PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Henri Eskola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hardy Hatecore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Henri Eskola has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Eskola
vs
Hatecore

180 cm
30
170 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

186 cm
22
175 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Henri Eskola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hardy Hatecore!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hatecore misses with a double jab
and Eskola counters with an outside leg kick.
Eskola fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hatecore avoids it really well and circles away.
Eskola tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Hatecore 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.
Eskola tries to buck Hatecore off but Hatecore is having none of it.
Eskola manages to work his way to half guard, despite Hatecore's best efforts.
Hatecore wants to pass the guard but Eskola is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eskola controlling the position for now.
Hatecore is keen to just control but Eskola is a slippery customer.

Eskola is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hatecore pulls his head out easily.
Hatecore prevents Eskola from improving his position.
Eskola tries to kick Hatecore off but Hatecore keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hatecore stalling away here and it's allowed Eskola to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Hatecore gets to his feet - Eskola follows without any prompting.

Hatecore rushes Eskola and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Eskola tightens his grip and picks Hatecore up, before dumping him to the ground. Hatecore manages to land in guard.
Eskola won't allow Hatecore to sweep him here.
Eskola passes into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Eskola sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Eskola stands up from half guard.
Eskola keeps the fight on the outside.
Hatecore is looking to clinch but Eskola is avoiding it.
Eskola shoots in looking for a takedown. Hatecore tries to sprawl out of it but Eskola keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hatecore manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hatecore tries to clinch there but Eskola circles away.
Hatecore fails with an attempt to clinch.

Eskola drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eskola trying to control but Hatecore is working from the bottom.
Eskola stopping the sweep attempt from Hatecore.
Hatecore looking to control.
Hatecore keeping full guard, as Eskola tries to pass.
Hatecore manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Hatecore can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Eskola is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Henri Eskola will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hatecore clobbers Eskola with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Hatecore closes the distance but Eskola moves to the side

and Eskola counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Eskola stands and throws Hatecore's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Eskola just content to control the position.
Hatecore prevents Eskola from moving into mount.
Eskola in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Eskola is looking to take a break and control but Hatecore is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eskola is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Hatecore is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Henri Eskola just wasn't active enough.
Eskola swats away the attempt to clinch by Hatecore.

Hatecore lands a big head kick that sends Eskola tumbling to the mat! Hatecore takes a step backwards and waves Eskola back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Eskola is rocked!

It looks like Henri Eskola has been cut.

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!
Hatecore tries to clinch but Eskola moves out of range.
Oh Eskola is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Eskola decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Eskola seems to have got his legs back now.
Hatecore avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Eskola.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Eskola wants to work for an arm triangle but Hatecore is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Hatecore is looking to control Eskola's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hatecore avoid being mounted?
Eskola working over Hatecore with some ground and pound. Hatecore looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Eskola throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hatecore is not content to let Eskola control the position.
Hatecore tries to kick Eskola off but Eskola keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hatecore trying to control but Eskola postures up.
Hatecore won't allow Eskola to pass to mount.
Hatecore is looking for a sweep. Eskola is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Eskola takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Henri Eskola wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Hatecore just misses with a punch to the body.

Eskola gets a takedown into half guard.
Hatecore is staying active underneath Eskola, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Eskola is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hatecore has managed to free his arm - good work.
Hatecore won't allow Eskola to pass to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hatecore tries to roll over but Eskola keeps him under control.
Eskola looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Eskola wants to take a breather but Hatecore is having none of it.
Hatecore really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Eskola. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Eskola is controlling the pace.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

We're going to have a standup here because Henri Eskola wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Eskola drives through with a takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henri Eskola dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Henri Eskola's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Eskola displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hatecore.
Eskola takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hatecore tries to clinch

and Eskola counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Eskola trying to control the position from guard on top but Hatecore is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Eskola looking to pass the guard.

Eskola thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Eskola wants to control from the top but Hatecore keeps moving.
Eskola pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hatecore is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eskola trying to control but Hatecore is working from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Eskola stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Hardy Hatecore seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hatecore throws a lazy head kick

and Eskola counters by moving into the clinch.
Hatecore looking to throw knees to the head but Eskola is blocking nicely.
Eskola avoids a wild elbow strike from Hatecore.
Eskola jumps guard but Hatecore stands there with Eskola around his waist. Eskola gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hatecore struggles to land a body shot inside as Eskola controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Eskola has clasped his hands together around Hatecore's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Hatecore pushes Eskola away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Eskola gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Hatecore manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Eskola is looking to take a break and control but Hatecore is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hatecore is looking to escape.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Eskola keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Eskola is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Hatecore doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Eskola.

Eskola stands up and beckons Hatecore to join him on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hatecore connects with a high kick.
Hatecore is looking to clinch but Eskola is avoiding it.
Hatecore closes the distance looking to clinch
and Eskola counters with a big head kick but Hatecore shrugs it off.
Hatecore throws a right and a left that both miss.

Eskola shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Hatecore napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Eskola is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Hatecore has escaped the position, nice work there.
Hatecore is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Eskola decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Henri Eskola is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hatecore stuffs the takedown attempt from Eskola. Eskola gets slowly back to his feet.
Eskola shoots in for a takedown but Hatecore shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henri Eskola. That's going to take a lot out of him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hatecore fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hatecore looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hardy Hatecore has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Danga de danga de dang - Hatecore scores with a four punch combination!

And that's the end of the fight!
Henri Eskola showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Eskola, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Henri Eskola!