PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ari Birmiski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Buck Shmuck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Birmiski's entrance music is I'm Back - T.I. A fine choice. 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.

Birmiski
vs
Shmuck

170 cm
27
140 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

174 cm
28
135 lbs
20 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ari Birmiski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Buck Shmuck!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Jeff Smith and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shmuck moves into the clinch.
Birmiski lands a left hand that snaps the head of Shmuck backwards.
Birmiski is stalling here.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Birmiski just misses with a elbow thrown towards Shmuck's brow.
Shmuck tries to land knees in the clinch but Birmiski avoids the damage to the body.

Birmiski gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Birmiski wants to control from the top but Shmuck keeps moving.
Birmiski throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Birmiski passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Birmiski in side control, throwing shots but Shmuck defends.

Birmiski is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Shmuck knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Birmiski in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Birmiski throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Sloppy strikes there by Birmiski.
Birmiski trying to control the action but Shmuck is working from the bottom.
Shmuck dodges the ground and pound from Birmiski.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Birmiski thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Birmiski in side control lands a decent elbow.
Birmiski is looking to take a break and control but Shmuck is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Birmiski content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Birmiski scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shmuck takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Birmiski swings around for an armbar but Shmuck sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Birmiski's guard.
Birmiski looking for a sweep. Not yet Birmiski, not yet.

Shmuck has gone for a leg lock! Birmiski slips out almost immediately though and dives into Shmuck's guard.
Birmiski throwing strikes but missing.
Birmiski is looking to work some ground and pound but Shmuck has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shmuck keeping moving, preventing Birmiski from controlling successfully.
Birmiski postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Birmiski stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shmuck swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Birmiski trying to control but Shmuck is working from the bottom.
Birmiski wants to pass the guard but Shmuck is keeping the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Birmiski trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Shmuck manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Birmiski 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.

Birmiski misses with a looping right.

Birmiski shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Birmiski showed some decent athleticism there.

Birmiski seems to be looking for submissions.
Birmiski is just content to waste time from the top position. Shmuck takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Shmuck not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shmuck wants to stand up but Birmiski is controlling him.

Birmiski drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Shmuck dives on top into guard.
Birmiski is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Birmiski keeping full guard, as Shmuck tries to pass.
Birmiski is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Shmuck accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Shmuck looking to pass the guard.
Ari Birmiski overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birmiski is pulling down on Shmuck's head to control his posture.
Birmiski lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Shmuck!
Shmuck is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Birmiski avoids the attempt from Shmuck to control.
Birmiski cracks Shmuck with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Shmuck is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Birmiski scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Shmuck?
Birmiski has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Shmuck's face.
Birmiski trying to control but Shmuck is having none of it.

Birmiski looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Birmiski breaks from Shmuck's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shmuck avoids a series of strikes thrown by Birmiski.
Birmiski thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Birmiski throws some wild stikes that Shmuck manages to avoid easily.
Birmiski lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Shmuck hang on?

Shmuck is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Birmiski cracks Shmuck with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ari Birmiski!
A very excited looking Ari Birmiski made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.