PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Garvey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pelle Paniikki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Garvey comes to the cage accompanied by One Loaf of Bread -- Damian Marley. The crowd seem to be enjoying Paniikki's choice of entrance music: N'sync - Bye Bye Bye. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Pelle Paniikki was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Garvey
vs
Paniikki

170 cm
31
152 lbs
19 - 13 - 2

165 cm
33
155 lbs
19 - 22 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Marcus Garvey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pelle Paniikki!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garvey fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Paniikki is out of range.
Garvey swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Paniikki has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Garvey is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Paniikki fails with a takedown attempt.
Garvey misses with a body shot.
Garvey misses with a two punch combination.
Paniikki fails to land the takedown.
Paniikki shoots and misses
and Garvey counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Marcus Garvey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pelle Paniikki.

Garvey clinches up with Paniikki and pushes him back against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Garvey.
A short right from Garvey on the inside.
Paniikki tries to pull guard but Garvey forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Garvey stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Garvey lands a right hand that snaps the head of Paniikki backwards.
Paniikki jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Garvey walks away with a smile on his face. Paniikki gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Paniikki shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Paniikki showed some decent athleticism there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Garvey is trying to control but Paniikki passes into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Paniikki is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Garvey is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Paniikki goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Garvey rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Paniikki's guard! Nice work there by Garvey!

Paniikki has his foot on Garvey's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Garvey works his way back into a safe position though.
Garvey is looking to stand up but Paniikki won't let him.

Paniikki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Garvey defends it easily.
Garvey is looking to stand up but Paniikki won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Paniikki has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Garvey can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garvey wants to stand but Paniikki is controlling his posture from full guard.

Paniikki is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garvey wants to stand but Paniikki is controlling his posture from full guard.
Garvey has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Paniikki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Garvey defends it easily.

Paniikki is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Garvey has his hands clasped together but Paniikki extends and breaks Garvey's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Paniikki.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:52 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Pelle Paniikki!
Pelle Paniikki gave a mention to CEC Nutrition Q160 in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).