PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sakari Nurmi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pencil Neck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nurmi comes to the cage accompanied by Turisas -Take the day!. Neck is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Welcome to the jungle. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Nurmi
vs
Neck

176 cm
34
172 lbs
19 - 23 - 0

182 cm
40
178 lbs
24 - 32 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

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 19 - 23 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sakari Nurmi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 32 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Pencil Neck!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Paulsen Ambrosius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neck gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Nurmi counters with a head kick. That will keep Neck thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Nurmi connects with an inside leg kick.

Neck clinches.
Nurmi managing to block the knees to the body from Neck.

Nurmi has Neck pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Nurmi pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Neck tumbling to the mat - Nurmi dives into Neck's guard.
Nurmi passes into half guard.
Nurmi tries to pass the half guard into mount. Neck knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Nurmi is thwarting Neck's attempts to control the position.
Neck has hold of Nurmi's hands but Nurmi slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmi stalling.

Neck looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Neck wants to get back to full guard.
Neck avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nurmi.
Neck wants to improve his position but Nurmi is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nurmi is looking for a kimura but Neck is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nurmi to get the leverage.

Nurmi is working for a submission of some sort.
Nurmi looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Neck taking some punishment here, with Nurmi in his half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Neck manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Neck is looking for a triangle but Nurmi pushes his legs off easily.
Neck is looking to stand up but Nurmi isn't so interested in that idea.

Neck looking for a guillotine here but Nurmi defends easily.
Neck wants to hit a switch here but Nurmi passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Neck there!
Neck working to try and regain half guard.
Neck is still trying to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nurmi looking to finish Neck with some ground and pound. This is bad for Neck!
Nurmi trying to control but Neck is having none of it.
Nurmi landing shots from mount.
Nurmi dominating with strikes here.

Nurmi is working for a guillotine from mount but Neck frees his head quite easily.
Neck is trying to stand.
Nurmi lands with some strikes.
Nurmi looking to control but Neck is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nurmi lands a big shot there that rocks Neck but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Neck tries to hold on but Nurmi pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neck is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Nurmi is staying active.
Nurmi unloading with bombs!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nurmi avoids the attempt from Neck to control.
Nurmi wants to control but Neck has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
Neck is staying active underneath Nurmi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Neck is looking for a sweep. Nurmi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Neck gets back to full guard.
Neck is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sakari Nurmi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Neck looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Nurmi lands with a shot to the body.
Nurmi tries to clinch but Neck is having none of it.
Nurmi closes the distance looking to clinch

and Neck counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nurmi won't be happy with that.
Neck misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neck creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Nurmi sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Nurmi tries to buck Neck off but Neck is having none of it.
Neck postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Nurmi manages to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neck looks to land a strike but Nurmi avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Nurmi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Neck can do to turn this around?
Neck throwing strikes from guard but Nurmi blocks nicely.
Neck won't allow Nurmi to sweep him here.

Nurmi throws his legs up looking for a submission but Neck uses it to pass to side control.
Neck creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Neck in side control lands a decent elbow.

Neck is trying to get an arm triangle but Nurmi is defending well.
Neck tries to advance to mount but Nurmi denies him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurmi avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Neck.
Sakari Nurmi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Neck in side control, throwing shots but Nurmi defends.
Nurmi dodges the ground and pound from Neck.
Nurmi managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Neck.
Neck working the ground and pound but Nurmi is defending the strikes.

Neck is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Nurmi has escaped the position, nice work there.
Neck with the ground and pound but Nurmi regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neck is looking for a kimura here.

Neck is working for a submission of some sort.

Neck is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Nurmi sees it coming and defends easily.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Neck lands a nice short elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Nurmi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Neck looking to sit in guard and control but Nurmi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Nurmi advances to half guard.
Neck is not content to let Nurmi control the position.
Nurmi drops an elbow to the side of Neck's head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nurmi seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Neck does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Nurmi frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Neck is looking to improve his position but Nurmi isn't that keen on the idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pencil Neck showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Nurmi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Neck tries for a takedown but Nurmi circles away easily
and Nurmi counters with a good low kick that Neck was not able to check.
Neck shoots for a takedown but Nurmi saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nurmi wants to clinch.

Neck shoots in and gets a takedown into Nurmi's guard.
Neck throws a big elbow that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurmi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nurmi looking to control.
Neck throws a big elbow that misses.

Neck has gone for a leg lock! Nurmi slips out almost immediately though and dives into Neck's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nurmi's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Neck throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Nurmi landing with the ground and pound.
Nurmi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Nurmi is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Neck has his foot on Nurmi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Nurmi works his way back into a safe position though.
Nurmi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Neck works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nurmi stands up over Neck, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neck keeping moving, preventing Nurmi from controlling successfully.
Neck is looking to stand up but Nurmi isn't so interested in that idea.
Neck keeping full guard, as Nurmi tries to pass.
Nurmi preventing the sweep.
Nurmi throwing strikes from guard but Neck blocks nicely.
Neck is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Neck throws a strike but Nurmi avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Neck missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nurmi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Neck.
Neck landing with the ground and pound.
Nurmi lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Nurmi got a little sloppy there for a moment and Neck has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nurmi has managed to get both his arms back between Neck's legs - danger averted.
Nurmi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Neck is trying to control the position but Nurmi postures up.
Nurmi not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Neck throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neck has his foot on Nurmi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Nurmi works his way back into a safe position though.
Our spies down at at Pahuyuth Muay Thai 12 elite coaches inform us that Neck has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Nurmi with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Nurmi with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Nurmi connects with a couple of short punches.
Nurmi passes into half guard.
Neck wants to improve his position but Nurmi is controlling well.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Nurmi lands a nice short elbow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nurmi lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Neck works his way to full guard. Good work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sakari Nurmi showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Nurmi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sakari Nurmi!
Sakari Nurmi decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.