PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Konrad Knudsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Saku Sammakko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Knudsen's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Gorgoroth - Destroyer. The crowd seem to be enjoying Sammakko's choice of entrance music: Saku Sammakko. On his way into the cage it seems that Konrad Knudsen has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Konrad Knudsen seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Knudsen
vs
Sammakko

171 cm
26
168 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

171 cm
22
166 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Good elbows
Powerful

Control Nutrition
M/S Paint Fightwear *** Cheapest in town ***

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Konrad Knudsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Saku Sammakko!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Steven Brown and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knudsen throws a head kick that misses.
Sammakko keeps the fight on the outside.
Knudsen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Knudsen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Knudsen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Knudsen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sammakko works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Sammakko is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Knudsen actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sammakko not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sammakko sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Knudsen defending well though.

Knudsen is defending against the submission attempts here by Sammakko.
Knudsen wants to control the action here but instead Sammakko manages to pass to full mount!
Sammakko with a couple of short strikes.
Knudsen tries to reverse the position but Sammakko maintains control.
Knudsen regains half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Knudsen trying to control but Sammakko postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knudsen is looking for a sweep. Sammakko is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sammakko trying to control the action but Knudsen is working from the bottom.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Knudsen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sammakko postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Knudsen tries to land a front kick but Sammakko steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sammakko checks a low kick from Knudsen.
Sammakko takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A clash of legs there as Sammakko blocks the low kick.
Knudsen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nice uppercut lands for Knudsen. That snapped Sammakko's head back.
Knudsen tries a head kick but it misses.
Sammakko drops his hands momentarily and Knudsen takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Sammakko closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Knudsen did well to prevent Sammakko getting side control.
Knudsen is breathing heavily.
Sammakko trying to control from half guard but Knudsen is working away.
Knudsen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sammakko.
Sammakko not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Sammakko is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Knudsen doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Sammakko.
Knudsen is trying to maintain the position but Sammakko is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knudsen is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sammakko scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sammakko prevents Knudsen from improving his position.
Knudsen is staying active underneath Sammakko, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Knudsen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Konrad Knudsen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Knudsen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A lazy left from Knudsen finds it's target.
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 Konrad Knudsen will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sammakko swinging wildly here.
Sammakko with a hook.
Sammakko shoots in but Knudsen avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Knudsen tries a head kick but it misses.
Sammakko's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Sammakko duly obliges.
Knudsen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Knudsen swings for the body but Sammakko moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knudsen wants to clinch up but Sammakko keeps it at a distance.

Sammakko drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sammakko throws and elbow that misses. Knudsen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sammakko's guard. Nice move by Knudsen!
Knudsen 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knudsen trying to control the position from guard on top but Sammakko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sammakko has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Sammakko has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Knudsen is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Sammakko.
Knudsen wants to control but Sammakko is keeping him busy.
Sammakko is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

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.
Sammakko is not content to let Knudsen control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Konrad Knudsen.
Sammakko scores with a sloppy right hand. Knudsen should have avoided that one.
Knudsen throws a head kick but Sammakko moves out of range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sammakko swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Knudsen counters with a leg kick.
Knudsen misses with a wild body shot.
Knudsen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sammakko moves out of range of the leg kick from Knudsen.
A solid body kick from Knudsen.
Knudsen takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Knudsen tries to clinch but Sammakko is having none of it.
Knudsen throws a combination that misses

and Sammakko counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knudsen is pressed up against the cage. Sammakko has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Knudsen down to the mat. Knudsen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nice jab there from Knudsen.
Knudsen throws a head kick but Sammakko moves out of range.
Sammakko looks to land a combination. Knudsen sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Sammakko throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Sammakko circles away from the clinch attempt

and Sammakko holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Sammakko lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Knudsen or not.

Sammakko gets control of Knudsen's arms and successfully pulls guard. Sammakko will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Sammakko is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Knudsen is aware though and is defending well.
Sammakko keeping moving, preventing Knudsen from controlling successfully.
Sammakko bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Knudsen's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sammakko got a little sloppy there for a moment and Knudsen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sammakko has managed to get both his arms back between Knudsen's legs - danger averted.

Knudsen has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Sammakko is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Knudsen.
Sammakko grinds an elbow into Knudsen's temple.
Sammakko landing strikes.
Sammakko cracks Knudsen with a big elbow.
Sammakko cracks Knudsen with a big right hand but Knudsen just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sammakko lands a nice forearm strike.
Sammakko is chipping away with strikes.
Knudsen is working to avoid the ground and pound but Sammakko connects with a decent elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saku Sammakko 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. This is the final round!

Knudsen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Knudsen throws a head kick that misses.

Sammakko gets a clinch.
Sammakko lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Sammakko looking to stall.
The referee calls for Sammakko to work.
Sammakko creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Knudsen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sammakko scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Danga de danga de dang - Sammakko scores with a four punch combination!
Konrad Knudsen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Knudsen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sammakko changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Knudsen tries to avoid it but Sammakko manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Knudsen to the ground. Knudsen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Knudsen closes the distance looking to clinch

and Sammakko counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knudsen is trying to maintain the position but Sammakko is very close to passing his half guard.
Sammakko sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Sammakko is trying to work for a kimura but Knudsen is defending well.

Knudsen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sammakko pulls his head out easily.
Sammakko drops an elbow to the side of Knudsen's head.
Sammakko trying to pass the guard but Knudsen defending well.

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.

Knudsen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sammakko seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Sammakko keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sammakko lands a nice short elbow.
Sammakko missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sammakko throwing shots but Knudsen is blocking nicely.
Knudsen is not content to let Sammakko control the position.
Knudsen is trying to maintain the position but Sammakko is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sammakko fails to land the takedown.
Knudsen throws a push kick but Sammakko slaps the foot to one side.
Knudsen tries a head kick but it misses.
Knudsen closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sammakko counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Knudsen takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Knudsen throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Sammakko's head.

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.
Sammakko cracks Knudsen with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Sammakko throws a nice inside leg kick.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sammakko.
Sammakko working the ground and pound.
Sammakko trying to control the position but Knudsen is working away.
Knudsen struggling a bit here.

Sammakko tries for a kimura but Knudsen is defending well.

Sammakko is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Knudsen has escaped the position, nice work there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Saku Sammakko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sammakko has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saku Sammakko!