PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Holy Diver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Iiro Palli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Diver
vs
Palli

161 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
19
195 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Holy Diver!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Iiro Palli!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Diver closes the distance and clinches.
Diver keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Palli's efforts to push away.
Diver tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Palli just stands there and leans against the cage.
Palli is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Diver has Palli pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Diver pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Palli tumbling to the mat - Diver dives into Palli's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Palli wants to stand but Diver is controlling the position.
Diver trying to control but Palli is working from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Palli wants to get back to his feet but Diver is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Palli has his feet on Diver's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Nice takedown defense from Diver. No joy for Palli on that attempt.
Diver could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Diver has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Holy Diver. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Palli closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Diver's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diver looking for a sweep. Not yet Diver, not yet.
Diver is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Diver is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Palli sees it coming and defends easily.
Diver wants to take a breather but Palli is having none of it.
Diver lands with a punch from half guard.
Palli wants to get back to his feet.
Palli looks gassed!
Diver throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Diver stops Palli from getting back to his feet.

Palli has one foot on Diver's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Diver gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Diver wants a takedown but no success here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diver is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Palli to keep the fight standing.
Diver is trying to pull guard but Palli has him pressed against the cage.
Diver is trying to drag Palli to the mat but Palli just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Diver looking for a takedown.
Diver has Palli pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Palli manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Palli has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Diver regains guard immediately.
Palli missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Palli working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Diver tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Palli is in close to Diver's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diver working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Palli.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Palli trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Palli postures up.
Palli with a flurry of punches that miss.
Diver trying to control the position.
Palli throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Diver works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Palli throwing strikes from guard but Diver blocks nicely.
Palli throwing strikes from guard but Diver blocks nicely.
Palli throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palli throws a big elbow that misses.
Palli is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Palli throws a big elbow that misses.
Palli cracks Diver with a solid left hand.
Diver utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Palli stopping the sweep attempt from Diver.
Palli working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palli makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diver avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Iiro Palli dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Palli fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Diver shoots for a double leg takedown but Palli sprawls well. He's pushed Diver's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Palli shoots in for a takedown but Diver shows good takedown defense.

Diver drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Diver throws a big elbow that misses.
Diver controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Diver trying to control but Palli is working from the bottom.
Diver throws a big right hand that misses.

Palli uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Palli shoots in for a takedown but Diver shows good takedown defense.
Holy Diver has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Iiro Palli.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Diver is defended easily by Palli.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Palli tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Diver swivels and escapes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diver lands a nice looking body shot.

Diver closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Palli quickly recovers to half guard.
Palli is refusing to be controlled, as Diver sits in half guard.
Palli wants to get back to his feet.
Diver wants to pass the guard but Palli is defending well.
Palli on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Palli has one foot on Diver's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Palli shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Diver defends it nicely.
Palli slaps away a takedown attempt from Diver, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Diver shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Diver looking to score a takedown here. Palli is defending well but Diver drives through and ends up in Palli's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Palli wants to stand and escape but Diver is having none of it.
Diver working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Diver stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Palli swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Palli pushes Diver off and gets back to his feet.

Diver looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Palli!
Diver thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Diver looking for a guillotine from mount but Palli is having none of it.
You get the feeling that Palli really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diver working Palli over with strikes here.
Palli'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.
Diver in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Diver cracks Palli with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Diver looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
BOOM! Diver connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Diver is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Palli can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Diver won't let Palli get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Diver connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Diver lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Diver breaks from Palli's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Palli is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diver lands a heavy elbow.
Diver lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Diver thowing shots but they're missing.
Palli really wants to buck Diver off and get back to his feet.
Palli takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Palli is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Palli can do anything to dispel that myth.
Diver landing strikes from the mount and Palli is in trouble!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Palli wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Diver lands a big shot there that rocks Palli but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Diver landing strikes from the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Holy Diver dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Palli closes the distance and clinches up with Diver, looking for a takedown. Palli pushes Diver against the cage but Diver circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Palli swats away the attempt to clinch by Diver.
Diver is trying hard to land a takedown here. Palli sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Diver has a takedown stuffed.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Diver.
Palli is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Diver working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Diver lands a nice forearm strike.

Palli explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Diver shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Palli wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diver is trying to work for a kimura but Palli is defending well.
Palli is trying to stand.
Palli is not content to let Diver control the position.

Palli makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Diver drives through with a takedown into guard.
Palli wants to get back to his feet but Diver passes into half guard.
Diver stops Palli from getting back to his feet.
Diver is looking to take a break and control but Palli is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Diver frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Palli blocking the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diver cracks Palli with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Palli holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Diver tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Palli is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Diver fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Palli trying desperately to get to his feet.

Diver working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Palli is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Diver misses with a head shot.
Palli blocking the ground and pound.
Diver working away from the top, dropping strikes.

Palli somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Palli shoots in looking for a takedown but Diver manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Palli's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palli fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Holy Diver has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Iiro Palli.

Diver shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Diver thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Palli pushes Diver off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Holy Diver is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diver looks for a takedown but Palli sprawls well.
Palli defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Diver.
Palli has a takedown stuffed.

Diver scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Palli manages to escape and get back to his feet!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Diver.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palli is not content to let Diver control the position.
Palli wants to get back to his feet.
Diver working the ground and pound.
Palli is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Diver lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Palli down.
Holy Diver overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Palli is trying to buck Diver off.
Diver looks up at the clock and then as Palli takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Diver smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Palli is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Holy Diver showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Diver has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Holy Diver!