PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Benga Mbenga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jaakko Savolainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Mbenga
vs
Savolainen

172 cm
23
174 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

184 cm
19
187 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

CEC Nutrition Q160

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 Tokyo, Benga Mbenga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jaakko Savolainen!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yuuki Gou and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Savolainen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mbenga.
Mbenga is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
The fighters circling - Savolainen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nice defenses there by Savolainen.
Mbenga scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Mbenga leaves Savolainen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Mbenga scores with a jab. Savolainen acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Mbenga tries to bum rush Savolainen with a series of wild strikes but Savolainen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mbenga keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mbenga misses the jab.
Mbenga takes a swing at Savolainen's ribcage but misses.
Mbenga with a hook.
Savolainen slips a jab and a cross from Mbenga.
Savolainen fails with a takedown attempt.
Mbenga lands a right hook to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Savolainen blocks a jab.
Savolainen thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Savolainen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Savolainen throws a jab but it's blocked by Mbenga.
Savolainen misses with a straight right.
Savolainen looks to land a combination but Mbenga avoids it well.
Savolainen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mbenga ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Savolainen throws a lazy uppercut
and Savolainen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Jaakko Savolainen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sloppy strikes from Mbenga. Those never looked like landing.

Savolainen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Mbenga on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mbenga tries to get out of the position.
Mbenga takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Savolainen wants to control but Mbenga is keeping him busy.
Savolainen in side control, throwing shots but Mbenga defends.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Savolainen postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Mbenga dodges the ground and pound from Savolainen.
Savolainen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Savolainen advances to full mount.
Savolainen with shots to the head and body - Mbenga looks very uncomfortable down there.
Savolainen lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Mbenga hang on?
Savolainen cracks Mbenga with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Savolainen unloading with bombs!
The referee warns Mbenga that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Savolainen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Savolainen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Mbenga?
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Savolainen cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Savolainen pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Savolainen lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Savolainen landing shots from mount.

Mbenga is rocked!
Mbenga in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Savolainen postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Mbenga looks a forlorn figure.
Oh Mbenga is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Savolainen with shots to the head and body - Mbenga looks very uncomfortable down there.
Savolainen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Mbenga seems to have got his legs back now.
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!
Mbenga is squirming around, avoiding Savolainen's attempts to control the action.
Savolainen working the ground and pound effectively.
Savolainen with the ground and pound from mount.
Savolainen lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Mbenga hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Savolainen working Mbenga over with strikes here.
Mbenga is in a horrible position here. Savolainen smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Savolainen working Mbenga over with strikes here.
Mbenga wants to control but Savolainen is having none of it.
Savolainen is landing with some decent strikes but Mbenga is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Savolainen with a couple of short strikes.
Savolainen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Mbenga is in a horrible position here. Savolainen smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Savolainen is landing with some decent strikes but Mbenga is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Savolainen connects with a bit shot that sees Mbenga covering up! More strikes from Savolainen and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Savolainen is our winner by TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jaakko Savolainen!