PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Westerinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cristian Prete (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.

Westerinen
vs
Prete

184 cm
18
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Westerinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cristian Prete!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Prete fails with a takedown attempt.
Westerinen throws a leg kick but Prete sees it coming and moves out of range.
Westerinen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Prete counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Westerinen is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Prete's half guard.
Prete wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Prete is trying to control but can't.
Prete is trying to stand back up but Westerinen is controlling him
Prete on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Prete wants to improve his position but Westerinen is controlling well.

Westerinen is working for an americana but Prete has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Westerinen was thinking about the submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Prete wants to get back to his feet but Westerinen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Westerinen postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Prete is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Westerinen, into his guard.
Westerinen controls Prete momentarily but Prete frees himself.
Westerinen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Westerinen has a closed guard, preventing Prete from standing up.
Prete trying to control but Westerinen is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Westerinen is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Westerinen is breathing heavily.
Westerinen keeping moving, preventing Prete from controlling successfully.
Westerinen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Westerinen has an active guard here but Prete has managed to pass into half guard.
Prete prevents Westerinen from improving his position.
Prete is trying to control the action in half guard but Westerinen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prete wants to free his trapped foot but Westerinen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Westerinen preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Westerinen is trying to control but Prete passes into side control!
Prete staying calm.
Westerinen manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

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.
Prete is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Prete content to control rather than advance.
Westerinen wants to improve his position but Prete is controlling well.
Prete works his way into side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Westerinen takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Westerinen struggling a bit here.
Prete wants to lay and pray for a moment but Westerinen keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cristian Prete dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Prete scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Prete has his takedown stuffed

and Westerinen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Prete won't be happy with that.
Westerinen misses with the ground and pound.

Westerinen is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Prete knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Prete is looking for a sweep.
Prete tries to escape but Westerinen is in control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Prete manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Prete sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Westerinen defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Westerinen tries to get to full guard but Prete has control of the leg.
Westerinen trying to control here.
Westerinen tries to get to full guard but Prete has control of the leg.
Prete trying to control from half guard but Westerinen is working away.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Westerinen looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Westerinen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Prete trying to control the position here.

Prete has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Westerinen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Prete wants to stand but Westerinen is controlling the position.
Prete keeping moving, preventing Westerinen from controlling successfully.
Prete avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Westerinen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Prete is keeping the position for now.
Westerinen trying to control but Prete is working from the bottom.
Prete is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Prete fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Westerinen.
Westerinen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Prete.
Westerinen doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Prete counters by clinching up.
Westerinen is pressed up against the cage. Prete has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Westerinen down to the mat. Westerinen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
John Westerinen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cristian Prete.

Westerinen scores with a takedown into Prete's guard.
Westerinen stops Prete from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Westerinen trying to control but Prete is working from the bottom.
Westerinen with a flurry of punches that miss.

Westerinen postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Prete is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Westerinen, into his guard.
Prete trying to control but Westerinen is working from the bottom.
Prete has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Westerinen is proving hard to escape from.
Prete tries to free his leg and advance position but Westerinen is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Westerinen dominated that second round.
That's time! Westerinen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Westerinen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Prete as he jumps to the side.
Prete shoots and misses

and Westerinen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Prete is trying to control the position but Westerinen postures up.
Prete can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Westerinen controls the pace.
Westerinen wants to pass the guard but Prete is keeping the position.
Prete looking to control.

Westerinen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Westerinen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Westerinen is working hard here to advance position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Westerinen misses with a takedown

and Prete counters by moving into the clinch.

Prete escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Prete moves in looking to clinch but Westerinen pushes him off.
Prete is looking to clinch.

Westerinen has managed to clinch.

Prete successfully pulls guard.
Prete can't keep his opponent in guard - Westerinen advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Westerinen is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Prete trying to control but Westerinen postures up.

Westerinen is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Prete tries to kick Westerinen off but Westerinen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Westerinen looks to land a strike but Prete avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Prete trying to keep a closed guard but Westerinen is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prete can't keep his opponent in guard - Westerinen advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Prete tries to roll over but Westerinen keeps him under control.
Westerinen is trying to control. Prete wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Westerinen is working for a submission of some sort.
Westerinen wants to free his trapped foot but Prete is holding on for dear life with his legs.
John Westerinen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

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.
Westerinen wants to take a breather but Prete is having none of it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Westerinen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Westerinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Westerinen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Prete makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Prete clinches up against the cage.

Prete breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Prete.
Westerinen has his takedown stuffed
and Prete counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Westerinen is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Westerinen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Prete pinned against the cage. Prete gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Westerinen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Westerinen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Westerinen!