PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sisu Karhula (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrew Cotoure (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karhula comes to the cage accompanied by Metallica - Seek and Destroy. The crowd seem to be enjoying Cotoure's choice of entrance music: Nelly- Heart of a Champion. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Karhula
vs
Cotoure

178 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

171 cm
21
169 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sisu Karhula!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Andrew Cotoure!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Karhula.
A head kick misses from Cotoure.
Cotoure misses with a takedown
and Karhula connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cotoure misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cotoure is trying hard to land a takedown here. Karhula sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A punch lands to the side of Karhula 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Cotoure doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Karhula counters with a takedown into side control.
Sisu Karhula has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andrew Cotoure.
Karhula tries to advance to mount but can't.
Cotoure is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Karhula sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Cotoure is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Cotoure is not content to let Karhula control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karhula throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Cotoure works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karhula scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Karhula lands with a punch from half guard.

Karhula is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cotoure doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Karhula.
Cotoure trying to control from the bottom.
Cotoure gets back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Cotoure trying to keep a closed guard but Karhula is proving a slippery customer.
Karhula trying to control the position from guard on top but Cotoure is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karhula trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Karhula postures up.
Karhula wants to get up but he can't break Cotoure's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Cotoure preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cotoure is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cotoure misses with a double jab
and Karhula counters with a right hand to the body.
Andrew Cotoure seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cotoure looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karhula tries for a takedown but Cotoure circles away easily
and Cotoure counters with a big head kick but Karhula shrugs it off.

Karhula tries to sprawl but Cotoure drives through with a takedown into half guard.

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

Karhula scores with a takedown into Cotoure's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Karhula accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Karhula looking to sit in guard and control but Cotoure gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Karhula will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cotoure pushes down on Karhula's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Karhula on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Karhula tries to get out of the position.
Karhula is looking to control Cotoure's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Karhula avoid being mounted?

Karhula is defending against the submission attempts here by Cotoure.

Cotoure is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Karhula gets the takedown into side control.
Karhula cracks Cotoure with a big right hand but Cotoure just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Cotoure bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Cotoure lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Karhula backs up against the cage.
Karhula fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Cotoure enables Karhula to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Cotoure manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Karhula has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Cotoure is proving hard to escape from.
Cotoure looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Karhula throws a strike but Cotoure rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Cotoure thows a big elbow that misses.
Cotoure trying to control but Karhula is working from the bottom.

Karhula working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Cotoure has passed into half guard!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cotoure sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Cotoure wants to take a breather but Karhula is having none of it.

Cotoure stands up out of the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cotoure feints and then cracks Karhula's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Karhula down.
Cotoure is trying hard to land a takedown here. Karhula sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Karhula fails in his attempt to clinch.
Karhula tries for a takedown but Cotoure circles away easily

and Cotoure counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Karhula working a defensive guard here.
Karhula with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Cotoure can't handle though.
Cotoure wants to control from the top but Karhula keeps moving.
Karhula wants to stand up but Cotoure is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cotoure decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Karhula, up you get!
Cotoure pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cotoure tries for a takedown but Karhula circles away easily
and Karhula counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Karhula bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cotoure is trying to control Karhula's posture but Karhula avoids it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cotoure is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cotoure is looking to control Karhula's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cotoure avoid being mounted?
Cotoure regains full guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Cotoure showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Karhula moves in looking to clinch but Cotoure pushes him off.

Karhula changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cotoure looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Cotoure struggling a bit here.
Karhula is working Cotoure over with some ground and pound from side control.
Karhula trying to control the action but Cotoure is working from the bottom.
Cotoure sneaks back into half guard.
Karhula stalling away here and it's allowed Cotoure to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Karhula knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cotoure on the ground.
Karhula tries to free his leg and advance position but Cotoure is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cotoure bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Karhula's guard.
Karhula is looking to stand up but Cotoure isn't so interested in that idea.
Cotoure is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Cotoure forces his way into half guard.
Cotoure works his way into full mount!
Sisu Karhula overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cotoure controlling from mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Cotoure cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Cotoure cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karhula tries to hold on but Cotoure pushes him away.

Cotoure moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Karhula has worked his arm free - good work by Karhula!

Cotoure stands up.
Karhula tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cotoure misses with a double jab.
Cotoure gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Karhula moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karhula is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Cotoure gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Cotoure is working for takedown but Karhula is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cotoure looking to stall.

Cotoure has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Karhula uses from the top position.
Cotoure has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Cotoure looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Cotoure working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Karhula doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Karhula manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Cotoure pushes Karhula off and scrambles back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrew Cotoure comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cotoure 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andrew Cotoure!