PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tommi Hartola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Seppo Kastinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Hartola
vs
Kastinen

192 cm
38
215 lbs
43 - 20 - 1

180 cm
33
205 lbs
18 - 13 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 43 - 20 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Tommi Hartola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Seppo Kastinen!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Phil Schofield and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hartola lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Seppo Kastinen has been cut.
Hartola lands a leg kick that knocks Kastinen off balance momentarily.
Hartola slaps away a takedown attempt from Kastinen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hartola swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Kastinen scores with a takedown into Hartola's guard.
Kastinen trying to control but Hartola is working from the bottom.
Hartola working a defensive guard but Kastinen passes into half guard.

Kastinen is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hartola is just riding it out for now. Kastinen eventually gives up the hold.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kastinen is looking for a kimura here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kastinen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hartola does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kastinen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kastinen prevents Hartola from improving his position.
Hartola avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kastinen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Nice strikes from Kastinen there.
Hartola keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hartola is trying to stand back up but Kastinen is controlling him
Hartola is looking to improve his position.

Kastinen seems to be working for a kimura but Hartola defends the submission attempt.

Kastinen is trying to work for a kimura but Hartola is defending well.
Kastinen lands strikes from half guard.
Kastinen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hartola defending well though.

Kastinen wants to work for an arm triangle but Hartola is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kastinen throwing shots but Hartola is blocking nicely.
Kastinen not doing much here.
Hartola is staying active underneath Kastinen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hartola keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kastinen passes to side control.

Kastinen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hartola is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Kastinen in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Kastinen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kastinen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hartola is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hartola is trying to get back to half guard.
Kastinen throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Hartola works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hartola is in trouble now - Kastinen has advanced to mount!
Hartola is squirming around, avoiding Kastinen's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Kastinen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Seppo Kastinen's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hartola throws a body shot but no joy.
Kastinen moves out of range as Hartola throws a body kick.
Kastinen throws a right hand that Hartola ducks under and follows up with a left that Hartola also avoids with ease.
Hartola cracks Kastinen with a right hand to the side of the head.
Kastinen moves in looking to clinch but Hartola pushes him off.
Hartola walks into a jab.

Kastinen moves into range and clinches up with Hartola.
Kastinen misses with a punch to the body.

Hartola breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kastinen wants to clinch.
Kastinen doesn't manage to clinch there - Hartola circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kastinen lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Kastinen tries to clinch up
and Hartola makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Kastinen really felt that one!
Kastinen misses with the combination.
Hartola misses with an uppercut.
Hartola lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kastinen's sensitive parts.
Kastinen wants to clinch up but Hartola keeps it at a distance.
Hartola throws a quick counter kick to the body but Kastinen avoids it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Hartola.
Hartola takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Hartola misses with an uppercut.
Tommi Hartola is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kastinen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hartola half committed to a counter leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kastinen misses with a hook.
Kastinen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hartola misses with a body shot.
Hartola throws a leg kick

and Kastinen counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Hartola!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hartola struggling a bit here.
Hartola is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Hartola wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Kastinen trying to control the position but Hartola is working away.
Hartola wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kastinen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kastinen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kastinen prevents Hartola from escaping the position.
You can see the frustration on Hartola's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kastinen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Kastinen thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hartola tries to buck Kastinen off but Kastinen is having none of it.
Seppo Kastinen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hartola prevents Kastinen from moving into mount.
The ground and pound from Kastinen seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
You can see the frustration on Hartola's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kastinen has knee on belly and moves into mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kastinen wants to control the pace but Hartola is squirming around nicely.
Kastinen landing punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Kastinen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Seppo Kastinen'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!

Kastinen cracks Hartola with an open hand slap.
A shot to the body from Kastinen misses
and Hartola counters with a right hand to the body.
Hartola lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Hartola's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Kastinen connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Hartola scrambles back to his feet.
Kastinen lands a nice hook to Hartola's body. Hartola takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Tommi Hartola is winning the standup battle so far.
A nice leg kick lands there from Hartola.
A left lands for Kastinen.
Kastinen takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Kastinen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hartola as he jumps to the side.
Kastinen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hartola quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Kastinen connects with a looping right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hartola connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Kastinen momentarily.
Kastinen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kastinen shoots in looking for a takedown. Hartola tries to sprawl out of it but Kastinen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hartola manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hartola misses with a hook.

Kastinen closes the distance and clinches.
Kastinen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Hartola pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kastinen moves to clinch but Hartola breaks away
and Hartola counters with a solid body kick.
Kastinen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hartola fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kastinen.
Kastinen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Tommi Hartola has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hartola lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kastinen swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Hartola.
Kastinen throws an overhand right that lands on Hartola's shoulder, as Hartola tries to avoid the shot.
Hartola tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kastinen scores with a crisp jab that stopped Hartola in his tracks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Hartola lands a left and a right that send Kastinen crashing to the mat, dazed. Hartola thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Nice takedown defense from Hartola. No joy for Kastinen on that attempt.
Tommi Hartola has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Seppo Kastinen.
Kastinen throws a shot from downtown. Hartola moves away and avoids it.
Kastinen might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Kastinen misses the body punch
and Hartola cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That has opened up Seppo Kastinen's cut even more.
Kastinen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Hartola takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kastinen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kastinen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hartola swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kastinen throws a lazy uppercut
and Hartola counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Kastinen with a poor takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hartola scores with a kick to the body.
Hartola paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Hartola drops Kastinen with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Kastinen looks back up at him and smiles so Hartola waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

Kastinen is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kastinen misses with a straight left.
Hartola throws an uppercut from hell that sends Kastinen clean off his feet! He's out cold! Hartola stands back and admires his work as he thinks about that KO of the night award that is surely being wrapped up for him back stage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Tommi Hartola!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Tommi Hartola made sure he mentioned CEC Nutrition Q160, along with how happy he was to win his fight.