PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Niko Nakkeli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jackson Scuggs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nakkeli's entrance music is LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out. A fine choice. Jackson Scuggs has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nakkeli
vs
Scuggs

175 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

169 cm
18
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niko Nakkeli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jackson Scuggs!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakkeli scores with a decent looking hook.

Nakkeli instigates a clinch.

Nakkeli pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Scuggs shoots for a takedown but Nakkeli saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Scuggs takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Nakkeli lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Nakkeli changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Nakkeli jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Scuggs shoots in looking for a takedown. Nakkeli tries to sprawl out of it but Scuggs keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Nakkeli manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Scuggs has a takedown stuffed.
Niko Nakkeli has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jackson Scuggs.

Nakkeli moves into the clinch.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch.
Nakkeli lands a glancing blow to the side of Scuggs's head.
Nakkeli wants to clinch up but Scuggs keeps it at a distance.
Good shot there by Nakkeli.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakkeli tries to clinch there but Scuggs circles away.
Nakkeli lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
A right-left combo lands from Nakkeli.
Nakkeli stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Nakkeli wants it to stay on the feet.

Nakkeli rushes Scuggs and presses him up against the cage.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Niko Nakkeli seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Nakkeli moves into range and clinches up with Scuggs.

Nakkeli escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nakkeli lands a nice looking body shot.
Nakkeli tries to clinch but Scuggs moves out of range.

Nakkeli takes the fight into the clinch.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Scuggs should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Nakkeli fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Nakkeli leaves Scuggs with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Scuggs fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Nakkeli. That snapped Scuggs's head back.
Scuggs changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nakkeli tries to avoid it but Scuggs manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nakkeli to the ground. Nakkeli escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nakkeli lands with an overhand left.

Nakkeli has taken the fight to the clinch.

Nakkeli pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Scuggs with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Nakkeli to score with a decent uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Nakkeli closes the distance and clinches.

Nakkeli manages to break the clinch.
A jab lands there for Nakkeli.
Scuggs looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nakkeli lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Nakkeli has closed the distance and engaged Scuggs in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch.
Scuggs swats away the attempt to clinch by Nakkeli.
Nakkeli connects with a nice looking jab.

Nakkeli moves into the clinch.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice shot by Nakkeli.
Nakkeli fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Nakkeli drives through and clinches with Scuggs against the cage.
Scuggs tries to score a body lock takedown but Nakkeli shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Scuggs is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Scuggs looks gassed!

Nakkeli breaks the clinch.
Nakkeli moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Scuggs on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Scuggs tries to keep at a distance but Nakkeli has taken the fight into the clinch.

Nakkeli escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nakkeli is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakkeli doesn't manage to clinch there - Scuggs circles away.

Nakkeli forces Scuggs back against the cage and clinches.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nakkeli clinches up against the cage.

Nakkeli manages to break the clinch.
Scuggs walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Nakkeli instigates a clinch.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nakkeli keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nakkeli wants to clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Nakkeli has closed the distance and engaged Scuggs in a clinch.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niko Nakkeli dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nakkeli clinches up with Scuggs and pushes him back against the cage.

Nakkeli's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nakkeli tries to close the distance and clinch up but Scuggs swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jackson Scuggs is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Nakkeli darts in and clinches Scuggs up against the cage.

Nakkeli escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nakkeli scores with a jab to the jaw.
Scuggs takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Nakkeli tries to clinch up but Scuggs circles away and keeps his distance.
Nice body punch from Nakkeli.

Nakkeli drives through and clinches with Scuggs against the cage.

Nakkeli escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Nakkeli closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Nakkeli's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Scuggs has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Scuggs keeps the fight on the outside.
Nakkeli is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nakkeli lands the left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Scuggs on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Nakkeli fails in his attempt to clinch.

Scuggs is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Nakkeli's half guard.

Scuggs is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Nakkeli is just riding it out for now. Scuggs eventually gives up the hold.
Scuggs thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Scuggs is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Nakkeli wants to get back to his feet.
Scuggs is just content to waste time from the top position. Nakkeli takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Scuggs throwing strikes from guard but Nakkeli blocks nicely.
Scuggs prevents Nakkeli from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Scuggs with a flurry of punches that miss.

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

Nakkeli drives through and clinches with Scuggs against the cage.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch.
Nakkeli connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Scuggs shoots in for a takedown but Nakkeli shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Nakkeli gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch.
Nakkeli tries to clinch but Scuggs moves out of range.

Nakkeli clinches up against the cage.

Nakkeli manages to break the clinch.
Niko Nakkeli is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nakkeli lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Nakkeli lands a right hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nakkeli closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Scuggs has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Nakkeli is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Nakkeli's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nakkeli moves in looking to clinch but Scuggs pushes him off.
Nakkeli is looking to clinch but Scuggs is avoiding it.
Nakkeli lands a jab to the head.
Nakkeli scores with a jab to the body.
Nakkeli scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Nakkeli clinches up with Scuggs and pushes him back against the cage.

Nakkeli breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nakkeli lands with a cross.
Scuggs shoots in looking for a takedown. Nakkeli tries to sprawl out of it but Scuggs keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Nakkeli manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Niko Nakkeli has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jackson Scuggs.
Scuggs is breathing heavily.
Nakkeli works Scuggs's body with a nice hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nakkeli smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nakkeli lands a nice shot that snaps Scuggs's head back.

Scuggs changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Nakkeli looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Nakkeli tries to escape but Scuggs is in control.

Scuggs swings around for an armbar but Nakkeli sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Scuggs's guard.
Scuggs manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Scuggs connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Scuggs has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Scuggs takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Scuggs tries to control but Nakkeli wriggling away.

Scuggs swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Nakkeli is now in Scuggs's guard. A big mistake from Scuggs there, giving up the dominant position!
Nakkeli is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Scuggs can do to turn this around?
Nakkeli wants to stand but Scuggs has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

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.

Scuggs working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Nakkeli has passed into half guard!
Nakkeli wants to stand up but Scuggs is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakkeli is thwarting Scuggs's attempts to control the position.
Scuggs tries to roll over but Nakkeli keeps him under 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.
Nakkeli tries to stand and escape but Scuggs is controlling the position.
Nakkeli prevents Scuggs from improving his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A decent looking cross lands there for Nakkeli.
Jackson Scuggs has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Niko Nakkeli is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nakkeli connects with the punch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Niko Nakkeli.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nakkeli, 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Niko Nakkeli!