PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Yoshi Manza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikko Vilkastus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Manza
vs
Vilkastus

190 cm
27
159 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

175 cm
27
160 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Yoshi Manza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikko Vilkastus!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Manza rushes Vilkastus and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Knees to the body from Manza.
A frustrated look appears on Manza's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Vilkastus's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Manza misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Vilkastus.
Manza keeps control of Vilkastus as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Manza has Vilkastus pushed against the cage.

Manza's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A head kick by Vilkastus misses

and Manza moves into the clinch.

Manza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vilkastus throws a head kick that misses

and Manza counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Manza.
Vilkastus being controlled against the cage.

Manza's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vilkastus looks to clinch

and Manza counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Manza connects with a nasty looking knee right to Vilkastus's face.
Manza can't break the clinch.
Manza landing knees to the head.

It looks like Mikko Vilkastus has been cut.
Manza connects with a knee to the head.

Vilkastus escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Manza forces Vilkastus back against the cage and clinches.

Vilkastus breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vilkastus throws a leg kick that is checked

and Manza counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Manza taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Manza wants to get back to striking at distance but Vilkastus won't allow it.

Vilkastus breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Manza closes the distance and clinches.
Vilkastus on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Manza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Manza blocks a head kick by Vilkastus.
Vilkastus misses with a combination

and Manza counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Manza.

Manza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A head kick by Vilkastus misses

and Manza counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Manza.
Vilkastus avoiding damage as Manza throws knees to the body.
Manza with a knee to the head.
Manza is breathing heavily.
Vilkastus unloads a knee to the mid-section. Manza lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
The referee calls for Vilkastus to work.

Manza pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick by Vilkastus misses

and Manza counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Manza.

Vilkastus breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vilkastus throws a lazy head kick

and Manza counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Manza.

Vilkastus breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vilkastus misses with a combination

and Manza moves into the clinch.
Vilkastus tries to circle away but Manza has him pinned against the cage.
Come on Manza - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Manza blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Vilkastus wants to break free but Manza has control.
Vilkastus wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Manza wants to get back to striking at distance but Vilkastus won't allow it.
Manza with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Vilkastus as Manza tries to tie him up.

Vilkastus escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vilkastus lands with a kick to the temple. Manza shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Vilkastus misses with a two punch combination.
Manza tries to clinch but Vilkastus is having none of it.
Mikko Vilkastus seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vilkastus doesn't manage to clinch there - Manza circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vilkastus takes a swing at Manza's ribcage but misses.
Vilkastus swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Vilkastus looks to throw a body kick

and Manza counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Vilkastus is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Vilkastus looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Vilkastus looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Manza wants to pass the guard but Vilkastus is keeping the position.
Vilkastus keeping moving, preventing Manza from controlling successfully.
Manza will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Vilkastus pushes Manza off and scrambles back to his feet.
Vilkastus misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Vilkastus misses

and Manza counters by moving into the clinch.
Vilkastus tries to land knees in the clinch but Manza avoids the damage to the body.
Vilkastus tries to circle away but Manza has him pinned against the cage.
Manza letting Vilkastus take a breather here.
Vilkastus stalling in the clinch but Manza improves position.
Manza trying to control the position but instead, Vilkastus has worked for underhooks and has pushed Manza into the cage.

Vilkastus pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vilkastus fails in his attempt to clinch.

Vilkastus clinches up against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vilkastus just leaning against Manza, taking a breather.

Vilkastus breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Vilkastus shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Manza's guard.
Manza wants to get back to his feet but Vilkastus is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mikko Vilkastus will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mikko Vilkastus's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Vilkastus misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Manza.
Vilkastus throws a head kick that misses

and Manza moves into the clinch.

Manza breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Manza wants to clinch but Vilkastus slips to the side

and Vilkastus counters by moving into the clinch.
Vilkastus creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Manza lands a knee to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Manza takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Manza working hard to break the clinch.
Vilkastus fails to pull guard.
Manza tries to stall but Vilkastus uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Vilkastus is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Manza tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vilkastus is looking to break free of the clinch but Manza has double underhooks.
Manza is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Vilkastus is keeping busy.

Vilkastus manages to break the clinch.

Vilkastus gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Vilkastus is trying to break the clinch but Manza is controlling him.
Vilkastus crunches a lovely knee into Manza's ribcage.
Vilkastus throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Manza being controlled against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Vilkastus's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Vilkastus wants a takedown.

Vilkastus breaks the clinch.
A head kick misses from Vilkastus.
Vilkastus pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Vilkastus throws a one two combo.
Vilkastus tries to clinch there but Manza circles away.
Manza avoids the head kick by Vilkastus.
Manza really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Vilkastus tries a head kick but it misses.

That's two 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.
Manza tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Vilkastus paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Vilkastus throws a sloppy head kick

and Manza moves into the clinch.
Vilkastus misses with a punch to the body.
Vilkastus leaning against his opponent.
Vilkastus is looking to control Manza's arms but Manza gets an underhook and turns him. Now Vilkastus has his back to the cage.

Vilkastus breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vilkastus tries to land a body kick

and Manza counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Manza effectively controlling the action here.
Vilkastus wants to break the clinch but can't.
Manza landing knees to the body.
Come on Vilkastus - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Manza missing with knees to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Manza is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vilkastus tries to break free but Manza pushes him back against the cage.
Vilkastus wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Vilkastus breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vilkastus wants to clinch but Manza slips to the side

and Manza counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Manza.
Vilkastus jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Manza walks away with a smile on his face. Vilkastus gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Yoshi Manza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mikko Vilkastus.
Vilkastus tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Vilkastus misses with a body shot.
Vilkastus doesn't manage to clinch there - Manza circles away.
A slow jab from Vilkastus misses its intended target.
Manza takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Vilkastus throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Manza.
Manza with a lazy takedown attempt

and Vilkastus counters by clinching up.
Manza tries to break the clinch but Vilkastus is controlling the position.
Vilkastus drops down looking for an ankle pick but Manza pulls his leg out and moves away.
A head kick by Vilkastus misses

and Manza counters by moving into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Manza breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vilkastus throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Vilkastus throws a sloppy head kick

and Manza moves into the clinch.
Manza has Vilkastus pressed against the cage.
Manza tries to break free but Vilkastus pushes him back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Vilkastus manages to break the clinch.
Vilkastus throws a nice looking combination but Manza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Vilkastus tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Manza paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Vilkastus misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yoshi Manza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vilkastus tries to land a front kick but Manza steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Manza tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Vilkastus counters with a nice double leg into side control. Manza won't be happy with that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikko Vilkastus showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mikko Vilkastus's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Manza shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Vilkastus is trying to defend but Manza finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Vilkastus tries to kick Manza off but Manza keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Vilkastus is staying active underneath Manza, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Vilkastus looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Manza is thwarting Vilkastus's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Vilkastus looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Vilkastus looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vilkastus actively working from the bottom here.
Vilkastus wants to control but Manza is keeping busy.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Manza in particular looking to stall.
Vilkastus gets back to full guard.

Vilkastus looking for a triangle here. Manza is fighting it but it looks tight! Vilkastus pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Manza is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Mikko Vilkastus!