PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sergei Garkov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ahti Ahven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Garkov
vs
Ahven

197 cm
28
210 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

200 cm
19
215 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergei Garkov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ahti Ahven!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garkov fails with the takedown.
We've been informed that Ahven has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Garkov moves out of range as Ahven strikes.
Good leg kick by Ahven there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Garkov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ahven swivels and escapes.
Garkov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Garkov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sergei Garkov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A bone on bone clash there as Garkov blocks the leg kick.
Ahven is looking to chop away at Garkov's legs.
Garkov takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Garkov uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Ahven.
Garkov shoots in looking for a takedown but Ahven manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Garkov's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Garkov closes the distance and clinches up with Ahven, looking for a takedown. Garkov pushes Ahven against the cage but Ahven circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Garkov is breathing heavily.
Garkov stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Ahven.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ahven misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ahven throws a hook but Garkov blocks it.
A shot to the liver by Garkov. Beautiful body shot.
Ahven misses the jab.
Ahven throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Sergei Garkov has been cut.
Ahven stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ahven wants it to stay on the feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Garkov is defended easily by Ahven.
Ahven swings for the body but Garkov moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garkov throws a body punch but Ahven moves out of range.
Garkov misses with a jab, cross combination.
Garkov lands a two punch combo.
Ahven tries a head kick but it misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ahven.
Ahven throws a big shot that misses.
Ahven swinging wildly here.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Garkov avoids the head kick by Ahven.
Garkov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ahven wants to land a leg kick but Garkov is out of range.
Garkov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ahven as he jumps to the side.
Garkov slips under a jab from Ahven.
Ahven throws a push kick but Garkov slaps the foot to one side.
Garkov checks a leg kick.
Garkov throws a series of punches but Ahven avoids them all with ease.
Garkov shoots for a takedown but Ahven saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ahven thows a body shot but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garkov takes one on the chin but seems OK.
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!
Ahven pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Garkov takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Garkov throws a right hand that Ahven ducks under and follows up with a left that Ahven also avoids with ease.
Ahven throws a sloppy head kick and Garkov moves out of range easily.
Ahven waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Garkov.
Good leg kick by Ahven there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Garkov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ahven.
Garkov takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Ahven swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ahven, right into the meat.
Ahven throws a chopping leg kick but Garkov manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
That kick from Ahven tenderised Garkov's leg. Garkov is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ahven misses with an uppercut

and Garkov counters by clinching up.
Ahven tries a knee to the head but Garkov blocks it.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Garkov. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Garkov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Garkov wants a takedown but no success here.
Ahven looking to throw knees to the head but Garkov is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahven tries to land a knee to the head but Garkov blocks with his arms.
Ahven prevents the takedown attempt.
Garkov is trying to break the clinch but Ahven has him pressed against the cage.

Ahven breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Good shot there by Ahven.
Ahven misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Garkov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ahven sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Garkov lands with a hook. Ahven tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Garkov fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ahven sprawls well initially but Garkov persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Garkov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ahven looks like he's trying to stand up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garkov is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Garkov thows a huge punch but Ahven dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garkov is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Ahven avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Garkov.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Ahven is trying to stand back up but Garkov is controlling him
Garkov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Garkov performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ahven wants to get back to his feet.
Garkov thows a huge punch but Ahven dodges it nicely.
Garkov has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Garkov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Garkov content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ahven wants to get back to his feet.
Garkov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ahti Ahven dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sergei Garkov's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Garkov slips a jab and a cross from Ahven.
Jab, jab by Garkov - just one landing.
Ahven slips a jab and a cross from Garkov.
Ahven lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Ahven misses with an attempted mid kick.
Ahven stuffs the takedown attempt from Garkov. Garkov gets slowly back to his feet.
Ahven lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Ahven is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Garkov.
Ahven throws a head kick but Garkov moves out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Ahven as Garkov shoots in.
A head kick misses from Ahven.
Garkov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sergei Garkov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ahven has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ahven scores with a hook.
Ahven misses with a jab, cross combination.
Garkov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ahven is fending him off so far but Garkov persists. Nope, Ahven circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Garkov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Ahven misses with a looping left.
Sergei Garkov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahven keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Garkov avoids the head kick by Ahven.
Ahti Ahven seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ahven throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Ahven tries a head kick but it misses.
Ahven misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Garkov.

Garkov takes the fight into the clinch.
Garkov avoids the elbow strike from Ahven, against the cage.
Garkov working hard to break the clinch.

Ahven breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Garkov.
Ahven lands a nice leg kick that just misses Garkov's sensitive parts.
Garkov takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ahven throws out a leg kick but Garkov moves out of range and Ahven only half commits.
Garkov avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Ahven tries a head kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ahven throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ahven.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ahven misses with a double jab.
Garkov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ahven moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Garkov dives in and grabs Ahven's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ahven pushes down on Garkov's head and hops out.
Ahven rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Garkov to counter with a crisp jab.
Ahven tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Garkov avoids the head kick by Ahven.
Garkov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ahven.
Garkov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ahven sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ahven throws a sloppy head kick and Garkov moves out of range easily.
Garkov shoots for a double leg takedown but Ahven sprawls well. He's pushed Garkov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ahven motions for Garkov to come forward. Ahven throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Garkov is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Garkov scores with a jab to the jaw.
Ahven misses with a low kick.

Garkov closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ahven to the mat! Ahven manages to get full guard.
Garkov looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garkov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ahven being controlled here, momentarily.
Garkov throwing strikes but missing.
Garkov prevents Ahven from getting back to his feet.
Garkov trying to control but Ahven is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Ahven is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ahven being controlled here, momentarily.

Sergei Garkov has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Garkov shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garkov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Garkov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ahven as he jumps to the side.
Ahven throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Garkov checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Ahven throws a wild body kick that Garkov sees coming a mile off.

Garkov rushes Ahven and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Garkov has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Garkov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Ahven's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Garkov fails with the takedown.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ahven throws the left hand but Garkov avoids the punch easily.
Garkov takes one on the chin but seems OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ahti Ahven showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sergei Garkov's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Garkov misses with a double jab.
Ahven throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Garkov darts in looking for a takedown but Ahven gets double underhooks and turns Garkov into the cage.

Ahven pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Garkov blocks a low kick nicely.
Garkov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ahven.
Garkov scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Garkov on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Ahven bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ahven finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Garkov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ahven jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Garkov throws a nice looking combination but Ahven bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Donk. Ahven catches Garkov right on the button with a cross.
Garkov swinging wildly here.
Ahven lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ahven cracks the inside of Garkov's front leg.
A good leg kick by Ahven.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahven fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Garkov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Ahven throws a nice outside leg kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ahven.
Ahven throws out a powerful jab.
Ahven misses with a hook.
Ahven lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Garkov backs up against the cage.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Garkov.
Ahven lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Ahven is looking to slow Garkov down with leg kicks.
Ahven dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Garkov. That did some damage!
Ahven throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Garkov on the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ahven ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Garkov moves away.
Garkov checks a leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ahven. That's going to slow Garkov down.
The fight stays on the outside here - Garkov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Garkov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ahven tries to avoid it but Garkov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ahven to the ground. Ahven escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sergei Garkov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ahven looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Ahven scores with a jab to the head.
Garkov tries for a takedown but Ahven sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ahven misses with a looping right.
Ahven connects with a high kick.
Garkov fails to land the takedown.
Nice cross by Ahven.
Ahven throws out a powerful jab.
Garkov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Some wild striking there from Garkov.
An inside leg kick lands from Ahven.
Ahven takes a swing at Garkov's ribcage but misses.
Ahven looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Ahven swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ahven tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ahti Ahven is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ahven tries to work over Garkov's front leg with a kick but Garkov checks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garkov looks for a takedown but Ahven sprawls well.
Garkov throws a right and a left that Ahven avoids nicely.
Ahven tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Garkov darts in looking for a takedown but Ahven gets double underhooks and turns Garkov into the cage.
Ahven creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Ahven misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Garkov.
Garkov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ahven just stands there and leans against the cage.
Garkov is trying to pull guard but Ahven has him pressed against the cage.
Garkov takes a knee to the side of the body.

Ahven pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ahven fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Ahven looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Some bone on bone action there as Garkov checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Ahven fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ahven.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ahven waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Garkov.
Garkov shoots in and drives through. Ahven sprawls well.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A leg kick checked by Garkov.
Garkov doesn't manage to clinch there - Ahven circles away.
Ahti Ahven is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Ahven stuffs the takedown attempt from Garkov. Garkov gets slowly back to his feet.
Ahven throws a nice head kick!
Ahven tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ahven swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Garkov shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Garkov tries to bum rush Ahven with a series of wild strikes but Ahven uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Garkov fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A left and a right from Ahven both land. Nice combination.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ahven scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Garkov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ahven.
Ahti Ahven seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ahven chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Sergei Garkov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ahven pivots, looking for a leg kick but Garkov is out of range and Ahven settles back down.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ahven.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ahti Ahven comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ahven 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ahti Ahven!
During a confident post fight interview, Ahti Ahven thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.