PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Maze Mardone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antti Puustinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mardone's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Mardone
vs
Puustinen

180 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

160 cm
25
180 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Maze Mardone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antti Puustinen!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puustinen throws a leg kick but Mardone checks it.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Puustinen lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Mardone has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Mardone and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

Puustinen closes the distance and pushes Mardone back into the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Mardone is trying to push Puustinen away but Puustinen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Puustinen pressing his opponent against the cage.
Mardone wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Puustinen is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Puustinen.

Puustinen has picked Mardone up - he's going for a ride! Puustinen dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Puustinen stops Mardone from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Puustinen not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puustinen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Mardone is looking to escape.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Antti Puustinen was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Mardone throws a right and a left that Puustinen avoids nicely.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Puustinen.
Puustinen takes a swing at Mardone's ribcage but misses.

Puustinen clinches with his opponent.
A frustrated look appears on Mardone's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Puustinen content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on Puustinen's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Mardone is trying to break the clinch but Puustinen is controlling him.
Mardone wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Puustinen has Mardone pressed against the cage, preventing Mardone from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Mardone is trying to break the clinch but Puustinen has him pressed against the cage.
Puustinen has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mardone is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Maze Mardone has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antti Puustinen.
Knees to the body from Puustinen.
Mardone is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Puustinen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Puustinen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Puustinen shoots in for a takedown but Mardone shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mardone keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Mardone checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Mardone throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Puustinen misses with a low kick as Mardone jumps back.
Mardone throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Puustinen sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Puustinen rushes Mardone and presses him up against the cage.
Mardone wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Puustinen has him pressed against the cage.
Puustinen misses with a body punch.
Mardone is trying to break free.
Mardone stops a takedown attempt from Puustinen.
Puustinen tries to work over Mardone's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Puustinen takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Puustinen wants a takedown but no success here.
Mardone is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Mardone escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Antti Puustinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puustinen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Maze Mardone is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Puustinen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Puustinen darts in and clinches Mardone up against the cage.

Puustinen breaks from the clinch.
Mardone throws a combination. Puustinen tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mardone checks a leg kick.
Mardone swats away the attempt to clinch by Puustinen.
Puustinen motions for Mardone to come forward. Puustinen throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mardone checks a leg kick.
Mardone lands a right hook to the body.
Puustinen takes a shot right to the bread basket.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antti Puustinen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Puustinen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mardone.

Puustinen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Mardone looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Mardone bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Mardone looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mardone checks a leg kick.
Puustinen swings for the body but Mardone moves out of range.
Maze Mardone is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Puustinen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Mardone looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The referee asks Puustinen politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Puustinen prefers to stall for the moment though.
Mardone is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Puustinen lands an elbow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mardone is trying to buck Puustinen off.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Puustinen takes a little break here. Mardone wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mardone wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Puustinen is staying tight to Mardone's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Antti Puustinen was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Mardone scores with a jab to the jaw.
Puustinen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Puustinen moves away from the strike by Mardone.

Puustinen drives through and clinches with Mardone against the cage.
Puustinen stalling.
Mardone is trying to force a seperation but Puustinen has the dominant position.
Puustinen tries to throw a body punch but Mardone avoids it by throwing Puustinen back against the cage.
Mardone is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puustinen looking for a takedown.
Puustinen trying to land knees to the body.
Puustinen has Mardone pressed against the cage.

Puustinen breaks the clinch.
Mardone throws a series of strikes that have Puustinen backpedaling.
Nice uppercut lands for Mardone. That snapped Puustinen's head back.
Mardone lands with a nice body punch.
Puustinen moves away from the strike by Mardone.
Puustinen 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.
Mardone scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Mardone cracks Puustinen with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Puustinen lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Mardone has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Mardone and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mardone misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Puustinen rushes Mardone and presses him up against the cage.
Puustinen leaning against his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Puustinen has clasped his hands together around Mardone's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Puustinen trying to control the position but Mardone is working away.
Puustinen prevents Mardone from escaping the position.
Puustinen lands a few punches from side control.
Puustinen moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Mardone gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Puustinen controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antti Puustinen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Puustinen just misses with a punch to the body.

Puustinen shoots in and bounces Mardone off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Mardone will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Puustinen sitting in guard here, content to control.
Puustinen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Let's hope that Puustinen has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Puustinen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mardone is keeping the position for now.
Puustinen content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Antti Puustinen hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Mardone looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mardone fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Puustinen manages to avoid it.
Puustinen is looking to score with low kicks.
Maze Mardone is winning the standup battle so far.
Mardone throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Puustinen counters with a low kick, right behind Mardone 's knee.
Puustinen fails with a takedown attempt.
Mardone will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Puustinen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Puustinen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Puustinen seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mardone won't allow Puustinen to pass to mount.
Puustinen controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mardone wants to get back to his feet.
Antti Puustinen has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Puustinen in particular looking to stall.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Antti Puustinen was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Puustinen tries to work over Mardone's front leg with a kick but Mardone checks it.
Mardone misses with a two punch combination.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Puustinen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mardone tries to avoid it but Puustinen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mardone to the ground. Mardone escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Puustinen 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.
Puustinen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mardone sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Maze Mardone has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antti Puustinen.

Puustinen instigates a clinch.

Puustinen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Puustinen throws a low kick but it's checked well by Mardone.
Mardone lands an overhand right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mardone swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Puustinen rushes Mardone and presses him up against the cage.
Puustinen has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mardone is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Mardone wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Puustinen has him pressed against the cage.

Puustinen turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mardone is trying to get back to his feet.
Puustinen remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Maze Mardone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mardone tries to escape but Puustinen is in control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antti Puustinen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Puustinen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antti Puustinen!