerpen gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Gattuso controlling from the full mount.
Wesley Gattuso overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Wesley Gattuso just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Kerpen tries for a takedown but Gattuso circles away easily
and Gattuso counters with a good low kick that Kerpen was not able to check.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Gattuso scores with a takedown into Kerpen's guard.
Gattuso showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gattuso preventing the sweep.
Mikael Kerpen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wesley Gattuso is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gattuso sitting in guard, not really doing much.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wesley Gattuso showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gattuso 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Wesley Gattuso!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Wesley Gattuso!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Wesley Gattuso!

Wesley Gattuso wins by unanimous decision!