PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Owen Schmitt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jari Lehtonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Schmitt kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is In God We Trust - Stryper. Lehtonen comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Owen Schmitt could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Jari Lehtonen's chin.

Schmitt
vs
Lehtonen

182 cm
32
180 lbs
22 - 11 - 0

190 cm
29
186 lbs
24 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Fossington & Blythe: Gentlemen's Fight Attire
Bloodsport Nutrition (100% Genuine)

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 22 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Owen Schmitt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 16 - 0, fighting out of London, Jari Lehtonen!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, William Gold and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Schmitt throws a looping overhand right but Lehtonen ducks down to avoid it.
Crunch! Schmitt slams his shin into Lehtonen's torso.
Schmitt thuds his right hand into Lehtonen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

It looks like Jari Lehtonen has been cut.

Lehtonen closes the distance and clinches.
Lehtonen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lehtonen blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Lehtonen manages to break the clinch.
Schmitt does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Lehtonen closes the distance and pushes Schmitt back into the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Schmitt's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Lehtonen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Schmitt looks to land a right hand but Lehtonen moved out of range.
A big left from Lehtonen misses.
Schmitt connects with the punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Schmitt connects with a looping right hand.
Lehtonen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Schmitt.
A telegraphed right hand from Schmitt misses the target.
Lehtonen tries to clinch but Schmitt is having none of it.
Lehtonen is looking to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Lehtonen.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lehtonen gets through Schmitt's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Lehtonen lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Lehtonen prevents a body shot from Schmitt.
Lehtonen misses with a knee strike.

Lehtonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Schmitt circles away from the clinch attempt.
Schmitt looks to land a body kick but Lehtonen moved away.
Lehtonen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Schmitt swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lehtonen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Schmitt paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Schmitt throws a poor cross that misses

and Lehtonen counters by clinching up.

Lehtonen breaks the clinch.
Lehtonen just misses with a punch to the body.
Schmitt takes a swing at Lehtonen's ribcage but misses.
Lehtonen lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Schmitt lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lehtonen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Schmitt throws out the jab.
Schmitt throws a sloppy body shot

and Lehtonen counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Schmitt tries a body shot but Lehtonen blocks it.

Lehtonen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lehtonen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Schmitt swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lehtonen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lehtonen throws a combination that misses
and Schmitt counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Lehtonen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lehtonen uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lehtonen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Schmitt's corner calls for a 1-2. Schmitt obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Lehtonen tries to clinch but Schmitt moves out of range.
Schmitt rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lehtonen counters with a nice low kick that buckles Schmitt's knee momentarily.
Lehtonen connects with a leg kick. Schmitt looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Schmitt fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Lehtonen is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Lehtonen throws a good cross that connects.
Lehtonen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Schmitt throws a poor cross that misses

and Lehtonen counters by clinching up.
Lehtonen working Schmitt over with knees to the body.
Lehtonen pushes Schmitt back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Schmitt wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Lehtonen is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Schmitt is keeping busy.

Lehtonen breaks from the clinch.
Schmitt looks to land a body kick but Lehtonen moved away.
Lehtonen is looking to clinch.
Lehtonen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Schmitt.
Schmitt connects with an inside leg kick.
Schmitt tries to land a leg kick but Lehtonen saw it coming and moves away.
Lehtonen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Schmitt circles away quickly and effectively.
Schmitt thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Schmitt paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Schmitt scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Schmitt swats away the attempt to clinch by Lehtonen.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lehtonen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lehtonen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Schmitt swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Lehtonen moves into the clinch.
Schmitt drops down looking for an ankle pick but Lehtonen pulls his leg out and moves away.
Schmitt blocks a jab.
Schmitt finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Lehtonen fails to land with a series of punches.
Schmitt lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Lehtonen at a distance.
Lehtonen takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Schmitt closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Lehtonen's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jari Lehtonen will probably get the nod.
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!

Lehtonen wants to clinch up but Schmitt keeps it at a distance.
Schmitt looks to land a combination. Lehtonen sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Schmitt scoring well with a low kick there.
Lehtonen closes the distance looking to clinch
and Schmitt counters with a stiff right hand.
Schmitt throws a jab when Lehtonen was well out of range.
Lehtonen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Schmitt connects with a single shot there.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Schmitt has Lehtonen pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lehtonen manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Schmitt wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Schmitt struggles to land a body shot inside as Lehtonen controls his hands.
Lehtonen crunches a lovely knee into Schmitt's ribcage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Schmitt goes for a takedown in the clinch but Lehtonen prevents it.
Schmitt tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lehtonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jari Lehtonen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Lehtonen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Lehtonen tries to land knees in the clinch but Schmitt avoids the damage to the body.

Schmitt breaks from the clinch.
Lehtonen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lehtonen tries to clinch up but Schmitt circles away and keeps his distance.
That kick from Schmitt tenderised Lehtonen's leg. Lehtonen is trying to keep his angry face on.
Lehtonen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Schmitt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lehtonen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Schmitt.
Lehtonen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Schmitt.
A low kick from Schmitt misses
and Lehtonen counters with a head kick.
Lehtonen cracks Schmitt with a good jab.
Lehtonen checks a low kick from Schmitt.
Lehtonen moves out of range of the strikes.
Schmitt thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Lehtonen if he has to take too many more of those.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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 clinch but fails miserably
letting Schmitt counter with a right hand.
Schmitt throws a leg kick but Lehtonen moved away.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Schmitt keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Schmitt blocks a head kick by Lehtonen.
Schmitt blocks a head kick by Lehtonen.

Lehtonen moves into range and clinches up with Schmitt.

Lehtonen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Schmitt lands with a thumping leg kick.
Schmitt ducks under a wild hook from Lehtonen.
Schmitt swings for the body but Lehtonen moves out of range.
Schmitt misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lehtonen is looking to clinch.
A jab from Schmitt misses.
Schmitt throws a series of punches but Lehtonen moves out of range.
Schmitt connects with a solid leg kick.
Lehtonen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Schmitt paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen scores with a one two! Schmitt had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Schmitt swats away the attempt to clinch by Lehtonen.

Lehtonen clinches.
Lehtonen has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Jari Lehtonen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Schmitt wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lehtonen has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Schmitt.
Lehtonen blocks a body shot from Schmitt.
Lehtonen blocks a body shot from Schmitt.
Lehtonen lands an uppercut.
Lehtonen can't find room to land a body shot as Schmitt controls the action.

Schmitt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lehtonen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Schmitt paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lehtonen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Schmitt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lehtonen tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Schmitt to counter with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lehtonen misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schmitt throws a leg kick
and Lehtonen counters with a head kick.
Lehtonen on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Jari Lehtonen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lehtonen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Schmitt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Schmitt is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lehtonen.
Schmitt shoots in for a takedown but Lehtonen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Owen Schmitt. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lehtonen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Schmitt circles away quickly and effectively.
Schmitt throws a push kick but Lehtonen slaps the foot to one side.
Lehtonen moves out of range as Schmitt strikes.
Lehtonen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Schmitt has time to react.
Lehtonen tries to clinch but Schmitt moves out of range.
Schmitt bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Lehtonen rushes Schmitt and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Lehtonen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Schmitt circles away from the clinch attempt
and Schmitt counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jari Lehtonen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Jari Lehtonen's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Schmitt scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Lehtonen has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Lehtonen is rocked!
Schmitt swats away the attempt to clinch by Lehtonen.
Lehtonen is still on wobbly legs! Can Schmitt finish him?
Lehtonen moves away from the strike by Schmitt.
Schmitt gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Lehtonen.
Lehtonen seems to have recovered his senses.
Lehtonen tries to clinch there but Schmitt circles away.
Lehtonen wants to clinch.
Lehtonen wants to clinch up but Schmitt keeps it at a distance.
Schmitt fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lehtonen manages to avoid it.
Lehtonen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lehtonen wants to clinch up but Schmitt keeps it at a distance.
Lehtonen takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schmitt misses with a hook.
Lehtonen blocks a low kick nicely.
Lehtonen throws a head kick that misses
and Schmitt counters with an outside leg kick.
Lehtonen is looking to clinch.
Schmitt scores with a jab.
Lehtonen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lehtonen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Schmitt drives through with a takedown into guard.

Lehtonen working for a triangle but Schmitt defends it easily.
Lehtonen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Schmitt chips away with some ground and pound.
Schmitt postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Schmitt scoring with punches to the head and body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Schmitt trying to control but Lehtonen is working from the bottom.
Schmitt has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schmitt tries to free his leg and advance position but Lehtonen is retaining full guard.

Schmitt avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Schmitt in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Schmitt wants to pass the guard but Lehtonen is keeping the position.
Lehtonen working a defensive guard here.

Lehtonen has his foot on Schmitt's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Schmitt works his way back into a safe position though.
Schmitt trying to control the position from guard on top but Lehtonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Schmitt trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Schmitt works over Lehtonen with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Schmitt postures up in Lehtonen's guard and throws a big left but Lehtonen blocks it.
Schmitt wants to control from the top but Lehtonen keeps moving.
Lehtonen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Schmitt manages to get himself to full guard.
Schmitt looking to control.
Lehtonen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Schmitt swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lehtonen stops Schmitt from standing up.
Lehtonen tries to stand but Schmitt is controlling from the bottom.

Lehtonen gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Lehtonen wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen misses the jab.
Schmitt looks to land a right hand but Lehtonen moved out of range.
A slow jab from Schmitt misses its intended target.
Schmitt attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

Lehtonen clinches up against the cage.
Schmitt tries to break free but Lehtonen pushes him back against the cage.
Schmitt is trying to break free.

Schmitt breaks from the clinch.
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!
Schmitt works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Schmitt keeps the fight on the outside.
Lehtonen has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Schmitt throws a series of punches but Lehtonen avoids them all with ease.
Schmitt misses with a hook. Lehtonen ducked under it nicely.
Lehtonen misses with a few strikes there.
Schmitt misses with a double jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Owen Schmitt showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lehtonen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 James Atkins scores the fight for Jari Lehtonen!
Judge William Gold scores the fight for Owen Schmitt!
Judge James Glass scores the fight for Owen Schmitt!

Owen Schmitt wins by split decision!
Owen Schmitt took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Fossington & Blythe: Gentlemen's Fight Attire for their support in the buildup to the fight.