PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between AK Hong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jari Nurmelainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jari Nurmelainen is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Hong
vs
Nurmelainen

176 cm
19
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
21
175 lbs
6 - 10 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, AK Hong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jari Nurmelainen!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hong keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Hong lands a nice leg kick that just misses Nurmelainen's sensitive parts.

Nurmelainen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hong looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Nurmelainen is trying to move to mount but Hong reverses beautifully and ends up in Nurmelainen's guard.

Hong avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Nurmelainen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nurmelainen being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hong preventing the sweep.

Nurmelainen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hong trying to stand up but can't free himself from Nurmelainen's guard.
Nurmelainen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hong is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nurmelainen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Nurmelainen wants to control the pace but Hong is squirming around nicely.
Nurmelainen seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Hong is holding on tight.
Hong is squirming around, avoiding Nurmelainen's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nurmelainen is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hong can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Nurmelainen looks gassed!

Nurmelainen moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Hong has worked his arm free - good work by Hong!
Hong tries to improve position but can't.
Nurmelainen prevents Hong from escaping the position.

Nurmelainen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hong manages to work his way to half guard, despite Nurmelainen's best efforts.

Nurmelainen is working for a kimura but Hong is defending it quite comfortably.
Hong is trying to stand back up but Nurmelainen is controlling him
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that AK Hong will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hong lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Jari Nurmelainen has been cut.
No luck for Nurmelainen with that takedown attempt.
Nurmelainen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Hong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hong misses with a head kick.
Hong throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hong stuffs the takedown attempt from Nurmelainen. Nurmelainen gets slowly back to his feet.
Nurmelainen tests Hong's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nurmelainen is breathing heavily.
Hong scoring well with a low kick there.
Hong connects with a high kick.
Nurmelainen fails with a takedown attempt.
AK Hong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jari Nurmelainen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hong.
Nurmelainen takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hong tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hong fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Nurmelainen.
Hong turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nurmelainen takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hong tries a head kick but it misses.
Hong lands a nice leg kick that just misses Nurmelainen's sensitive parts.
Jari Nurmelainen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hong throws a head kick that misses.
Nurmelainen blocks a head kick by Hong.
Hong scoring well with a low kick there.
A good leg kick by Hong.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hong misses with a low kick.
Hong throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Nurmelainen.
Hong throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Nurmelainen.
Nurmelainen on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Hong. Hong obviously looking to wear him down.
Hong dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Nurmelainen. That did some damage!
Nurmelainen's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A head kick from Hong lands but Nurmelainen takes it in his stride.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nurmelainen shoots in but no luck this time.
Hong throws a leg kick but Nurmelainen sees it coming and moves out of range.
Jari Nurmelainen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hong cracks the inside of Nurmelainen's front leg.
Nurmelainen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hong swivels and escapes.
Hong defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Nurmelainen.
Hong throws a head kick that Nurmelainen semi-blocks.
Hong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hong feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Nurmelainen's calf.
Nurmelainen avoids the head kick by Hong.
Nurmelainen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hong sprawls well. Hong wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Nurmelainen gets slowly back to his feet.
Hong tries a head kick but it misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nurmelainen.
Nurmelainen avoids the head kick by Hong.
Hong with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Hong throws a head kick that misses.
A head kick misses from Hong.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hong throws a head kick that misses.
Nurmelainen shoots in but Hong avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hong throws a nice head kick!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nurmelainen.
Hong tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hong wants to land a leg kick but Nurmelainen is out of range.
AK Hong is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nurmelainen fails to land the takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hong lands a head kick. Nurmelainen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Nurmelainen shoots in for a takedown but Hong shows good takedown defense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

AK Hong dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jari Nurmelainen'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!

Hong connects with a solid leg kick.

Nurmelainen scores a takedown into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hong is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Hong sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Nurmelainen is working for a submission of some sort.

Hong has one foot on Nurmelainen's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hong cracks the inside of Nurmelainen's front leg.
Hong lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Hong.
Hong lands with a kick to the temple. Nurmelainen shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Hong feints and then cracks Nurmelainen's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Nurmelainen down.
Hong pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hong throws a nice inside leg kick.
Nurmelainen shoots in and drives through. Hong sprawls well.
Hong throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurmelainen throws a leg kick but Hong moved away.
Hong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hong throws a head kick but Nurmelainen moves out of range.
AK Hong is winning the standup battle so far.
Nurmelainen misses with a takedown attempt - Hong sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hong lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Hong stuffs the takedown.
AK Hong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jari Nurmelainen.
Hong lands with a kick to the temple. Nurmelainen shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Nurmelainen fails with the takedown.
Nurmelainen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hong sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Good leg kick by Hong there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Jari Nurmelainen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hong pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nurmelainen shoots in and drives through. Hong sprawls well.
Hong fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Nurmelainen.
Nurmelainen checks the leg kick nicely there.
Nurmelainen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hong sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hong lands a head kick. Nurmelainen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Hong pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nurmelainen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hong circles away.
Good leg kick by Hong there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Nurmelainen looks for a takedown but Hong sprawls well.
Hong throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Nurmelainen's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Hong.
Nurmelainen avoids the head kick by Hong.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Nurmelainen.

Nurmelainen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nurmelainen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Hong is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Nurmelainen asserts his dominance and retains side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
AK Hong showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hong, 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:26
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:26
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... AK Hong!