PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antti Toronen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pertti Paavali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Toronen
vs
Paavali

193 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

196 cm
21
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antti Toronen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pertti Paavali!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Paavali closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Toronen wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Toronen is trying to control Paavali's posture but Paavali avoids it.
Toronen wants to get back to his feet.
Toronen avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Paavali.
Toronen is trying to improve his position.
Paavali prevents Toronen from escaping the position.

Paavali tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Toronen tries to buck Paavali off but Paavali is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Toronen tries to clinch but Paavali moves out of range.
Toronen tries to clinch but Paavali is having none of it.
Toronen throws a right and a left that Paavali avoids nicely.
Toronen wants to clinch.
Paavali fails to land the takedown.
Toronen with a poor takedown

and Paavali counters with a takedown into side control.

Paavali tries for a kimura but Toronen is defending well.
Paavali trying to control the action but Toronen is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paavali postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Paavali trying to control the position but Toronen is working away.
Paavali looks gassed!
Toronen is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Paavali in side control lands a decent elbow.
Toronen is trying to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Paavali shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Toronen's guard.
Paavali looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toronen managing to control the position.
Toronen wants to sweep here but Paavali controlling him for the moment.
Toronen wants to stand and escape but Paavali is having none of it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Toronen is on top in guard.
Toronen postures up in Paavali's guard and throws a big left but Paavali blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Paavali keeping moving, preventing Toronen from controlling successfully.
Paavali controlling Toronen's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Toronen wants to control from the top but Paavali keeps moving.
Toronen stops Paavali from standing up.
Toronen trying to control but Paavali is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Paavali looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Paavali slips a nice elbow through Toronen's hands, connecting with Toronen's forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pertti Paavali dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Paavali tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Toronen swivels and escapes.
Toronen throws a sloppy head kick

and Paavali counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Toronen controlling the position well.

Paavali looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Paavali throwing shots but Toronen is blocking nicely.
Toronen missing with punches from the bottom.
Paavali content to control rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paavali is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Paavali thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Toronen's head.
Toronen is looking to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Toronen stuffs the takedown.
Paavali is breathing heavily.
Paavali circles away from the clinch attempt

and Paavali counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Toronen is looking to stand up but Paavali isn't so interested in that idea.
Paavali must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Toronen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Paavali is one step ahead there.
Toronen is trying to control the position but Paavali postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Toronen is on top in guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Paavali can do anything to dispel that myth.
Toronen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Toronen works over Paavali with some ground and pound from guard.
Toronen wants to control from the top but Paavali keeps moving.

Paavali escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Toronen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Toronen stands up from Paavali's guard - Toronen perhaps looking for a knockout.
Paavali tries to clinch up

and Toronen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paavali is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Paavali lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.

Paavali has his foot on Toronen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Toronen works his way back into a safe position though.

Paavali pushes Toronen off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Paavali scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Antti Toronen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Paavali lands a lovely overhand right.
A clash of legs there as Paavali blocks the low kick.
Nice combo by Toronen! Oh, that's hurt him - Paavali falls to the canvas and Toronen follows him into side control.

Paavali is rocked!

It looks like Pertti Paavali has been cut.
Paavali wants to control but Toronen postures up.

Toronen decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Toronen closes the distance and clinches up with Paavali, looking for a takedown. Toronen pushes Paavali against the cage but Paavali circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Toronen closes the distance and clinches.
Toronen lands a nice shot to the body.
Toronen looking to slow down the pace here.
Paavali tries for a takedown. No joy.
Antti Toronen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pertti Paavali.

Toronen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Toronen clinches but Paavali breaks the clinch

and Paavali counters with a nice double leg into side control. Toronen won't be happy with that.
Paavali tries to advance to mount but can't.

Paavali tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Toronen is not content to let Paavali control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Pertti Paavali will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Pertti Paavali's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

The fight stays on the outside here - Toronen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Paavali shoots and misses
and Toronen counters with a straight right hand.
Paavali swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Toronen throws a right hand that Paavali ducks under and follows up with a left that Paavali also avoids with ease.
Paavali misses with a takedown attempt - Toronen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Toronen misses with a takedown

and Paavali counters with a takedown into side control.
Paavali trying to control the action but Toronen is working from the bottom.
Paavali scores with punches from side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toronen is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Paavali is controlling him well.
Toronen is trying to improve his position.
Paavali lands a few punches from side control.
Toronen is trying to get back to his feet.
Toronen is not content to let Paavali control the position.
Toronen tries to improve position but can't.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Paavali tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Toronen counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Toronen.
Toronen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Paavali backwards.

Toronen jumps guard.
Toronen looking to control.
Toronen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Paavali is one step ahead there.

Paavali drops back looking for a leg! Toronen is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Toronen manages to kick Paavali off! Paavali jumps back into Toronen's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Toronen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Paavali takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Paavali is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Toronen has control of Paavali's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Paavali regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Toronen throws a strike there. Paavali manages to avoid it well and slips a leg under to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paavali tries to kick Toronen off but Toronen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Paavali gets full guard.

Paavali kicks Toronen off and gets to his feet.
Paavali closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Toronen misses with a head kick.
Toronen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Paavali darts in and clinches Toronen up against the cage.
Paavali lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Paavali pulls guard.
Paavali trying to control the position here.
Paavali throws a couple of heel strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toronen lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Toronen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Toronen is pushing down on Paavali's leg trying to pass to half guard. Paavali is fighting to maintain full guard but Toronen has managed to sneak the leg through.
Toronen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Toronen is keen to just control but Paavali is a slippery customer.
Toronen is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Paavali!
Toronen looking to control and managing it successfully.
Toronen sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Toronen misses with a head shot.
Pertti Paavali has got the better of the ground game so far.
Paavali regains half guard.
Antti Toronen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Paavali is trying to control but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pertti Paavali comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Paavali 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pertti Paavali!