PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Peterson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justina Vanovcan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Peterson comes to the cage accompanied by Remember the Name by Fort Minor. Vanovcan has chosen Moskau as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Justina Vanovcan was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Peterson
vs
Vanovcan

200 cm
21
146 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

153 cm
29
130 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thomas Peterson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Justina Vanovcan!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Peterson gets tackled into the cage by Vanovcan. Vanovcan maintains the clinch.
Peterson blocks an elbow strike from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan misses with a knee strike.
Vanovcan throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vanovcan using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Peterson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Peterson takes an elbow to the forehead.
Vanovcan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Vanovcan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Peterson's brow.
Vanovcan lands an elbow just above Peterson 's eye.

Vanovcan successfully pulls guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Vanovcan controlling Peterson's posture.
Peterson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Peterson looking to pass the guard.
Peterson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Vanovcan wants to hit a switch here but Peterson passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Vanovcan there!
Peterson thowing shots but they're missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vanovcan holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Peterson tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

Vanovcan somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!

Vanovcan looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Peterson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Vanovcan pulls his head out easily.
Peterson wants to improve his position but Vanovcan is controlling well.
Vanovcan sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Peterson defending well though.
Vanovcan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vanovcan trying to control the action but Peterson is working from the bottom.

Vanovcan decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
A jab from Vanovcan misses.

Vanovcan gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Peterson looking for a takedown.
Vanovcan digs a right hand into Peterson's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Peterson's gas tank.
Peterson is looking to take this one to the mat.
Peterson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Vanovcan turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Vanovcan manages to end up in side control.
Vanovcan trying to control the action but Peterson is working from the bottom.
Vanovcan cracks Peterson with an elbow. That is naaassty.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vanovcan creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Peterson sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vanovcan is looking to take a break and control but Peterson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Peterson sneaks back into half guard.
Vanovcan is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Vanovcan decides to return to a standing position.
Horrible takedown by Peterson or perhaps it was just good defense by Vanovcan which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Peterson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Peterson gets caught napping as Vanovcan dives in and scores a takedown. Peterson manages to retain guard.
Peterson looking to control.
Peterson looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Vanovcan puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Peterson wants to control but Vanovcan is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Vanovcan working over Peterson with some ground and pound. Peterson looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Peterson regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Peterson wants to sweep here but Vanovcan controlling him for the moment.
Peterson is breathing heavily.
Vanovcan slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Vanovcan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Peterson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Vanovcan connects with a couple of short punches.
Vanovcan works over Peterson with some ground and pound from guard.
Peterson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Vanovcan slips nicely into half guard.
Vanovcan slows the pace down in half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Peterson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Vanovcan stands up from Peterson's guard - Vanovcan perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justina Vanovcan dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Peterson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Vanovcan wants to control but Peterson postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Peterson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Peterson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Vanovcan manages to get back to half guard.
Vanovcan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Peterson.
Peterson moves nicely into side control.
Justina Vanovcan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vanovcan is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vanovcan trying to control but Peterson postures up.

Peterson is trying to work for a kimura but Vanovcan is defending well.

Peterson is looking for a kimura here.
Vanovcan is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Peterson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Peterson's back!
Peterson trying to control but not successfully.
Peterson takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Vanovcan is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Vanovcan gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Vanovcan gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Vanovcan apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Vanovcan tries to clinch but Peterson moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Peterson fails with a takedown attempt.

Vanovcan shoots in and gets a takedown into Peterson's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vanovcan is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vanovcan works over Peterson with some ground and pound from guard.

Peterson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Peterson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Vanovcan is aware though and is defending well.
Vanovcan stands up over Peterson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Vanovcan chips away with some ground and pound.
Vanovcan with a nice head shot there.

Vanovcan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Vanovcan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Peterson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vanovcan passes Peterson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Vanovcan stalling.
Nice strikes from Vanovcan there.
Peterson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan content to control rather than advance.
Vanovcan is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Vanovcan punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vanovcan lands a heavy elbow.
Peterson tries to reverse the position but Vanovcan maintains control.
Peterson is working hard here to advance position.

Vanovcan looking for a guillotine from mount but Peterson is having none of it.
Peterson can't escape the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vanovcan controlling his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vanovcan working Peterson over with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justina Vanovcan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Vanovcan clinches with his opponent.
Peterson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Knees to the body from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Peterson is rocked!
Peterson changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Vanovcan fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Vanovcan has taken the fight to the clinch.
Vanovcan throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Vanovcan creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Peterson's defenses.
Peterson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Vanovcan lands a nice elbow.
Vanovcan utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Vanovcan makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Oh Peterson is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vanovcan has clasped his hands together around Peterson's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Vanovcan has hold of Peterson's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Peterson tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Vanovcan cranks the arm and Peterson screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Peterson, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Justina Vanovcan!