PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kong Long (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kullervo Keijola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kullervo Keijola is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Long
vs
Keijola

200 cm
19
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
19
222 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kong Long!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kullervo Keijola!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keijola is trying hard to land a takedown here. Long sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A slow jab from Keijola misses its intended target.
Long gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Keijola counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Keijola is looking to work some ground and pound but Long has wrist control.
Keijola is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Long on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Long tries to get out of the position.
Long trying to keep a closed guard but Keijola is proving a slippery customer.
Long looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Keijola in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Long looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keijola passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Long is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Keijola lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Kong Long has been cut.
Long tries for a takedown but Keijola sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Long has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kong Long. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Long is breathing heavily.
Long gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Keijola counters with a nice uppercut.
Long has his takedown stuffed

and Keijola counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keijola sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Long is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Keijola slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keijola scoring with punches to the head and body.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Keijola would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Keijola tries to free his leg and advance position but Long is retaining full guard.
Long is trying to control the position but Keijola postures up.
Keijola is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Long looking to control.

That's four 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.
Long looking to hit a scissor sweep but Keijola is one step ahead there.
Keijola scoring with some ground and pound.
Keijola controlling from the top position.
Long looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kullervo Keijola dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kong Long's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Keijola shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Long napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Long struggling a bit here.
Long is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Long moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Long looking for a sweep. Not yet Long, not yet.
Keijola has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Long is proving hard to escape from.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Keijola tries to free his leg and advance position but Long is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long wants to get back to his feet but Keijola is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Keijola controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Long keeping moving, preventing Keijola from controlling successfully.
Keijola trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Long controls Keijola momentarily but Keijola frees himself.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Keijola gets a clinch.
Long is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Keijola fails to pull guard.
Long has had enough of the clinch but Keijola keeps him there for the moment.

Keijola breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Long blocks a head kick by Keijola.
Long shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Keijola counters by moving into the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Keijola.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Keijola.
Long digs a right hand underneath Keijola's ribcage. Keijola let out a lung full of air as it connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keijola tries to pull guard but Long won't allow it.
Long fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kong Long. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Long pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Keijola looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Long fails with the takedown

and Keijola counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Long's guard now.
Kullervo Keijola has got the better of the ground game so far.
Long trying to control the position.
Long manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Keijola manages to get himself to full guard.
Long being controlled here momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Keijola looking for a guillotine here but Long defends easily.
Keijola looking for a sweep. Not yet Keijola, not yet.
Keijola controls Long momentarily but Long frees himself.
Keijola really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Long. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Long trying to control but Keijola is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kullervo Keijola showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kong Long's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Long shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Long thows a huge punch but Keijola dodges it nicely.
Keijola is looking to escape.

Long gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Keijola stuffs the takedown.
Keijola looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Long doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Keijola counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Long uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Keijola has closed the distance and engaged Long in a clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Keijola.
Long has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Keijola avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kong Long. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Long breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Keijola has his takedown stuffed

and Long counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Long passes Keijola's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Long wants to take a breather but Keijola is having none of it.
It looks like Long is going to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Long prevents Keijola from improving his position.

Long is looking for a kimura but Keijola is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Long to get the leverage.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Long lands a nice short elbow.
Keijola punching from the bottom.
Long wants to stand up but Keijola has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Keijola tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Long has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long with the ground and pound from mount.
Keijola is wriggling around trying to escape.
Keijola looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
You can see the frustration on Keijola's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Keijola staying busy and making it hard for Long to control.

That's four 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.
Long throwing sloppy strikes.

Keijola fending off the submission attempt from Long.
Keijola wants to control his opponent's hands but Long gets his hands free.
Long has the hooks in. Keijola is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Long struggling to keep hold of the position.

Long looking for the choke from the back.
Kong Long has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kullervo Keijola is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Keijola is covering up but some of the strikes from Long are getting through and doing damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kong Long showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Keijola has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kullervo Keijola!