PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Caleb Cohen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niko Nakkeli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Cohen might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Wait and Bleed by Slipknot. The crowd seem to be enjoying Nakkeli's choice of entrance music: LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out. 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.

Cohen
vs
Nakkeli

185 cm
23
180 lbs
10 - 10 - 0

175 cm
24
180 lbs
7 - 13 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Caleb Cohen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niko Nakkeli!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cohen shoots in and drives through. Nakkeli sprawls well.
Nakkeli goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Cohen takes one on the button.

Cohen is rocked!
Cohen swinging wildly here.
Cohen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nakkeli fails with a takedown attempt.
Cohen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nakkeli lands a nice hook to Cohen's body. Cohen takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakkeli throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nakkeli keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Caleb Cohen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cohen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Nakkeli counters with a single leg into guard. Cohen didn't expect that.
Cohen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Nakkeli trying to control but Cohen is working from the bottom.

Cohen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Nakkeli trying to control the position from guard on top but Cohen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nakkeli looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cohen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nakkeli controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Nakkeli advances to half guard.
Nakkeli controlling the action here.

Cohen with the active half guard here but Nakkeli passes nicely into side control.
Nakkeli trying to control the position but Cohen is working away.
Nakkeli working away.
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.
Nakkeli trying to control the position but Cohen is working away.
Cohen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Nakkeli wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Cohen is trying to control Nakkeli's posture but Nakkeli avoids it.
Nakkeli fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Cohen can't do much from the bottom here.
Cohen trying to remain calm as Nakkeli controls from the top position.
Nakkeli throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakkeli lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Cohen down.
Cohen manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Nakkeli is trying to get back to full guard.

Cohen is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Nakkeli has managed to free his arm - good work.

Nakkeli looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Cohen is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cohen is trying to control the action in half guard but Nakkeli is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cohen is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Nakkeli is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cohen misses with a takedown attempt
letting Nakkeli counter with a right hand.
Nakkeli looks to land a combination but Cohen avoids it well.
Nakkeli misses with a hook.
Cohen fails with a takedown attempt.
Nakkeli misses with an uppercut. Cohen saw that one coming.
Cohen shoots in for a double leg but Nakkeli sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Caleb Cohen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nakkeli misses with a two punch combination.
Nakkeli works Cohen's body with a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakkeli tries for a takedown but Cohen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cohen doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Niko Nakkeli seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A combination from Nakkeli does no damage.
Cohen misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Nakkeli counters with a nice uppercut.
Nakkeli takes a swing at Cohen's ribcage but misses.
Cohen ducks under a wild hook from Nakkeli.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cohen is defended easily by Nakkeli.
The fighters circle momentarily. Nakkeli darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Cohen.
Caleb Cohen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cohen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nice jab there from Nakkeli.
Oh Cohen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cohen bobbing and weaving nicely... He's ducked under a jab and ducks again but ooooooh! Nakkeli comes at him with an uppercut from hell! Cohen falls to the canvas, unconscious! This one is all over! Oh man, looking at the replay that was right on the button! Cohen was out before he hit the floor!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Niko Nakkeli!