PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Janne Puikko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Young (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Puikko
vs
Young

198 cm
18
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
23
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Janne Puikko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rick Young!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Young takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Young looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Puikko closes the distance and pushes Young back into the cage.
Puikko takes a shot to the head.
Puikko works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Young lands a takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Puikko wants to sweep but no luck.
Young controls from within his opponent's guard.
Puikko trying to control the position here.
Young slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Puikko tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Young tries a head kick but it misses.
Young throws a right and a left that Puikko avoids nicely.
Puikko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Puikko misses with a double jab

and Young counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Puikko will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Young stays in close to Puikko's body and controls the position.
Puikko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Young is one step ahead there.
Young controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Puikko trying to keep a closed guard but Young is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Young won't allow Puikko to sweep him here.
Young is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Rick Young hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Young walks into a jab.
Puikko scores with a jab to the jaw.
Puikko misses with a leg kick
and Young counters with a straight right hand.
Puikko looks to land a left hand but Young moved out of range nicely.

Young shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Young showed some decent athleticism there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Puikko trying to control here.
Puikko wants to improve his position but Young is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young content to control rather than advance.
Puikko manages to get to full guard.
Puikko looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Young puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Puikko wants to control but Young is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Puikko is looking to improve his position.

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.
Young looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Puikko wants to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Young shoots in and bounces Puikko off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Young is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rick Young will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Young connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Puikko scores with a nice head shot.
Puikko has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Puikko has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Puikko there as he acknowledges the shot.
Puikko throws a jab but it's blocked by Young.
A big left from Young misses.
Puikko misses with a hook. Young ducked under it nicely.
Puikko slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Young thuds his shin into the meat of Puikko's side.
Rick Young is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Young shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Puikko is trying to defend but Young finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Puikko is looking for a sweep. Young is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Young perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Puikko wants to improve his position but Young is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young is figuring out what he wants to do next.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Rick Young.
A lazy left from Puikko finds it's target.

Young looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Puikko tries to roll over but Young keeps him under control.
Young with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puikko is looking to improve his position.
Puikko trying to control here.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Rick Young wasn't active enough on the ground.
Puikko looks to throw the jab but Young is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Young.
Young thows a left - swing and a miss!
Young staying out of range there.
Puikko thows a left - swing and a miss!
Puikko throws a lazy right hand but Young sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Puikko takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Puikko blocks a head kick by Young.
Young blocks a jab.
Young takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Young shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Puikko napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Puikko can't do much from the bottom here.
Young moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Puikko tries to buck Young off but Young is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Young is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Puikko's shoulder. That is not cool.
Sloppy strikes there by Young.
Puikko tries to get back to half guard but can't.
A lull in the action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Young showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Jab by Young.
Puikko with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Young avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Puikko dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Young changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Puikko looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Young tries for a kimura but Puikko is defending well.
Young wants to lay and pray for a moment but Puikko keeps working.
Puikko is trying to get back to half guard.
Young takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young wants to control but Puikko is keeping him busy.
Puikko is looking for a sweep.
Puikko takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
You can see the frustration on Puikko's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Janne Puikko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Young remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Puikko managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Young.
Young in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Let's hope that Young has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Rick Young is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rick Young has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Young fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A left lands for Puikko.
Young missing with a left hand there. Puikko was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Janne Puikko is winning the standup battle so far.
Young on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Puikko is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Puikko scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Young doesn't seem bothered though.
Young has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Young there as he acknowledges the shot.
Puikko is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Young takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Puikko connects with a body shot.
Young has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Puikko scores with a nice strike.
Nice uppercut lands for Puikko. That snapped Young's head back.
Puikko lands with an overhand left.

Young is rocked!

Puikko gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Young is still on wobbly legs! Can Puikko finish him?
Puikko cracks Young with a nice body shot.
Young seems to have recovered his senses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puikko lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Puikko lands a body punch.
Puikko lands with a right to the head.
Young avoiding damage as Puikko throws knees to the body.
Puikko scores with a nice hook to the head.
Still in the clinch, Puikko scores with a nice short uppercut.
Puikko lands a left hand.
Puikko working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Puikko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Puikko looks to throw the jab but Young is out of range.
Puikko getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Young drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Young falls off balance throwing a combination
and Young takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Puikko jabs Young right on the nose. Young blinks but takes it well.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A punch combination from Young misses.
Good standup being displayed there by Puikko as he connects with a hook.
Puikko scores with a jab.
Young seems to be squinting his left eye. Perhaps he got a poke in that previous exchange. Puikko shows no mercy and swarms him with a barage of strikes! Young is backing up but Puikko catches him with a final right hook that drops him! Young covers up and the referee steps in to end the fight! Puikko Jumps to his feet and flashes his guns to the crowd. Oh yeah, baby! How'd you like them apples?!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Janne Puikko!