PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Garza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pasi Nurminen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pablo Garza has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Garza
vs
Nurminen

186 cm
22
161 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

174 cm
21
166 lbs
9 - 1 - 2

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pablo Garza!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 2, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pasi Nurminen!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garza fakes the leg kick and cracks Nurminen in the body.
Garza throws a sloppy head kick and Nurminen moves out of range easily.
Garza looks to score with a jab to the body but Nurminen is just out of range.
Nurminen misses with a two punch combination.
Nurminen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Garza throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nurminen looks to throw the jab but Garza is out of range.
Garza pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nurminen misses with a looping right.
Nurminen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nurminen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Garza was well out of range. Poor timing from Nurminen.
Nurminen doesn't manage to clinch there - Garza circles away.
Nurminen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Garza will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Garza looks to land a left hand but Nurminen moved out of range nicely.
Pasi Nurminen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Garza bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurminen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Garza moves away.
Garza staying out of range there.
Garza really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nurminen moves in looking to clinch but Garza pushes him off.
Garza swats away the attempt to clinch by Nurminen.
Nurminen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Garza was well out of range. Poor timing from Nurminen.
Garza keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Garza misses with a series of wild punches.
Nurminen throws a right and a left that Garza avoids nicely.
Nurminen doesn't manage to clinch there - Garza circles away.

Nurminen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Garza, pushing him back against the cage.
Nurminen effectively controlling the action here.
Garza is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nurminen is defending well for now.
Garza lands a knee to the head.
Garza misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nurminen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurminen controlling the action here for a moment.
Nurminen tries to work over Garza's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nurminen is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Nurminen lands an uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Nurminen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A nice left hand lands by Nurminen.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Nurminen lands a right hand.

It looks like Pablo Garza has been cut.
Garza with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Garza with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Garza with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nurminen lands an uppercut.
Garza tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nurminen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Garzas head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garza blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nurminen works on Garza's body with a couple of short punches.
Garza trying to control the position but instead, Nurminen has worked for underhooks and has pushed Garza into the cage.

Nurminen manages to break the clinch.
Garza missing with a left hand there. Nurminen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Garza tries to keep at a distance but Nurminen has taken the fight into the clinch.
Garza using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nurminen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Garza missing with knees to the body.
Garza throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nurminen blocks it with crossed arms.
Nurminen managing to block the knees to the body from Garza.
Come on Nurminen - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Nurminen receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Garza stops a takedown attempt from Nurminen.
Nurminen swings wildly with an uppercut but Garza uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garza misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nurminen.
Nurminen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Garza backwards.
Nurminen swings wildly with an uppercut but Garza uses good head movement to avoid it.
Garza tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Nurminen.
Nurminen takes a knee right on the jaw!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garza with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Garza tries to land a knee to the head but Nurminen blocks with his arms.
Garza misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nurminen.
Garza misses with a knee strike.
Garza tries a knee to the head but Nurminen blocks it.
Nurminen lands with a right to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Garza using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nurminen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Garza misses with a knee to the head.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Garza using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Pasi Nurminen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Pablo Garza's cut.
That's time! Garza's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nurminen punishes Garza's body with a nice straight punch.
Garza slips a jab and a cross from Nurminen.
Nurminen looks to land a right hand but Garza moved out of range.
Nurminen misses with a combination
and Garza counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Garza pushes Nurminen up against the cage in a clinch.
Pasi Nurminen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Garza takes a shot to the head.
Nurminen taking a breather.
A hook to the body from Nurminen.
Garza tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Nurminen breaks the clinch.
Nurminen misses with a series of wild punches.
Nurminen throws a combination that misses
and Garza counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Crunch! Garza slams his shin into Nurminen's torso.
Garza throws a right and a left that Nurminen avoids nicely.
Nurminen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurminen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Garza paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Garza misses with a two punch combination.

Garza fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nurminen, pushing him back against the cage.
Garza crunches a lovely knee into Nurminen's ribcage.
Nurminen misses with a punch to the body.
Garza putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Nurminen in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Nurminen lands a nice uppercut.
Garza missing with knees to the body.
Garza landing knees to the head.
Nurminen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Nurminen has Garza pressed against the cage.
Nurminen scores with a shot to the side of Garza's head.
Garza with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Garza's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Garza using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nurminen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Nurminen misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurminen lands a body shot.
Nurminen lands a shoulder strike.
Garza wants to stall.
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!
Nurminen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Garza backwards.
Nurminen lands with a left to the head.
Nurminen has Garza pressed against the cage.
Nurminen presses Garza against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Nurminen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nurminen lands a left hand that snaps the head of Garza backwards.
Garza missing with knees to the body.
A right hand to the body from Nurminen.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nurminen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A short uppercut from Nurminen.
Garza tries to land knees in the clinch but Nurminen avoids the damage to the body.
Nurminen working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garza with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Garza takes a shot to the head.
Nurminen lands a left hand.
Garza lands a good knee to the midsection. Nurminen won't want to take too many of those.
Nurminen stalls.
Garza tries a knee to the head but Nurminen blocks it.
Nurminen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Nurminen lands with a light punch inside.
Garza throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nurminen blocks it with crossed arms.
A nice left hand lands by Nurminen.
Nurminen cracks Garza with a nice body shot.
Garza tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Nurminen avoids it.
Garza trying to land knees to the body.
Garza misses with a knee to the head.
Nurminen is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Garza is defending well.
A knee to the head by Garza.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurminen tries to work over Garza's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Garza tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Garza throws a knee to the head but misses.
Garza wants to stall.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nurminen is pushing Garza up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Nurminen lands an uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Nurminen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Nurminen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Garza fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Nurminen connects with a jab.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nurminen swings for the body but Garza moves out of range.
A big right from Nurminen misses.
Nurminen lands a nice hook to Garza's body. Garza takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pasi Nurminen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Pablo Garza's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Nurminen slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Nurminen throws a jab when Garza was well out of range.
Garza keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nurminen misses with an uppercut. Garza saw that one coming.

Nurminen moves into the clinch.
Nurminen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nurminen lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nurminen lands a right hand.
Nurminen lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Nurminen breaks from the clinch.
Nurminen changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Garza closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nurminen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Nurminen swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Nurminen manages to break the clinch.
Nurminen cracks Garza with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurminen lands with a nice combination. Garza backs away looking to recover.
Nurminen throws a series of punches but Garza moves out of range.
Nurminen misses with an uppercut. Garza saw that one coming.
Nurminen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Garza counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Nurminen misses with the combination.
Nurminen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Garza on the side of the head.
Garza avoids the body shot from Nurminen.
Nurminen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Garza moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nurminen misses with a right hand
and Garza counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Nurminen is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Garza dodges the punch combination from Nurminen.
Nurminen swings widly with a right hand
and Garza counters with a nice body kick.
Nurminen wants to clinch.
Nurminen throws a jab when Garza was well out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurminen misses with a jab, cross combination.

Garza takes the fight into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Garza tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Garza throws a knee to the head but misses.
Garza tries to land knees in the clinch but Nurminen avoids the damage to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Nurminen.
Nurminen dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Garza's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Nurminen digs a right hand into Garza's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Garza's gas tank.
Garza tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nurminen is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Garza trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garza trying to land knees to the body.
Nurminen lands a left hand that snaps the head of Garza backwards.
Nurminen stalling against the cage.
Nurminen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nurminen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Garzas head.
Garza looking to throw knees to the head but Nurminen is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Garza with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Garza misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nurminen.
Garza is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nurminen is defending well for now.
Garza connects with a nasty looking knee right to Nurminen's face.
Nurminen can't find room to land a body shot as Garza controls the action.
Garza tries to land a knee to the head but Nurminen blocks with his arms.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Garza looking to throw knees to the head but Nurminen is blocking nicely.
Nurminen lands a right hand that snaps the head of Garza backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurminen is struggling to control the position.
Garza using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nurminen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Nurminen manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Nurminen stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Garza tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nurminen manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Pablo Garza has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pasi Nurminen 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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Pasi Nurminen.
The fighters circle momentarily. Nurminen darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pasi Nurminen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nurminen 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pasi Nurminen!
Pasi Nurminen is the new lightweight champion!