PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jake Atkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Locke II (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Atkins
vs
Locke II

200 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

200 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jake Atkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Locke II!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Locke II gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Locke II is pressed up against the cage. Atkins has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Locke II down to the mat. Locke II avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Locke II wants to clinch.
Locke II thumps Atkins with a low kick.
Atkins stuffs the takedown attempt from Locke II. Locke II gets slowly back to his feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Locke II.

Locke II decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Atkins throws a head kick but Locke II moves out of range.
Locke II lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Atkins backs up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Locke II is defended easily by Atkins.

Atkins gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Atkins is breathing heavily.
Locke II is looking to stand up but Atkins won't let him.
Locke II wants to pass the guard but Atkins is keeping the position.
Atkins controls Locke II momentarily but Locke II frees himself.
Locke II wants to control from the top but Atkins keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Locke II is stalling in the full guard.
Atkins keeping moving, preventing Locke II from controlling successfully.

Locke II gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Atkins thuds his shin into the meat of Locke II's side.
Atkins has his takedown stuffed

and Locke II holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atkins is struggling to control the position.
Come on Locke II - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Atkins is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Locke II pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Atkins. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Atkins changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Locke II fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Locke II fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Locke II tries a low kick but Atkins avoids it.
Atkins fails with a takedown attempt.

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.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Locke II.
Locke II landing a few strikes.
Atkins can't do much from the bottom here.
Atkins is trying to get back to his feet.
Locke II tries to move into full mount but can't pass Atkins's legs.

Locke II decides to stand back up. Locke II steps back and let's Atkins get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Locke II dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Locke II tries to bum rush Atkins with a series of wild strikes but Atkins uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Atkins shoots and misses

and Locke II counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Locke II keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Locke II seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Atkins does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Atkins wants to control but Locke II is keeping busy.
Locke II trying to pass the guard but Atkins defending well.
Atkins is trying to stand back up but Locke II is controlling him
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Atkins trying to hold on to Locke II's head to control him but Locke II postures up.

Atkins makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Locke II shoots for a takedown but Atkins saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Atkins doesn't manage to clinch there - Locke II circles away.
Locke II tries for a takedown but Atkins circles away easily

and Atkins holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Locke II breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Atkins has his takedown stuffed

so Locke II counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Atkins is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Locke II sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Atkins's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Locke II wants to take a breather but Atkins is having none of it.
Locke II passes the guard and advances to mount!
Atkins is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Atkins wants to control but Locke II is having none of it.
Atkins is wriggling around trying to escape.
Locke II putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atkins is squirming around, avoiding Locke II's attempts to control the action.
Locke II pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Atkins is looking to improve his position but Locke II isn't that keen on the idea.
The referee warns Atkins that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Atkins is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Locke II can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Atkins is looking to escape.
Locke II controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Atkins wants to control but Locke II is having none of it.
Locke II scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Atkins?

Locke II wants to finish this one by submission but Atkins is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Locke II.
Atkins is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Locke II showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Atkins shoots in but Locke II avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Locke II moves into the clinch successfully.
Atkins has Locke II pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Locke II manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Locke II manages to pull guard.
Atkins trying to control the position from guard on top but Locke II is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Locke II trying to keep a closed guard but Atkins is proving a slippery customer.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Locke II can do anything to dispel that myth.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Atkins avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Atkins throwing strikes but missing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Locke II is looking to stand up but Atkins isn't so interested in that idea.
Atkins seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Locke II bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Atkins's guard.
Atkins lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Locke II!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Locke II tries to hold on but Atkins postures up.
Locke II is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Atkins is staying active.
John Locke II has got the better of the ground game so far.
Atkins controlling his opponent.
Atkins working away from the top, dropping strikes.

Atkins is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Locke II to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Locke II shrugs it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atkins looking to control but Locke II is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Locke II working to try and regain half guard.
Atkins lands a big elbow.
Locke II in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Atkins lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Locke II hang on?
Locke II wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Atkins avoiding Locke II 's attempts to control his hands.

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.
Atkins lands a shot to the body.
Atkins thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Locke II looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Atkins gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Locke II trying to get back to his feet but Atkins is in full control for now.
Atkins scores with punches to the body.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Atkins is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Locke II up.
Atkins really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Locke II.
Jake Atkins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Locke II is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Locke II rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

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 Jake Atkins.
Well Locke II 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 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:30

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