PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Toni Miettinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matti Nykanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Miettinen comes to the cage accompanied by Eminem: Till I Collapse. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Miettinen
vs
Nykanen

175 cm
21
157 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

165 cm
28
133 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Toni Miettinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matti Nykanen!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nykanen gets a takedown into half guard.
Miettinen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nykanen is working away from the top position though.
Nykanen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Nykanen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Miettinen's head.
Miettinen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nykanen throwing shots but Miettinen is blocking nicely.

Miettinen actively working from the bottom here.
Miettinen trying to control from the bottom.
Miettinen is staying active underneath Nykanen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Miettinen is trying to stand up here but Nykanen is controlling him well.
Miettinen wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nykanen trying to control the action but Miettinen is working from the bottom.
Miettinen is trying to get back to full guard.
Nykanen passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Miettinen!
Miettinen tries to reverse the position but Nykanen maintains control.
Miettinen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Nykanen trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Miettinen is bucking up trying to escape but Nykanen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Nykanen trying to control but Miettinen is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Nykanen looking to control but Miettinen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nykanen punishing his opponent with strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nykanen working the ground and pound effectively.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Miettinen wants to hold on but Nykanen pushes him away.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Miettinen working to try and regain half guard.
Nykanen with good strikes from the mount here!
Nykanen raining down shots from the mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miettinen is bucking up trying to escape but Nykanen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Miettinen is rocked!
Nykanen throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nykanen throwing strikes here but Miettinen is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Nykanen lands with some strikes.
Oh Miettinen is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Nykanen controlling the pace for now.
Nykanen is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Miettinen can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Miettinen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Miettinen seems to have got his legs back now.
Miettinen slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Miettinen wants to control but Nykanen is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miettinen is trying to get back to full guard.
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!
Nykanen working over Miettinen with some ground and pound. Miettinen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Miettinen wants to control but Nykanen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Miettinen looks like he's trying to stand up.
Miettinen is looking for a sweep. Nykanen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Miettinen trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Nykanen looking to control but Miettinen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Miettinen regains half guard.
Nykanen content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nykanen dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Miettinen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nykanen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nykanen just misses with a punch to the body.
Miettinen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Miettinen drops his hands momentarily and Nykanen takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Nykanen. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

Nykanen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Nykanen lands in his opponent's guard.
Nykanen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Miettinen wants to get back to his feet but Nykanen passes into half guard.
Miettinen is looking to control Nykanen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Miettinen avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nykanen working over Miettinen with some ground and pound. Miettinen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Miettinen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Nykanen in particular looking to stall.
Nykanen wants to advance to full mount but Miettinen doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Miettinen is trying to hold Nykanen in close to prevent damage but Nykanen has managed to pass into half guard.
Miettinen is pressing down on Nykanen's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Nykanen won't allow Miettinen to sweep him here.
Matti Nykanen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nykanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Miettinen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nykanen's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nykanen's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Miettinen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Nykanen advances position into side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nykanen working away.
Nykanen cracks Miettinen with a big elbow.
Miettinen is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Nykanen asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Nykanen wants to control but Miettinen is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen is working Miettinen over with some ground and pound from side control.
Miettinen on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Miettinen tries to get out of the position.
Nykanen lands a nice forearm strike.
Miettinen gets back to half guard.
Nykanen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Miettinen keeps working.
Miettinen trying to control here.
Nykanen passes to side control.
Nykanen wants to control but Miettinen is keeping him busy.
Miettinen is looking to reverse the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miettinen can't do much from the bottom here.
The strikes coming from Nykanen are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Miettinen is not content to let Nykanen control the position.
Miettinen wants to control but Nykanen postures up.
Nykanen fails to land a wild elbow strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Miettinen is looking to reverse the position.
Nykanen is looking to take a break and control but Miettinen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nykanen working the strikes but Miettinen uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nykanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nice cross by Nykanen.
The fighters circling - Nykanen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The fight stays on the outside here - Miettinen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nykanen throws a hook to the side of Miettinen's head but Miettinen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Miettinen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nykanen with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Miettinen drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Miettinen misses with a takedown attempt

and Nykanen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Nykanen wants to control from the top but Miettinen keeps moving.
Nykanen advances to half guard.
Nykanen perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Miettinen trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nykanen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nykanen wants to pass the guard but Miettinen is defending well.
Nykanen stalling.
Nykanen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nykanen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Miettinen wants to get back to his feet.
Nykanen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Miettinen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen tries to pass to full mount but Miettinen defends it.
Miettinen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nykanen is pressing down on Miettinen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Miettinen is holding on for now.
Nykanen content to control rather than advance.
Nice strikes from Nykanen there.
Nykanen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Nykanen is thwarting Miettinen's attempts to control the position.
Miettinen trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen looking to control but Miettinen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nykanen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Miettinen is desperately trying to improve his position but Nykanen has a good base and remains in mount.
Nykanen postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Miettinen looks a forlorn figure.
Miettinen is squirming around, avoiding Nykanen's attempts to control the action.
Miettinen tries to hold on but Nykanen pushes him away.
Miettinen is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen looking to control but Miettinen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Miettinen is looking to get to half guard.
The referee warns Miettinen that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Nykanen landing punches.
Miettinen is squirming around, avoiding Nykanen's attempts to control the action.
Miettinen is trying to escape the mount.
Matti Nykanen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nykanen lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matti Nykanen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nykanen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30

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