PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Woima Karhu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Louie Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Karhu
vs
Mendez

182 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
25
174 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
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, Woima Karhu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Louie Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karhu misses with a takedown attempt
and Mendez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Karhu misses with a takedown
and Mendez counters with a straight right hand.
Karhu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Karhu shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Mendez counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Woima Karhu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mendez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karhu fails with the takedown

and Mendez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mendez clinches with his opponent.
Mendez wants to break free but Karhu has control.
Karhu tries to score a body lock takedown but Mendez shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Karhu drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Mendez gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Mendez manages to break the clinch.
Mendez tries to clinch up.
Karhu keeps the fight on the outside.
Karhu shoots and misses
and Mendez counters with an inside leg kick.

Karhu closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Mendez quickly recovers to half guard.
Karhu working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Mendez's thigh. Mendez counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Karhu drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Karhu jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karhu is looking to work some ground and pound but Mendez has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mendez wants to stand but Karhu is controlling the position.

Karhu is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Mendez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Karhu. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Karhu decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Mendez, up you get!
Woima Karhu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

so Karhu counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Karhu thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Mendez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Karhu trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Karhu slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez keeping moving, preventing Karhu from controlling successfully.
Karhu thows a big elbow that misses.
Karhu has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Karhu trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Karhu postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Karhu is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Woima Karhu just wasn't active enough.
Karhu misses the body punch
and Mendez counters with a nice low kick that buckles Karhu's knee momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Woima Karhu dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mendez moves into the clinch.

Mendez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Karhu misses with a wild body shot.
Karhu tries for a takedown but Mendez circles away easily
and Mendez counters with a one-two to the body.
Mendez is looking to chop away at Karhu's legs.

Mendez gets a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendez lands with a right to the head.

Mendez manages to break the clinch.
Karhu swats away the attempt to clinch by Mendez.
Mendez wants to clinch

and Karhu counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Karhu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karhu trying to control but Mendez is working from the bottom.
Karhu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karhu works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Karhu trying to mount his opponent but Mendez defends it.

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.
Karhu wants to take a breather but Mendez is having none of it.

Karhu is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Karhu seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mendez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Mendez is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Karhu is working for a kimura but Mendez is defending it quite comfortably.
Karhu is looking to take a break and control but Mendez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Karhu is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Mendez is just riding it out for now. Karhu eventually gives up the hold.
Karhu is looking to stall here but Mendez recovers full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Karhu trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Karhu drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Karhu jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Woima Karhu dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Karhu looks to throw a body kick
and Mendez counters with a thumping low kick.
Karhu swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Mendez counters by clinching up.
Mendez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Karhu has him pressed against the cage.
Karhu jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mendez walks away with a smile on his face. Karhu gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Karhu shoots in for a takedown but Mendez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Karhu gets a takedown into half guard.

Karhu is looking for a kimura here.

Mendez makes his way to full guard, as Karhu worked for a kimura.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karhu won't allow Mendez to get back to his feet.
Mendez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Karhu trying to control but Mendez is working from the bottom.
Mendez wants to stand but Karhu is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Karhu trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karhu stands and throws Mendez's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Karhu thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Karhu tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Karhu is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mendez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Karhu is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Mendez is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The ground and pound from Karhu seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Louie Mendez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mendez is not content to let Karhu control the position.

Karhu wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Mendez, who protects the arm well.
Woima Karhu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Woima Karhu overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Karhu looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

And that's the end of the fight!
Woima Karhu showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Karhu, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Woima Karhu!