PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Slurgo Morgoth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niila Joikhaaja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Morgoth
vs
Joikhaaja

172 cm
19
178 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

178 cm
19
183 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)
Perkele!

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Slurgo Morgoth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niila Joikhaaja!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joikhaaja shoots for a double leg takedown but Morgoth sprawls well. He's pushed Joikhaaja's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nice sprawl there from Morgoth as Joikhaaja shoots in.
Morgoth misses with the combination.

Joikhaaja gets a takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Morgoth wants to get back to full guard.
Morgoth makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Morgoth.
Joikhaaja throwing strikes from guard but Morgoth blocks nicely.
Joikhaaja throwing strikes but missing.
Morgoth trying to strike off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morgoth looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Joikhaaja accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Joikhaaja stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morgoth swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Morgoth wants to sweep but no luck.
Morgoth is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgoth has momentary wrist control but Joikhaaja slips an elbow through the middle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joikhaaja connects with a couple of short punches.
Morgoth looking to hit a scissor sweep but Joikhaaja is one step ahead there.
Joikhaaja trying to control but Morgoth is working from the bottom.
Joikhaaja with a nice head shot there.
Morgoth manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Morgoth wants to control the pace but Joikhaaja is squirming around nicely.
Joikhaaja keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Morgoth looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Joikhaaja sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Joikhaaja actively working from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joikhaaja is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Joikhaaja trying to control but Morgoth postures up.
Morgoth seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Joikhaaja does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Morgoth working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Morgoth connects with a nice short shot to Joikhaaja's temple.
Joikhaaja moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Joikhaaja is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Morgoth avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Morgoth preventing the sweep.
Morgoth throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgoth trying to control but Joikhaaja is working from the bottom.
Morgoth connects with a couple of short punches.
Morgoth scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Morgoth trying to control but Joikhaaja is working from the bottom.
Morgoth throwing strikes from guard but Joikhaaja blocks nicely.
Joikhaaja keeping moving, preventing Morgoth from controlling successfully.
Morgoth throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Morgoth pushing down on Joikhaaja's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Joikhaaja trying to control from the bottom.
Morgoth landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Joikhaaja gets full guard.
Joikhaaja working a defensive guard here.

Joikhaaja escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Morgoth gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Joikhaaja can't keep his opponent in guard - Morgoth advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joikhaaja wants to improve his position but Morgoth is controlling well.
Joikhaaja is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Still in half guard, Morgoth seems content to control.
Morgoth is trying to control. Joikhaaja wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Morgoth works his way into full mount!
Joikhaaja is desperately trying to improve his position but Morgoth has a good base and remains in mount.
Morgoth breaks from Joikhaaja's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Morgoth fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Joikhaaja is wriggling around trying to escape.
Joikhaaja regains half guard.
Morgoth is looking to advance position but Joikhaaja won't allow it.
Joikhaaja is looking for a sweep. Morgoth is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
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 Slurgo Morgoth will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nice sprawl there from Morgoth as Joikhaaja shoots in.
Morgoth is looking to land body kicks.
Joikhaaja shoots and misses

and Morgoth counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Morgoth trying to control but Joikhaaja is working from the bottom.
Morgoth chips away with some ground and pound.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Joikhaaja looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Morgoth trying to control the position from guard on top but Joikhaaja is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Morgoth working some strikes from top position.
Morgoth has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Morgoth wants to pass the guard but Joikhaaja is keeping the position.
Joikhaaja working a defensive guard here.

Joikhaaja working for a triangle but Morgoth defends it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morgoth won't allow Joikhaaja to sweep him here.
Joikhaaja manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Morgoth manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgoth is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Morgoth looking to control.
Joikhaaja stopping the sweep attempt from Morgoth.
Morgoth lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Joikhaaja!
Joikhaaja is working to get back to half guard.
Morgoth has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Joikhaaja's face.
Joikhaaja sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Joikhaaja works his way to full guard. Good work.
Joikhaaja being controlled here, momentarily.

Morgoth avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgoth trying to control but Joikhaaja is working from the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Joikhaaja controls Morgoth momentarily but Morgoth frees himself.

Joikhaaja is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Morgoth is aware though and is defending well.
Morgoth missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Joikhaaja lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Morgoth!
Slurgo Morgoth overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Morgoth tries to hold on but Joikhaaja postures up.
Morgoth throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Joikhaaja fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Morgoth is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joikhaaja landing strikes from the mount and Morgoth is in trouble!
Morgoth is trying desperately to improve position.

Joikhaaja is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Morgoth is surviving well by controlling Joikhaaja's body position as best he can.
Morgoth tries to reverse the position but Joikhaaja maintains control.
Joikhaaja in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Morgoth is wriggling around trying to escape.
Joikhaaja is landing with some decent strikes but Morgoth is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Morgoth is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Joikhaaja loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Morgoth scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Joikhaaja land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Joikhaaja stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Niila Joikhaaja!