PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Matti Nykanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Da Guia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nykanen
vs
Da Guia

165 cm
26
133 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

175 cm
19
168 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matti Nykanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Carlos Da Guia!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Da Guia tries to clinch up but Nykanen circles away and keeps his distance.
Da Guia tries to clinch up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Da Guia breaks the clinch.
Nykanen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Da Guia misses with a wild combination.
Nykanen thows a body shot but no joy.

Da Guia gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nykanen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nykanen is working for takedown but Da Guia is calmly controlling the position for now.
Nykanen has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Da Guia avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Da Guia using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nykanen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Da Guia gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Nykanen.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matti Nykanen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Da Guia with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Da Guia trying to stall but Nykanen improves his position.
Nykanen takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Matti Nykanen has been cut.
Da Guia using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nykanen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Da Guia prevents a takedown attempt there.

Da Guia manages to break the clinch.
Carlos Da Guia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Da Guia tries to grapple but his opponent circles

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Nykanen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nykanen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Da Guia avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nykanen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Nykanen is looking to work some ground and pound but Da Guia has wrist control.
Nykanen is looking to work some ground and pound but Da Guia has wrist control.
Nykanen stands and throws Da Guia's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Nykanen controls the position from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Nykanen are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Nykanen in side control, throwing shots but Da Guia defends.
Da Guia managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Nykanen.
Nykanen misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Nykanen prevents Da Guia from escaping the position.
Nykanen staying calm.
Nykanen misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Da Guia is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Nykanen throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Nykanen working the ground and pound from side control.
Nykanen lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Nykanen in side control, throwing shots but Da Guia defends.
Sloppy strikes there by Nykanen.
Nykanen working the ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Da Guia tries to escape but Nykanen is in control.
Nykanen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nykanen looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Da Guia is avoiding damage well.
Nykanen throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Nykanen throws an elbow but Da Guia slips to the side and avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nykanen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Matti Nykanen's cut.
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.

Da Guia fails with an attempt to clinch.
Da Guia slaps away a takedown attempt from Nykanen, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Da Guia drives through and clinches with Nykanen against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Da Guia's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Da Guia is trying to stall.
Nykanen drops down looking for an ankle pick but Da Guia pulls his leg out and moves away.
Da Guia doesn't manage to clinch there - Nykanen circles away.
Da Guia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Nykanen here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Da Guia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Carlos Da Guia is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Da Guia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Nykanen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nykanen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Da Guia works the jab nicely.
Nykanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Da Guia.
Da Guia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nykanen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Da Guia will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nykanen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Da Guia throws a nice looking combination but Nykanen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Da Guia is looking to clinch.
Nykanen looks for a takedown but Da Guia sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matti Nykanen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nykanen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Da Guia as he avoids it easily.
Nykanen keeps the fight on the outside.
Da Guia tries to clinch there but Nykanen circles away.
Nykanen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Da Guia moves in looking to clinch but Nykanen pushes him off.
Nykanen keeps the fight on the outside.
Da Guia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Da Guia wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nykanen scores a takedown into full mount!
Nykanen lands a heavy elbow.
Nykanen unloads with some shots from mount but Da Guia bucks and avoids them well.
Nykanen punching from mount but Da Guia doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Nykanen lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Nykanen misses with a head shot.
Nykanen throwing strikes but Da Guia uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Nykanen is just content to waste time from the top position. Da Guia takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Da Guia swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nykanen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nykanen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Da Guia working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nykanen.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nykanen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Da Guia swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Da Guia working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nykanen.
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 Matti Nykanen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Matti Nykanen's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Da Guia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Da Guia wants to clinch up but Nykanen keeps it at a distance.
Da Guia tries to clinch up.
Da Guia fails in his attempt to clinch.
Da Guia stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Da Guia wants it to stay on the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Da Guia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Da Guia tries to close the distance and clinch but Nykanen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nykanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Da Guia.
Nykanen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Da Guia tries to clinch there but Nykanen circles away.
Da Guia tries to clinch there but Nykanen circles away.
Carlos Da Guia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Da Guia listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Nykanen feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Nykanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Da Guia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nykanen looking to pass the guard.
Nykanen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Nykanen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Matti Nykanen.
Da Guia fails in his attempt to clinch.
Da Guia fails in his attempt to clinch.
Da Guia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Nykanen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Da Guia is looking to clinch but Nykanen is avoiding it.
Nykanen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Da Guia sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nykanen somewhat.
Nykanen keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Da Guia tries to clinch there but Nykanen circles away.

Nykanen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Nykanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Da Guia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nykanen is looking to work some ground and pound but Da Guia has wrist control.
Nykanen 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.
Da Guia wants to stand and escape but Nykanen is having none of it.
Nykanen throwing strikes but missing.
Nykanen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nykanen postures up in Da Guia's guard and throws a big left but Da Guia blocks it.
Nykanen trying to control but Da Guia is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen throws and elbow that misses. Da Guia uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Nykanen's guard. Nice move by Da Guia!

Nykanen scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Nykanen fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matti Nykanen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Da Guia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Nykanen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Matti Nykanen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Da Guia walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Nykanen checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Da Guia wants to clinch up but Nykanen keeps it at a distance.
Da Guia moves out of range of the leg kick from Nykanen.
Carlos Da Guia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nykanen shoots for a takedown but Da Guia saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matti Nykanen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nykanen, 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matti Nykanen!