PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Niko Puhakka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Turo Sapp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Puhakka 's entrance music is Condemned 84 - Face the Aggression. A fine choice. The key to victory for Niko Puhakka has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Puhakka
vs
Sapp

178 cm
20
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
154 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niko Puhakka !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Turo Sapp!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Sapp as Puhakka shoots in.
Sapp lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Puhakka shoots for a double leg takedown but Sapp sprawls well. He's pushed Puhakka 's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Puhakka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Puhakka shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sapp defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Niko Puhakka . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Some wild striking there from Sapp.
Puhakka checks a leg kick nicely.
A combination from Sapp does no damage.
Puhakka shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sapp as he jumps to the side.

Sapp takes the fight into the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Puhakka .
Sapp looking to throw knees to the head but Puhakka is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puhakka makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Puhakka working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Puhakka misses with a hook from the clinch.

Sapp is fighting off a takedown attempt but Puhakka is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Sapp to the mat. Sapp regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Puhakka stands and steps away. Sapp gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Sapp looks gassed!
Puhakka with a poor takedown

and Sapp counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Puhakka 's guard now.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sapp accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sapp lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Puhakka pushes Sapp off and scrambles back to his feet.
Niko Puhakka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sapp avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Puhakka moves in looking to clinch but Sapp pushes him off.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puhakka scores with a nice hook to the head.

Sapp gets control of Puhakka 's arms and successfully pulls guard. Sapp will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Sapp keeping moving, preventing Puhakka from controlling successfully.
Sapp is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Puhakka is looking to work some ground and pound but Sapp has wrist control.
Puhakka throwing strikes but missing.
Puhakka looking to sit in guard and control but Sapp gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sapp wants to control from the top but Puhakka keeps moving.
Puhakka 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sapp looking to sit in guard and control but Puhakka gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Puhakka would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Puhakka is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Puhakka in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sapp keeping moving, preventing Puhakka from controlling successfully.
Puhakka is looking to work some ground and pound but Sapp has wrist control.
Sapp has a closed guard, preventing Puhakka from standing up.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Puhakka missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sapp is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sapp stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sapp wants it to stay on the feet.
Left hook, right uppercut from Sapp.
Puhakka fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Niko Puhakka will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sapp tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Puhakka shoots in but no luck this time.
Puhakka shoots in for a takedown but Sapp shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Puhakka misses with a takedown attempt
and Sapp connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Niko Puhakka . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Puhakka tries to close the distance and clinch but Sapp swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Puhakka tries to clinch there but Sapp circles away.
Sapp misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Puhakka closes the distance but Sapp moves to the side

and Sapp counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Puhakka lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Puhakka jumps guard.

Sapp decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Puhakka misses with a takedown attempt

and Sapp counters with a nice double leg into side control. Puhakka won't be happy with that.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Sapp decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puhakka looks to clinch

and Sapp moves into the clinch.
Sapp drops down looking for an ankle pick but Puhakka pulls his leg out and moves away.
Sapp keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Sapp moves into the clinch successfully.

Puhakka pulls guard successfully.
Sapp with a flurry of punches that miss.
Puhakka is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sapp is controlling him.
Sapp thows a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sapp gets to his feet. Puhakka looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Sapp is looking to score with low kicks.
Sapp keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Puhakka fails with the takedown

and Sapp counters by clinching up.
Sapp lands a hook that snaps the head of Puhakka backwards.
Sapp fails to pull guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Puhakka turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Sapp tries to get back to half guard but can't.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sapp can do anything to dispel that myth.
Puhakka trying to control the position but Sapp is working away.

Puhakka wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sapp, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Puhakka stands up.
Puhakka with a poor takedown

and Sapp moves into the clinch.
Sapp stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sapp trying to stall but Puhakka improves his position.

Sapp breaks the clinch.

Puhakka takes the fight into the clinch.

Puhakka ties up his opponent against the ropes and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Puhakka no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sapp lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sapp stands up over Puhakka , holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Puhakka wants to stand and escape but Sapp is having none of it.
Sapp lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Sapp stands over his opponent and dives in with a flying punch! Puhakka throws up his legs and catches Sapp in a triangle! Oh this looks tight! Sapp tries to escape but he's forced to tap! Wow, fantastic work there by Puhakka ! That came out of nowhere!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Niko Puhakka !