PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joonas Polin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikolaj Nowak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Mikolaj Nowak enters the cage!

Polin
vs
Nowak

170 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
165 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joonas Polin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikolaj Nowak!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nowak tries to clinch up but Polin circles away and keeps his distance.

Polin moves into the clinch.

Polin manages to break the clinch.
Polin throws a nice head kick!
Polin throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Polin misses with a head kick.
Nowak tries a head kick but it misses.
Nowak tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Polin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Nowak pushes Polin up against the cage in a clinch.
Polin tries to score a body lock takedown but Nowak shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Polin with a knee to the head.
Polin landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Nowak dodges an elbow strike from Polin.
Polin looking to throw knees to the head but Nowak is blocking nicely.
Polin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Nowak has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Polin avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Polin breaks the clinch.
Polin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nowak circles away from the clinch attempt.
Polin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nowak tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polin is looking to clinch.

Polin drives through and clinches with Nowak against the cage.
Nowak is looking to break free of the clinch but Polin has double underhooks.
Nowak has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Polin avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Nowak working hard to break the clinch.

Nowak breaks from the clinch.
Polin throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Nowak's head.

Nowak shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Polin is trying to defend but Nowak finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Polin is breathing heavily.
Polin looks like he's trying to stand up.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Nowak connects with a nice short shot to Polin's temple.
Nowak trying to control the pace.
Nowak wants to lay and pray for a moment but Polin keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nowak sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Mikolaj Nowak wasn't active enough on the ground.

Polin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Polin misses with a knee strike.
Nowak looking to throw knees to the head but Polin is blocking nicely.
Polin misses with a knee to the head.
Nowak drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Polin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Joonas Polin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikolaj Nowak.
Nowak throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Polin lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Polin pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Polin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Polin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Polin tries to land a knee to the head but Nowak blocks with his arms.
Nowak tries to break free but Polin pushes him back against the cage.
Nowak tries to pull guard but Polin holds him up against the cage and eventually Nowak drops back down to his feet.
Polin throws an elbow but it misses.
Nowak wants a takedown.

Polin gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Polin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Polin stopping the sweep attempt from Nowak.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Polin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Polin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Polin stands up from Nowak's guard - Polin perhaps looking for a knockout.

Nowak decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Polin is not content to let Nowak control the position.
Polin is trying to stand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nowak looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Polin is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joonas Polin dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nowak feints and as Polin raises his hands in defense, Nowak changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nowak is looking to stand up but Polin won't let him.
Polin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Nowak missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Polin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Nowak preventing the sweep.
Polin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nowak on the ground.
Polin is looking to stand up but Nowak isn't so interested in that idea.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Nowak stands up and waves to Polin to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nowak changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Polin tries to avoid it but Nowak manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Polin to the ground. Polin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Polin throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Joonas Polin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Polin is looking to clinch.
Polin lands a head kick!
Nowak changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Polin tries to avoid it but Nowak manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Polin to the ground. Polin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Polin scores with a head kick.
Nowak fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Polin avoids it really well and circles away.
Joonas Polin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikolaj Nowak.
Nowak fails with an attempt to clinch.
Polin doesn't manage to clinch there - Nowak circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Left hook, right uppercut from Polin.
Polin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nowak.
Nice takedown defense from Polin. No joy for Nowak on that attempt.
Polin throws a lazy head kick

and Nowak counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Nowak.
Nowak trying to control the position from guard on top but Polin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Nowak stands and steps away. Polin gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Nowak blocks a head kick by Polin.
A low kick from Polin misses

and Nowak counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Polin working a defensive guard here.
Polin pulls Nowak in close to his closed guard and prevents Nowak from doing any damage or advancing position.
Nowak stands up over Polin, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polin is looking to stand up but Nowak isn't so interested in that idea.
Nowak trying to control the position from guard on top but Polin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nowak looking to pass the guard.
Polin is looking to stand up but Nowak isn't so interested in that idea.
Nowak trying to control the position from guard on top but Polin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.

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

Polin moves into the clinch.

Polin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Polin lands with a slapping head kick.
Nowak looks for a takedown but Polin sprawls well.
Polin is looking to clinch.
Joonas Polin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Polin throws a low kick but Nowak avoids it.
Polin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nowak swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Polin throws a head kick but Nowak moves out of range.
Polin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Nowak as he avoids it easily.
Nowak misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Polin tries to clinch

and Nowak counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nowak wants to control from the top but Polin keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikolaj Nowak showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Nowak misses with a double jab.
Nowak takes a kick to the side of the head.
Some wild striking there from Polin.

Polin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nowak, pushing him back against the cage.
Polin throws an elbow but it's blocked.
A knee to the head by Polin.
Nowak has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Nowak tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Polin tries a knee to the head but Nowak blocks it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Polin misses with a knee to the head.

Nowak breaks from the clinch.
Nowak tries to clinch but Polin moves out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nowak keeps the fight on the outside.
Nowak shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Polin but Polin pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Polin forces Nowak back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polin lands a damaging elbow.
Polin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Nowak wants to break free but Polin has control.
Polin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Nowak.
Nowak goes for a takedown in the clinch but Polin prevents it.
Joonas Polin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikolaj Nowak.
Nowak looking for a takedown.
Polin scores with a knee to the head.
Nowak is trying to drag Polin to the mat but Polin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Polin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Polin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nowak tries to break free but Polin pushes him back against the cage.
Polin scores with a knee to the head.
Polin tries a knee to the head but Nowak blocks it.
Nowak scores with an uppercut up the middle.

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.
Polin tries for a takedown but Nowak manages to get underhooks.
Polin tries to land a knee to the head but Nowak blocks with his arms.
Nowak tries to pull guard but Polin holds him up against the cage and eventually Nowak drops back down to his feet.
Polin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Polin misses with a knee strike.

Polin manages to break the clinch.

Polin clinches.
Polin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nowak tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Polin smiles and moves away.
Polin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Polin lands with a kick to the temple. Nowak shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Polin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Nowak.
Nowak blocks a head kick by Polin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nowak looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Polin is fending him off so far but Nowak persists. Nope, Polin circles away and we're back to standing.
Nowak fails with an attempt to clinch.
Polin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Polin drives through and clinches with Nowak against the cage.
Nowak is trying to break the clinch but Polin has him pressed against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Polin.
Polin connects with a nasty looking knee right to Nowak's face.

Nowak manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Nowak has a closed guard, preventing Polin from standing up.
Nowak is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Polin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Nowak's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Nowak looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Polin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Nowak's guard.
Nowak wants to get back to his feet but Polin is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Polin keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Nowak's head.

Nowak scrambles and gets back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nowak throws a head kick but Polin moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Polin.
Nowak avoids the body shot from Polin.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joonas Polin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Polin 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joonas Polin!