PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Moreira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paco Nykanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nykanen has chosen Jeff Mills - The Bells as his entrance music. 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.

Moreira
vs
Nykanen

170 cm
28
155 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

170 cm
29
166 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite 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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Daniel Moreira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paco Nykanen!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Moreira takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A slow jab from Nykanen misses its intended target.
Nykanen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Moreira sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Nykanen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Moreira scores with a jab. Nykanen acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Nykanen goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Moreira cracks Nykanen with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Moreira scores with a punch to the head.
Nykanen connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Moreira jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Moreira feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Nykanen's calf.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Nykanen.
Nice jab there from Nykanen.
Nykanen throws a low kick but it's checked well by Moreira.
Nykanen misses with a body shot.
Nykanen connects with a solid leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moreira checks a low kick from Nykanen.
Nykanen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nykanen misses with a hook.

Moreira gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Moreira is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Nykanen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Moreira works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nykanen thows a big elbow that misses.
Nykanen throwing strikes from guard but Moreira blocks nicely.
Moreira preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nykanen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Moreira can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Nykanen controls the pace.
Moreira looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nykanen is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen is looking to work some ground and pound but Moreira has wrist control.
Moreira is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Moreira looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Moreira working a defensive guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Daniel Moreira.
Nykanen throws the left hand but Moreira avoids the punch easily.
Moreira throws a leg kick which misses Nykanen's front leg but catches the back leg as Nykanen tries to avoid it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Nykanen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Moreira moves away.
Moreira slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen shoots in for a takedown but Moreira shows good takedown defense.
Moreira avoids the body shot from Nykanen.
Moreira swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Moreira looks to throw the jab but Nykanen is out of range.
A left lands for Nykanen.
A looping hook to the body misses from Moreira. Nykanen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Moreira fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nykanen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nykanen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nykanen throws a lazy right hand but Moreira sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nykanen feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Moreiras jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Moreira scores with a leg kick.
Nykanen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Moreira on the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Moreira.
Moreira moves out of range of the strikes.
Nice defenses there by Nykanen.
Moreira displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Nykanen throws out the jab.
Moreira is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Nykanen.
Nykanen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Paco Nykanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nykanen throws out a leg kick but Moreira moves out of range and Nykanen only half commits.
Moreira throws a looping overhand right but Nykanen ducks down to avoid it.
Moreira misses with a body shot.
Nykanen scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nykanen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Moreira.
Moreira misses with a body shot.
A jab from Moreira misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paco Nykanen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nykanen is looking to score with low kicks.
Nice uppercut lands for Nykanen. That snapped Moreira's head back.
Nykanen has a takedown stuffed.
Moreira misses with a body punch

and Nykanen counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Moreira!
Nykanen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Nykanen scoring with strikes but Moreira is staying in there.
Nykanen punching from mount but Moreira doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Nykanen landing punches.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Moreira blocking the ground and pound.
Moreira can't escape the position.
Nykanen looking to finish with strikes here!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Moreira is squirming around, avoiding Nykanen's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nykanen controlling from the full mount.
Nykanen looking to control but Moreira is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moreira taking shots to the head.
Moreira squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Poor strikes thrown by Nykanen there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Nykanen is trying to control here but Moreira has managed to regain half guard.
Nykanen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Moreira wants to get back to full guard.
Nykanen thows a huge punch but Moreira dodges it nicely.

Nykanen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Moreira sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moreira trying to control here.
Nykanen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Moreira is trying to maintain the position but Nykanen is very close to passing his half guard.
Paco Nykanen has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Moreira tries to roll over but Nykanen keeps him under control.
Moreira is looking to control Nykanen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Moreira avoid being mounted?
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Nykanen throwing shots but Moreira is blocking nicely.
Nykanen prevents Moreira from improving his position.
Moreira is trying to maintain the position but Nykanen is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Nykanen thows a huge punch but Moreira dodges it nicely.
Moreira gets back to full guard.
Moreira is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nykanen stopping the sweep attempt from Moreira.
Moreira manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nykanen manages to get himself to full guard.

Nykanen throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Moreira escapes and throws Nykanen's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moreira trying to control the action but Nykanen is working from the bottom.
Nykanen is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Moreira off and has taken his back!
Nykanen doesn't have the hooks in and Moreira manages to turn into his guard.
Moreira wants to control from the top but Nykanen keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Moreira trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Nykanen manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paco Nykanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Nykanen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Moreira stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A nice inside leg kick there by Moreira. That's going to slow Nykanen down.
Moreira takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Nykanen shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Moreira ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Moreira misses with a straight right.
Moreira ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Nykanen moves away.
Moreira tries to work over Nykanen's front leg with a kick but Nykanen checks it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Moreira. Nykanen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Moreira misses with a hook to the body
and Nykanen counters with a slapping leg kick.
Moreira works the jab nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Moreira misses.
A leg kick checked by Nykanen.
Paco Nykanen seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Nykanen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Nykanen cracks Moreira with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Nykanen misses with a head shot.
Moreira is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Nykanen working Moreira over with strikes here.
Moreira is working to get back to half guard.
Nykanen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Moreira?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nykanen with a couple of short strikes.

Moreira is rocked!

It looks like Daniel Moreira has been cut.
Nykanen working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Oh Moreira is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Moreira is wriggling around trying to escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen is landing with some decent strikes but Moreira is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Nykanen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Moreira?
Nykanen dominating with strikes here.
Daniel Moreira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Moreira really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Moreira is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Nykanen landing shots from mount.
Nykanen postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Moreira bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Nykanen and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Paco Nykanen!