PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Leuka Mononen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hans Lankari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lankari has chosen Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Mononen
vs
Lankari

162 cm
20
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
19
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Leuka Mononen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hans Lankari!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mononen misses the jab.
Mononen misses with a body shot.
Some wild striking there from Mononen.
Leuka Mononen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mononen misses the shot to the body.
Mononen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lankari.
Mononen looks to land a combination but Lankari avoids it well.
Mononen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Mononen throws a big shot that misses.
Lankari wants to clinch.
Lankari on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Lankari gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Mononen.
Mononen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lankari ducks under a wild hook from Mononen.
Mononen misses the shot to the body.
Horrible takedown by Lankari or perhaps it was just good defense by Mononen which made him look bad.
Mononen thows a body shot but no joy.
Lankari dives in and grabs Mononen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mononen pushes down on Lankari's head and hops out.
Leuka Mononen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hans Lankari.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mononen throws a body punch but Lankari moves out of range.
Lankari takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Mononen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lankari.
Mononen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Lankari uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mononen.
Lankari walks into a jab.
Lankari fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Lankari fails with a takedown attempt.
Lankari tries to clinch there but Mononen circles away.
Lankari slips a jab from Mononen.
Mononen throws a jab when Lankari was well out of range.
Lankari looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mononen throws a big shot that misses.
Mononen misses with a few strikes there.

Mononen throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Lankari was covering up waiting for the punch and Mononen finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lankari is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mononen defends well.
Lankari looks gassed!
Mononen's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Mononen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lankari trying to control the position.
Mononen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Lankari is proving hard to escape from.
Lankari bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mononen's guard.
Mononen wants to sweep here but Lankari controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mononen seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lankari postures up.
Mononen knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lankari on the ground.
Lankari trying to control the position from guard on top but Mononen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mononen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Lankari looks to land a combination but Mononen avoids it well.

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.
Lankari slips under a jab.
Mononen throws a nice looking combination but Lankari bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mononen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Lankari on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Lankari doesn't manage to clinch there - Mononen circles away.
Mononen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lankari takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Mononen misses with a straight left.
Lankari takes one on the button.
Mononen misses with a straight left.
Mononen throws a hook to the side of Lankari's head but Lankari sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A cross from Mononen lands.
Mononen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lankari.
Lankari fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lankari takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Lankari misses with a takedown
and Mononen 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.

Leuka Mononen dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Mononen throws a jab when Lankari was well out of range.

Mononen gets the takedown into side control.
Lankari wants to get back to his feet.
You can see the frustration on Lankari's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mononen wants to control but Lankari is keeping him busy.
Mononen lands some shots froms side control.
Mononen in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Mononen lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Lankari down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mononen trying to control the action but Lankari is working from the bottom.
Mononen laying and praying for a moment but Lankari takes advantage and regains half guard.
Lankari is pressing down on Mononen's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Lankari manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mononen manages to get himself to full guard.
Mononen wants to sweep but no luck.
Mononen keeping full guard, as Lankari tries to pass.
Lankari is breathing heavily.
Mononen looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's two 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.
Mononen keeping moving, preventing Lankari from controlling successfully.
Lankari prevents Mononen from getting back to his feet.
Lankari wants to control from the top but Mononen keeps moving.
Mononen wants to sweep but no luck.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mononen holds on and takes a little breather.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Lankari tries to move into range but Mononen moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mononen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lankari.
Lankari closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Lankari is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Lankari wants to clinch but Mononen slips to the side
and Lankari takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lankari shoots in but Mononen avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Mononen throws a series of strikes that have Lankari backpedaling.
Lankari slips a jab from Mononen.
Mononen with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Mononen throws a jab but it's blocked by Lankari.
Lankari slips a straight right by Mononen.
Nice shot by Mononen.
Mononen connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A jab from Mononen misses.
Leuka Mononen is winning the standup battle so far.
A jab from Mononen finds it's way through Lankari's defenses.
Mononen looks to land a right hand but Lankari moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mononen throws a body punch but Lankari moves out of range.

Mononen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mononen lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Lankari down.
Mononen trying to control the action but Lankari is working from the bottom.
Lankari tries to improve position but can't.
Mononen wants to control but Lankari is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leuka Mononen dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Lankari closes the distance and clinches up with Mononen, looking for a takedown. Lankari pushes Mononen against the cage but Mononen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mononen just misses with a punch to the body.
Lankari throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lankari staying out of range there.

Lankari gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Mononen to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Mononen wants to control from the top but Lankari keeps moving.
Mononen trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Lankari manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Lankari postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lankari trying to control the position from guard on top but Mononen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lankari takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mononen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mononen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lankari.
Mononen on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mononen tries to get out of the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mononen digs a good body shot into Lankari's ribs.
Lankari misses with a takedown attempt
and Lankari takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lankari with a poor takedown
and Mononen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Leuka Mononen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hans Lankari.
Nice uppercut there from Mononen.
Mononen lands a nice shot to the body.
Mononen misses with an uppercut.
Lankari avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lankari shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Mononen counters with a left to the body.
Mononen misses with a looping right.
Lankari shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Mononen counters with a left to the body.
Mononen lands a jab to Lankari's midsection.
Mononen cracks a nice hook into Lankari's ribs.
Lankari is trying desperately to land a takedown but Mononen is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Lankari.
The fighters circling - Mononen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lankari throws a head kick that misses.
Mononen throws a lazy right hand but Lankari sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mononen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Lankari. Lankari circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mononen takes a swing at Lankari's ribcage but misses.
Mononen cracks Lankari with a good jab.
Mononen scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Mononen catches Lankari with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Mononen throws a jab when Lankari was well out of range.
Mononen scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Mononen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lankari manages to avoid it.
Good standup being displayed there by Mononen as he connects with a hook.
Mononen misses with a few strikes there.
Mononen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lankari tries for a takedown but Mononen circles away easily
and Mononen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lankari takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Mononen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Lankari takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Mononen misses with an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Mononen does it's job there.
Leuka Mononen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Good standup being displayed there by Mononen as he connects with a hook.
Mononen is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Mononen throws out a loose jab but Lankari uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mononen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mononen lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Lankari throws a head kick that misses.
Mononen lands a jab.
Mononen digs a good hook to Lankari's body.
Lankari misses with a takedown
and Mononen counters with a left to the body.
Lankari has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Jab by Mononen.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mononen lands a lovely overhand right.
Lankari takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Hans Lankari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lankari takes one on the button.
Mononen moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leuka Mononen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mononen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leuka Mononen!