PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Lipsky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommi Kauri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lipsky comes to the cage accompanied by Das Spiel Ist Aust. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Lipsky
vs
Kauri

184 cm
27
215 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

194 cm
22
217 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Great elbows
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

BALCO MMA ELITE

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matt Lipsky!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tommi Kauri!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lipsky misses with a head kick.
Lipsky throws a head kick but Kauri moves out of range.
A clash of legs there as Kauri blocks the low kick.
Kauri loads up on a big right hand but Lipsky slips the punch.
Kauri swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Lipsky counters with a thumping low kick.
Lipsky slips under a jab.
Lipsky tries a low kick but Kauri avoids it.
A low kick from Lipsky misses

and Kauri counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Lipsky's guard now.
Kauri lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kauri postures up and lands a big shot to Lipsky's brow.
Kauri stands and throws Lipsky's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Lipsky is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Kauri has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lipsky dodges the ground and pound from Kauri.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kauri working the strikes but Lipsky uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Kauri slips a nice elbow through Lipsky's hands, connecting with Lipsky's forehead.
Lipsky looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kauri throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Kauri scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Lipsky blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kauri.
Kauri working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Kauri sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lipsky defending well though.
Kauri thows a huge punch but Lipsky dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kauri scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Lipsky keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kauri missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kauri sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lipsky defending well though.
Lipsky keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Lipsky has one foot on Kauri's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Lipsky connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Kauri moves out of range as Lipsky throws a body kick.
Lipsky connects with a solid leg kick.
A good leg kick by Lipsky.
Kauri takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lipsky misses with a head kick.
Kauri misses the shot to the body.
A big left from Kauri misses.
Kauri connects with a body shot.
Lipsky throws a low kick but it's checked well by Kauri.
Kauri lands a nice looking body shot.
A jab from Lipsky does it's job there.
Lipsky attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Lipsky throws a leg kick
letting Kauri counter with a right hand.
Kauri misses with a right hand
and Lipsky counters with a two punch combo.
A nice inside leg kick there by Lipsky. That's going to slow Kauri down.
A low kick from Lipsky is predictable there

so Kauri counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Kauri won't allow Lipsky to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kauri passes into half guard.
Kauri throws a strike but Lipsky avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Kauri content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kauri in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kauri throwing strikes but missing.
Kauri is looking to work some ground and pound but Lipsky has wrist control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kauri thows a big elbow that misses.
Kauri throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommi Kauri 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.

A head kick misses from Lipsky.
Lipsky throws a leg kick but Kauri checks it.
Kauri checks a leg kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Lipsky lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Kauri has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Kauri and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Decent striking displayed by Kauri there.
Lipsky throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Kauri throws a hook but Lipsky blocks it.
Lipsky tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Lipsky swings away with a leg kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lipsky throws a leg kick but Kauri moved away.
Lipsky pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lipsky throws a leg kick
and Kauri connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kauri misses the jab.
Lipsky throws a predictable looking body shot
and Kauri counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kauri throws a looping overhand right but Lipsky ducks down to avoid it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lipsky tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kauri avoids it.
Lipsky misses with an elbow strike.

Kauri turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Lipsky wants to get back to his feet.
Kauri tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Kauri is putting a hurting on Lipsky here, landing some big shots from side control.
Lipsky parries the strikes from Kauri easily there. Kauri is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Lipsky to escape.
Kauri throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Lipsky works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lipsky is trying to stand back up but Kauri is controlling him
Kauri winds up and cracks Lipsky with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Kauri looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Lipsky is trying to stand up here but Kauri is controlling him well.
Lipsky blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kauri.
Tommi Kauri has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lipsky wants to get back to his feet.
Nice strikes from Kauri there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lipsky won't allow Kauri to pass to mount.
Kauri thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Lipsky to regain full guard.
Kauri throws a big right hand that misses.
Lipsky working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kauri.
Kauri throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lipsky works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kauri controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Kauri is pushing down on Lipsky's leg trying to pass to half guard. Lipsky is fighting to maintain full guard but Kauri has managed to sneak the leg through.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kauri takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Kauri thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kauri throwing shots but Lipsky is blocking nicely.
Kauri works his way into full mount!
Poor strikes thrown by Kauri there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Kauri scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Lipsky?
Kauri raining down shots from the mount!
Lipsky is bucking up trying to escape but Kauri cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommi Kauri showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Kauri avoids the head kick by Lipsky.
Kauri throws a lazy uppercut
and Lipsky makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Kauri throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kauri checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Kauri shoots for a double leg takedown but Lipsky sprawls well. He's pushed Kauri's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kauri misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lipsky.
Kauri checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Kauri misses with a hook
and Lipsky counters with an outside leg kick.
Lipsky moves into range and connects with a jab.
Kauri looks to score with a jab to the body but Lipsky is just out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lipsky tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lipsky throws a leg kick
and Kauri connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lipsky throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Lipsky uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kauri.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lipsky wants to slow Kauri down by chopping away at his legs.
Lipsky tries to clinch up
and Kauri counters with a three punch combo that has Lipsky backing up. Lipsky nods at Kauri to acknowledge the strikes.
Lipsky tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Lipsky throws a low kick but it's checked well by Kauri.
Lipsky tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Kauri counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Lipsky!
Kauri lands with some strikes.
Kauri landing strikes from the mount.
Kauri lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Lipsky hang on?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kauri landing strikes from the mount.
Kauri lands with some strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lipsky squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Kauri misses with a head shot.
Kauri controlling from mount.
Kauri cracks Lipsky with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Lipsky on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Lipsky tries to get out of the position.
Kauri misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Kauri pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Kauri is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lipsky wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Kauri.
Kauri working the ground and pound effectively.
Kauri unloads with some shots from mount but Lipsky bucks and avoids them well.
Kauri unloads with some shots from mount but Lipsky bucks and avoids them well.
Poor strikes thrown by Kauri there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Lipsky's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tommi Kauri is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lipsky is bucking up trying to escape but Kauri cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Kauri takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kauri throwing strikes here but Lipsky is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Kauri cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Kauri is trying to control here but Lipsky has managed to regain half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lipsky avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kauri.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tommi Kauri comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kauri winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tommi Kauri!