PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cody Blanchard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Peter Hand (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.

Blanchard
vs
Hand

225 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
22
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super 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, Cody Blanchard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Peter Hand!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hand is looking to clinch but Blanchard is avoiding it.
Blanchard tries to clinch up.
Hand shoots in for a takedown but Blanchard shows good takedown defense.
Blanchard throws a right and a left that Hand avoids nicely.
Blanchard throws a series of punches but Hand avoids them all with ease.
Blanchard misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Blanchard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Blanchard throws a right and a left that both miss.
Blanchard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hand swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice shot by Hand.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hand.
Blanchard throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hand.
Blanchard is looking to clinch.
Blanchard tries to bum rush Hand with a series of wild strikes but Hand uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blanchard throws a right hand that Hand ducks under and follows up with a left that Hand also avoids with ease.
Hand fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hand avoids a kick to the body.
Blanchard throws a series of punches but Hand moves out of range.
Blanchard is breathing heavily.
Hand connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Blanchard looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hand fails with the takedown.
Cody Blanchard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peter Hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hand looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Blanchard swinging wildly here.
Hand shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Blanchard as he jumps to the side.
Hand lands a high kick!
Hand tries to clinch but Blanchard moves out of range.
Hand goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Hand closes the distance and clinches up with Blanchard, looking for a takedown. Hand pushes Blanchard against the cage but Blanchard circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hand throws a shot to the body.
Hand tries to clinch up but Blanchard circles away and keeps his distance.
Hand looks for a takedown but Blanchard sprawls well.
Cody Blanchard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Blanchard falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hand finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Hand tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Blanchard rushes Hand and presses him up against the cage.

Blanchard breaks the clinch.
Hand swats away the attempt to clinch by Blanchard.
Hand closes this distance looking for a takedown but Blanchard circles away.
Blanchard throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Hand counter with a right hand.
Blanchard falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hand counters with a nice uppercut.
Hand circles away from the clinch attempt.
Blanchard chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hand can pounce on him.
Blanchard wants to clinch up but Hand keeps it at a distance.
Blanchard tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Blanchard wants to clinch.
Hand fails with an attempt to clinch.
Blanchard throws a combination that misses
and Hand counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blanchard clinches with his opponent.
Blanchard is trying to break the clinch but Hand is controlling him.
Hand tries to stall but Blanchard uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Blanchard wants to break the clinch but can't.
Blanchard is trying to break the clinch but Hand has him pressed against the cage.
Hand tries to score a body lock takedown but Blanchard shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Blanchard has Hand pressed against the cage, preventing Hand from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hand tries to pull guard but Blanchard holds him up against the cage and eventually Hand drops back down to his feet.
Blanchard is trying to break the clinch but Hand is controlling him.
Blanchard has had enough of the clinch but Hand keeps him there for the moment.
Hand wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hand keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Blanchard's efforts to push away.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hand.
Blanchard wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hand has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hand tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Blanchard smiles and moves away.
Blanchard throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Hand counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Blanchard is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Blanchard throws a left and a right that both miss

and Hand moves into the clinch.
Blanchard is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Hand tries for a takedown. No joy.
Hand tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hand keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Blanchard's efforts to push away.
Blanchard is trying to break the clinch but Hand has him pressed against the cage.

Blanchard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Blanchard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hand paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Blanchard gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hand jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Blanchard walks away with a smile on his face. Hand gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Blanchard misses with a combination
and Hand counters with a left and a right that stings Blanchard.
Hand lets loose with a powerful body kick. Blanchard will feel that in the morning.

Blanchard has closed the distance and engaged Hand in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Peter Hand will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Blanchard misses with a double jab
and Hand counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Blanchard clinches.
Blanchard is trying to break free.
Blanchard wants to break free but Hand has control.
Blanchard wants to break free but Hand has control.
Blanchard tries to circle away but Hand has him pinned against the cage.

Blanchard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hand lands a two punch combo.
Hand throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Blanchard's waist but Blanchard gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hand off to one side.
Hand shoots in for a takedown but Blanchard shows good takedown defense.
Cody Blanchard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Blanchard misses with a combination
letting Hand counter with a right hand.
Hand shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cody Blanchard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peter Hand.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Blanchard is trying to force a seperation but Hand has the dominant position.
Blanchard looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blanchard looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hand trying to control the position but instead, Blanchard has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hand into the cage.

Blanchard breaks from the clinch.
Cody Blanchard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Blanchard rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hand moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hand shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Blanchard sprawls well. Blanchard wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hand gets slowly back to his feet.
Blanchard tries to clinch there but Hand circles away.
Hand closes this distance looking for a takedown but Blanchard circles away.

Blanchard darts in and clinches Hand up against the cage.
Blanchard wants to get back to striking at distance but Hand won't allow it.
Blanchard is trying to break the clinch but Hand has him pressed against the cage.
Blanchard is trying to force a seperation but Hand has the dominant position.
Blanchard is trying to break the clinch but Hand has him pressed against the cage.
Blanchard wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Blanchard is trying to break free.

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.
Hand trying to stall but Blanchard improves his position.
Hand tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Blanchard just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hand has Blanchard pressed against the cage, preventing Blanchard from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hand wants to break free but Blanchard has control.
Blanchard is trying to force a seperation but Hand has the dominant position.
Hand fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Blanchard wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hand has him pressed against the cage.
Blanchard tries to break the clinch but Hand is controlling the position.
Blanchard looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Blanchard has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Blanchard blocks a body shot from Hand.
Hand tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Blanchard wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hand prevents Blanchard from breaking the clinch.
Hand trying to stall but Blanchard improves his position.
Blanchard wants to get back to striking at distance but Hand won't allow it.
Blanchard can't break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hand tries to land knees in the clinch but Blanchard avoids the damage to the body.
Blanchard wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hand is trying to break the clinch but Blanchard has him pressed against the cage.
Blanchard gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hand.
Hand wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Blanchard has him pressed against the cage.
Hand is working for takedown but Blanchard is calmly controlling the position for now.
Blanchard working hard to break the clinch.

Blanchard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hand tries for a takedown but Blanchard sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Blanchard throws a right hand that Hand ducks under and follows up with a left that Hand also avoids with ease.
Hand tries for a takedown but Blanchard sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Blanchard tries to clinch up.

Blanchard closes the distance and clinches.

Blanchard breaks the clinch.
Blanchard swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Hand counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blanchard throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hand counters with a head kick.
Blanchard throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hand counters with a left to the body.
Blanchard throws a combination that misses
and Hand counters with a nice kick to the body.
Hand dives in and grabs Blanchard's left leg, looking for a takedown. Blanchard pushes down on Hand's head and hops out.

Blanchard instigates a clinch.
Blanchard wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Blanchard is trying to break free.
Hand tries to pull guard but Blanchard won't allow it.
Blanchard wants to get back to striking at distance but Hand won't allow it.
Hand goes for a takedown attempt but Blanchard pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hand.
Blanchard keeps the fight on the outside.
Blanchard misses with a combination
and Hand counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cody Blanchard dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hand tries for a takedown but Blanchard sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Blanchard misses with a combination
and Hand counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Blanchard is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Blanchard throws a combination that misses
and Hand counters with a low kick, right behind Blanchard 's knee.

Blanchard has managed to clinch.

Blanchard pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Blanchard.
Blanchard lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Blanchard.
Blanchard rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hand moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hand fails with an attempt to clinch.
Blanchard wants to clinch up but Hand keeps it at a distance.
Blanchard takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Hand tries to clinch up but Blanchard circles away and keeps his distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hand slips a jab and a cross from Blanchard.
Hand fails in his attempt to clinch.
Blanchard takes one on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hand tries to clinch but Blanchard is having none of it.
Hand shoots for a takedown but Blanchard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hand changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Blanchard tries to avoid it but Hand manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Blanchard to the ground. Blanchard escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Cody Blanchard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peter Hand.

Blanchard clinches.
Blanchard gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hand.
Hand has Blanchard pressed against the cage, preventing Blanchard from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hand tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Blanchard tries to break the clinch but Hand is controlling the position.
Hand tries to pull guard but Blanchard holds him up against the cage and eventually Hand drops back down to his feet.
Hand can't break the clinch.
Hand drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Blanchard tries to break the clinch but Hand is controlling the position.
Blanchard is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Blanchard as Hand tries to tie him up.
Blanchard tries to break the clinch but Hand is controlling the position.

Blanchard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Blanchard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Blanchard misses with a jab, cross combination.
Some wild striking there from Blanchard.
Hand avoids a punch combination nicely.

Blanchard moves into the clinch.
Blanchard is trying to break the clinch but Hand is controlling him.
Blanchard can't break the clinch.

Blanchard pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hand tries to clinch up but Blanchard circles away and keeps his distance.
Blanchard looks to land a combination but Hand avoids it well.
Hand shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Blanchard defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blanchard tries to bum rush Hand with a series of wild strikes but Hand uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Blanchard tries to clinch up but Hand circles away and keeps his distance.
Blanchard swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hand tries to close the distance and clinch up but Blanchard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hand avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hand tries to score a power double leg takedown but Blanchard sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hand somewhat.
Blanchard misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Blanchard swinging wildly here.
A nice combination there by Hand.
Blanchard swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Hand counters with a straight right hand.
Blanchard takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Hand is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Blanchard gets a clinch.
Blanchard wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hand has him pressed against the cage.
Blanchard has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hand wants to break free but Blanchard has control.
Blanchard wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hand wants to break free but Blanchard has control.
Hand jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Blanchard walks away with a smile on his face. Hand gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Blanchard throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hand counters with a nice leg kick.
Blanchard misses with a double jab
and Hand connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hand shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hand misses with a takedown attempt - Blanchard sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hand tries to close the distance and clinch up but Blanchard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Blanchard tries to clinch but Hand is having none of it.
Hand shoots in for a double leg but Blanchard sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cody Blanchard showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Blanchard 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cody Blanchard!