PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Bolda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arthur Mancini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arthur Mancini is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Bolda
vs
Mancini

185 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
21
213 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Josh Bolda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Arthur Mancini!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mancini with a lazy takedown attempt
and Bolda counters with a two punch combo.
Bolda throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Bolda thows a left - swing and a miss!
Mancini tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Bolda to counter with a crisp jab.

Mancini scores a takedown into full mount!

Bolda defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Mancini.

Mancini looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mancini working some short elbows here. He postures up to throw some more ground and pound but Bolda slips a leg through to get back to half guard. Nice work.
Bolda wants to improve his position but Mancini is controlling well.

Mancini is trying to work for a kimura but Bolda is defending well.
Mancini scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Mancini trying to advance position but Bolda counters by regaining guard.
Bolda trying to control the position.
Bolda is controlling Mancini's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mancini throws a strike but Bolda rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Bolda has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bolda wants to control from the top but Mancini keeps moving.

Mancini is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bolda defends well.
Mancini keeping moving, preventing Bolda from controlling successfully.

Bolda avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Bolda stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mancini swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mancini has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mancini uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Bolda avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mancini tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Bolda counters with a left to the body.
Mancini keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bolda.
Bolda thows a body shot but no joy.
Mancini swings and misses with a shot to the body
enabling Bolda to counter with a crisp jab.
Arthur Mancini seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mancini has his takedown stuffed
and Bolda counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mancini takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Bolda takes a swing at Mancini's ribcage but misses.
Josh Bolda is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bolda swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bolda fails to land with a series of punches.
Mancini throws a nice head kick!
Mancini gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Bolda cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Josh Bolda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arthur Mancini.
Bolda jabs Mancini to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Mancini fails with the takedown
enabling Bolda to counter with a crisp jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Arthur Mancini will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mancini throws a left and a right that both miss
and Mancini takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mancini tries to clinch but Bolda moves away
and Bolda counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Mancini darts in trying to clinch
and Bolda counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Mancini throws a nice inside leg kick.
Mancini with a lazy takedown attempt
and Bolda counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Mancini misses with a lunging right hand
and Bolda counters with a straight right hand.
Mancini wants to clinch.
Bolda throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mancini misses with a left hand
and Bolda counters with a stiff right hand.
Mancini misses with a double jab
and Bolda counters with a two punch combo.
Mancini misses with a combination
and Bolda counters with a series of strikes. Mancini will be more careful next time no doubt.
Bolda throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Mancini gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Come on Mancini - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mancini breaks the clinch.
Bolda connects with a body shot that sends Mancini's belly button to the back.
Bolda changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Mancini throws a one two combo.
Mancini throws a head kick that misses.
A head kick by Mancini misses
and Bolda counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mancini throws a combination that misses
and Bolda counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mancini is breathing heavily.
Mancini moves to clinch but Bolda breaks away
and Bolda counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mancini lands with a kick to the temple. Bolda shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mancini scores with a head kick. Bolda tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Mancini gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Bolda counter with a right hand.
Bolda bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Mancini's head.
Mancini wants to clinch but Bolda slips to the side
and Bolda counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bolda misses with a left hand

and Mancini counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Mancini.
Mancini displaying some good clinch control by pressing Bolda up against the cage.

Mancini is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Bolda can't fight it off and eventually Mancini manages to take the fight to the floor. Bolda looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bolda is trying to control the position but Mancini postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mancini throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bolda works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mancini drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Bolda manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mancini has Bolda in his guard.
Bolda trying to control but Mancini is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mancini has a closed guard, preventing Bolda from standing up.
Bolda wants to control from the top but Mancini keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Josh Bolda will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Mancini shoots and misses
and Bolda connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mancini shoots in for a takedown but Bolda shows good takedown defense.
Nice cross by Bolda.
Mancini looks to clinch
and Bolda cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mancini darts in trying to clinch
and Bolda counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Mancini tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bolda paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bolda just misses with a punch to the body.
Bolda swats away the attempt to clinch by Mancini.
Josh Bolda is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mancini gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Bolda counters with a nice uppercut.
Josh Bolda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arthur Mancini.
Mancini slips a jab from Bolda.
Bolda lands a nice looking body shot.
Mancini takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bolda fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Bolda misses with a wild body shot.
Bolda throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mancini pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mancini misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mancini moves out of range of the strikes.
Arthur Mancini is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A punch combination from Bolda misses.
Mancini tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Bolda counters with a right hand to the body.
Mancini tries to clinch but Bolda is having none of it.
Mancini throws a leg kick
and Bolda counters with a left to the body.
Mancini tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Bolda counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mancini throws a right hand that misses
and Bolda makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Mancini tries to clinch
and Bolda counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Mancini misses with a body punch
and Bolda counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Bolda throws a lazy right hand but Mancini sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mancini misses with the combination.
Bolda thows a left - swing and a miss!
Mancini tries to close the distance and clinch but Bolda swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mancini fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mancini throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mancini fails with the takedown
and Bolda makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nice body punch from Bolda.
Mancini tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Mancini takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bolda lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Bolda lands with a shot to the body.
Mancini throws a left and a right that both miss
and Bolda counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Bolda showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bolda has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Bolda!