PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jari Lehtonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George st nkoi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lehtonen comes into the arena with Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us blaring out of the sound system. st nkoi is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by number one. Jari Lehtonen has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Lehtonen
vs
st nkoi

190 cm
28
186 lbs
21 - 16 - 0

178 cm
28
199 lbs
18 - 21 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Fossington & Blythe: Gentlemen's Fight Attire

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 16 - 0, fighting out of London, Jari Lehtonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 21 - 0, fighting out of London, George st nkoi!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, William Gold and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lehtonen shoots for a takedown but st nkoi saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

st nkoi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
st nkoi wants to control from the top but Lehtonen keeps moving.

st nkoi drops back looking for a leg! Lehtonen is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Lehtonen manages to kick st nkoi off! st nkoi jumps back into Lehtonen's guard.
Lehtonen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Lehtonen has an active guard here but st nkoi has managed to pass into half guard.

Lehtonen kicks off st nkoi and gets to his feet.

st nkoi shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than st nkoi was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Lehtonen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lehtonen trying desperately to get to his feet.
Lehtonen landing with some feeble shots from his back... He should probably try escaping the position instead.
st nkoi landing shots from mount.

It looks like Jari Lehtonen has been cut.
st nkoi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
st nkoi takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Lehtonen manages to reverse the position and now he's in st nkoi's guard. Nice work there by Lehtonen.
Lehtonen trying to control the position from guard on top but st nkoi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lehtonen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Lehtonen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Lehtonen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

st nkoi kicks Lehtonen off and gets to his feet.
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!

st nkoi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Lehtonen lands a body punch in the clinch.
Lehtonen stalls.
st nkoi tries to break the clinch but Lehtonen is controlling the position.
Lehtonen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
st nkoi looking for a takedown.
Good body shot from Lehtonen.
st nkoi leaning his opponent against the cage.

st nkoi has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Lehtonen uses from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
st nkoi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Lehtonen!
st nkoi lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Lehtonen's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

st nkoi is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Lehtonen stuffs the takedown.
Lehtonen misses with the combination.
Lehtonen stalks st nkoi and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into st nkoi's face. st nkoi staggers backwards, shaken.
Lehtonen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from st nkoi.
Jari Lehtonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George st nkoi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lehtonen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Lehtonen moves into the clinch.

st nkoi wants the takedown. Lehtonen is fighting it off but st nkoi persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Lehtonen's guard against the cage.

Lehtonen is working an open guard so st nkoi takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Lehtonen. No joy for st nkoi on that attempt.

Lehtonen closes the distance and pushes st nkoi back into the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
st nkoi fails to pull the fight into his guard.
st nkoi tries to pull guard but Lehtonen holds him up against the cage and eventually st nkoi drops back down to his feet.
st nkoi fails to pull the fight into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George st nkoi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jari Lehtonen's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Lehtonen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Lehtonen darts in and clinches st nkoi up against the cage.
st nkoi scores with a shot to the side of Lehtonen's head.
Lehtonen tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and st nkoi avoids it.

Lehtonen breaks the clinch.
Lehtonen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Lehtonen clinches up with st nkoi and pushes him back against the cage.
Lehtonen has st nkoi pressed against the cage.

Lehtonen breaks from the clinch.
st nkoi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Lehtonen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
George st nkoi has got the better of the ground game so far.

Lehtonen uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Jari Lehtonen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lehtonen moves into the clinch successfully.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for st nkoi.
Lehtonen tries a body shot but st nkoi blocks it.
Lehtonen landing knees to the body.
st nkoi fails to pull guard.
st nkoi pressing his opponent against the cage.
Lehtonen tries to work over st nkoi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Knees to the body from Lehtonen.
st nkoi changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Lehtonen fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Jari Lehtonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George st nkoi.
st nkoi displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lehtonen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lehtonen drives through and clinches with st nkoi against the cage.
st nkoi can't break the clinch.
st nkoi has Lehtonen pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lehtonen manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
st nkoi jumps guard but Lehtonen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

st nkoi jumps guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
st nkoi trying to control the position.
st nkoi has a closed guard, preventing Lehtonen from standing up.
st nkoi not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen won't allow st nkoi to sweep him here.

Lehtonen drops back looking for a leg! st nkoi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and st nkoi manages to kick Lehtonen off! Lehtonen jumps back into st nkoi's guard.
Lehtonen wants to stand but st nkoi is controlling his posture from full guard.

Lehtonen gets to his feet. st nkoi looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
st nkoi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Lehtonen.
Jari Lehtonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lehtonen lands a jab.
Lehtonen closes the distance and clinches up with st nkoi, looking for a takedown. Lehtonen pushes st nkoi against the cage but st nkoi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around st nkoi's waist but st nkoi gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lehtonen off to one side.
Lehtonen stuffs the takedown attempt from st nkoi. st nkoi gets slowly back to his feet.

Lehtonen moves into the clinch successfully.
st nkoi lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Lehtonen tries a body shot but st nkoi blocks it.
st nkoi tries to pull guard but Lehtonen holds him up against the cage and eventually st nkoi drops back down to his feet.
st nkoi misses with a punch on the inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A short body shot lands from Lehtonen as the two fighters clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
st nkoi throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Lehtonens head.

Lehtonen manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jari Lehtonen dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jari Lehtonen's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

st nkoi fails with the takedown.
st nkoi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

st nkoi gets tackled into the cage by Lehtonen. Lehtonen maintains the clinch.
Lehtonen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lehtonen lands a body shot in the clinch.
st nkoi scores with a shoulder strike.
st nkoi is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Lehtonen pulls him back up using the underhooks.

st nkoi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Lehtonen closes the distance and clinches.
Lehtonen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with st nkoi's elbow.
st nkoi has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Lehtonen after a bit of a struggle.
Jari Lehtonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George st nkoi.
Lehtonen tries to stall but st nkoi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lehtonen tries to land knees in the clinch but st nkoi avoids the damage to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
st nkoi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A right handed body shot lands from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen missing with knees to the body.

st nkoi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
st nkoi takes one to the side of the head.

Lehtonen clinches up with st nkoi and pushes him back against the cage.
st nkoi fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Knees to the body from Lehtonen.
A short right from Lehtonen on the inside.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
st nkoi jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Lehtonen walks away with a smile on his face. st nkoi gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
st nkoi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
st nkoi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lehtonen circles away.

Lehtonen rushes st nkoi and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
st nkoi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
st nkoi jumps guard but Lehtonen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
st nkoi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
st nkoi keeps control of Lehtonen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Lehtonen misses with a punch to the body.
st nkoi fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Lehtonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

st nkoi moves into range and clinches up with Lehtonen.
st nkoi swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Lehtonen breaks the clinch.

Lehtonen shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in st nkoi's guard.
st nkoi is trying to keep Lehtonen in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

st nkoi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lehtonen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lehtonen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Lehtonen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on st nkoi, up you get!

Lehtonen drives through and clinches with st nkoi against the cage.
st nkoi throws a head punch that misses.
Jari Lehtonen has scored more points in the clinch so far.

st nkoi tightens his grip and picks Lehtonen up, before dumping him to the ground. Lehtonen manages to land in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lehtonen wants to stand and escape but st nkoi is having none of it.

Lehtonen working for a triangle but st nkoi defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

st nkoi has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Lehtonen to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! st nkoi is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Lehtonen pulls down on the head and he's put st nkoi to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Jari Lehtonen!
Jari Lehtonen decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.