PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gareth McCall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arttu Mahtisaari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McCall comes to the cage accompanied by Bobby Darin - Mack The Knife. Gareth McCall could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Arttu Mahtisaari's chin.

McCall
vs
Mahtisaari

185 cm
32
195 lbs
20 - 12 - 0

178 cm
30
195 lbs
20 - 10 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

Spartan Nutrition
Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gareth McCall!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Arttu Mahtisaari!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Steven Brown and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCall staying out of range there.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from McCall, right into the meat.
Mahtisaari walks into a jab.
McCall tries to clinch up.
Mahtisaari throws a jab but it's blocked by McCall.
Mahtisaari chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before McCall can pounce on him.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from McCall, right into the meat.
McCall cracks the inside of Mahtisaari's front leg.
McCall waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mahtisaari.
Mahtisaari throws an uppercut from half a mile away. McCall sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Mahtisaari throws a shot to the body.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
McCall lands an overhand right.
McCall is looking to clinch.
Mahtisaari looks to land a right hand but McCall moved out of range.
A big left from McCall misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
McCall misses with a straight left.
McCall throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mahtisaari sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Mahtisaari looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Mahtisaari misses with a body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - McCall looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

McCall clinches.
McCall throws an elbow but it misses.
Mahtisaari dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Mahtisaari leaning against his opponent.
McCall prevents Mahtisaari from breaking the clinch.
Mahtisaari drops to a knee looking for a takedown but McCall gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Mahtisaari takes an elbow to the forehead.
Mahtisaari taking a breather.
Mahtisaari tries to break the clinch but McCall is controlling the position.
Mahtisaari can't break the clinch.
McCall is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mahtisaari is defending well for now.
McCall creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mahtisaari's defenses.
A right hook to the body lands for McCall.
McCall has Mahtisaari pressed against the cage.

Mahtisaari breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mahtisaari uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before McCall has time to react.
McCall bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Mahtisaari checks the leg kick nicely there.
Mahtisaari cracks McCall with a good jab.
Mahtisaari swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
McCall connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
McCall throws a looping overhand right but Mahtisaari ducks down to avoid it.
McCall moves out of range as Mahtisaari strikes.
Mahtisaari throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Mahtisaari takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Mahtisaari shoots in and gets a takedown into McCall's guard.
Mahtisaari missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
McCall keeping moving, preventing Mahtisaari from controlling successfully.
Mahtisaari landing some decent shots from guard.
Mahtisaari trying to control the position from guard on top but McCall is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahtisaari loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mahtisaari missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mahtisaari with a nice head shot there.
Mahtisaari is working McCall over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Mahtisaari throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as McCall works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mahtisaari throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mahtisaari has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
McCall 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.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as McCall holds on and takes a little breather.
Mahtisaari loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mahtisaari postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Mahtisaari throws an elbow that misses. McCall uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mahtisaari's guard. Nice move by McCall!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

McCall got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mahtisaari has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, McCall has managed to get both his arms back between Mahtisaari's legs - danger averted.
McCall looking to pass the guard.
Mahtisaari bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in McCall's guard.

McCall working a defensive guard here.
Mahtisaari trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mahtisaari trying to control the position from guard on top but McCall is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mahtisaari throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mahtisaari postures up and lands a big shot to McCall's brow.
Mahtisaari trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
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 Gareth McCall will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

McCall moves away from the strike by Mahtisaari.
McCall cracks the inside of Mahtisaari's front leg.
McCall tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mahtisaari paws at him with a jab and circles away.
McCall displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mahtisaari throws out the jab.
McCall lands with a hook. Mahtisaari tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
McCall lands a nice hook to Mahtisaari's body. Mahtisaari takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Mahtisaari scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
McCall just misses with a punch to the body.
Mahtisaari throws an overhand right that lands on McCall's shoulder, as McCall tries to avoid the shot.
McCall slaps away a takedown attempt from Mahtisaari, before circling back to the center of the mat.

McCall takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short uppercut from McCall.
I was talking to McCall's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
McCall lands a shoulder strike.
McCall goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Mahtisaari breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCall steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Mahtisaari.
Mahtisaari takes one to the side of the head.
Mahtisaari misses with a few strikes there.
It looked like McCall was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Mahtisaari fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McCall manages to avoid it.
Gareth McCall is winning the standup battle so far.
McCall lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
McCall tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mahtisaari paws at him with a jab and circles away.
McCall keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A nice leg kick lands there from McCall.
Mahtisaari stuns McCall with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Mahtisaari blocks a jab.
Mahtisaari looks to land a left hand but McCall moved out of range nicely.
Mahtisaari just misses with a punch to the body.
McCall misses the shot to the body.
Mahtisaari lands a body shot.
Mahtisaari throws a looping overhand right but McCall ducks down to avoid it.
McCall just misses with a punch to the body.
Mahtisaari looks to throw the jab but McCall is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mahtisaari throws a jab but it's blocked by McCall.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mahtisaari misses the jab.
Mahtisaari missing with a left hand there. McCall was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
McCall uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mahtisaari.
McCall misses with a low kick.
Mahtisaari changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
McCall walks into a left hand.
Mahtisaari staying out of range there.
McCall cracks the inside of Mahtisaari's front leg.
Mahtisaari misses with a wild body shot.
McCall swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Mahtisaari fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McCall manages to avoid it.
Mahtisaari clobbers McCall with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
McCall tries to clinch but Mahtisaari moves out of range.
Mahtisaari drops down looking to force a counter takedown but McCall defends it well.
Mahtisaari takes a swing at McCall's ribcage but misses.
A little feinted left hand from McCall on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
McCall misses with a body kick.
McCall closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Mahtisaari throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahtisaari looks to score with a jab to the body but McCall is just out of range.
A punch lands to the side of McCall 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Mahtisaari throws a body punch but McCall moves out of range.
McCall misses with a head kick.
Gareth McCall is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mahtisaari throws out a loose jab but McCall uses good head movement to avoid it.
McCall throws a hook but Mahtisaari avoids it easily.
McCall closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
McCall walks into a jab.
Mahtisaari connects with a looping right hand.
Mahtisaari throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck McCall on the side of the head.
Mahtisaari's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Mahtisaari misses with a hook.
McCall tries to clinch but Mahtisaari is having none of it.
Mahtisaari misses the jab.

McCall clinches.
McCall misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mahtisaari.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
McCall lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Mahtisaari manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mahtisaari misses with a hook.

McCall clinches.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as McCall takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A frustrated look appears on Mahtisaari's face as he tries to break the clinch.
McCall creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
McCall lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mahtisaari backwards.
Mahtisaari scores with a nice hook to the head.
Mahtisaari tries to stall but McCall uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
McCall doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Mahtisaari escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A slow jab from Mahtisaari misses its intended target.
McCall wants to clinch but Mahtisaari slips to the side
and Mahtisaari cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A nice inside leg kick there by McCall. That's going to slow Mahtisaari down.
Mahtisaari looks to score with a jab to the body but McCall is just out of range.
McCall ducks under a wild hook from Mahtisaari.
McCall tries to clinch but Mahtisaari moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arttu Mahtisaari showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

McCall slips under a jab.
McCall throws a shot to the body.
Mahtisaari misses with an uppercut. McCall saw that one coming.
A little feinted left hand from McCall on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
McCall stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and McCall wants it to stay on the feet.
McCall misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mahtisaari.
McCall keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mahtisaari.
McCall feinted there with a counter leg kick.
McCall is looking to score with low kicks.
Mahtisaari just misses with a punch to the body.
McCall wants to clinch
and Mahtisaari cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
McCall throws a lazy right hand but Mahtisaari sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mahtisaari misses with an uppercut
and McCall counters with a nice low kick that buckles Mahtisaari's knee momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mahtisaari fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McCall manages to avoid it.

Mahtisaari looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
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. Mahtisaari connects with a nice short shot to McCall's temple.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mahtisaari wants to take a breather but McCall is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCall preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
McCall moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Mahtisaari throwing strikes but missing.
Mahtisaari wants to control from the top but McCall keeps moving.
Mahtisaari stands up over McCall, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Mahtisaari is looking to work some ground and pound but McCall has wrist control.
Mahtisaari working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
McCall preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mahtisaari postures up.

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.
Mahtisaari throws a big elbow that misses.
Mahtisaari scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mahtisaari trying to control but McCall is working from the bottom.
Mahtisaari postures up in McCall's guard and throws a big left but McCall blocks it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mahtisaari misses with a looping left.
Mahtisaari slips under a jab.
Mahtisaari drops down looking to force a counter takedown but McCall defends it well.
A jab from Mahtisaari misses.
Mahtisaari on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Mahtisaari misses with an uppercut.
Mahtisaari tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but McCall was well out of range. Poor timing from Mahtisaari.
McCall throws a jab when Mahtisaari was well out of range.
McCall takes one to the chin there.
McCall blocks a jab.
McCall swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Mahtisaari keeps the fight on the outside.
Nice straight punches there by McCall. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of McCall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mahtisaari avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mahtisaari on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
McCall throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mahtisaari feints the counter takedown.
Mahtisaari lands a straight punch to the body, keeping McCall at a distance.
A big right from Mahtisaari misses.
Mahtisaari misses with an uppercut. McCall saw that one coming.
Mahtisaari drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Mahtisaari misses the jab.
Mahtisaari throws an ugly left hook that misses
and McCall counters with a nice low kick that buckles Mahtisaari's knee momentarily.
Mahtisaari slips a straight right by McCall.
Mahtisaari misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from McCall.
Mahtisaari dives in for a single leg takedown but McCall sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
McCall works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
McCall closes the distance looking to clinch
and McCall takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mahtisaari ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Mahtisaari looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Mahtisaari wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mahtisaari is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by McCall.
As Mahtisaari looks to move away, McCall throws a big counter combo bu Mahtisaari just gets out of the way.
A looping hook to the body misses from McCall. Mahtisaari does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mahtisaari feints the counter takedown.
Nice uppercut lands for Mahtisaari. That snapped McCall's head back.
McCall uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mahtisaari.
Mahtisaari with a jab.
McCall takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
McCall looks to throw the jab but Mahtisaari is out of range.
McCall tries to clinch up.
Mahtisaari connects with a body shot.
McCall swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Mahtisaari loads up on a big right hand but McCall slips the punch.
McCall tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mahtisaari paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A left lands for Mahtisaari.
McCall connects with a body shot that sends Mahtisaari's belly button to the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arttu Mahtisaari comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mahtisaari has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arttu Mahtisaari!
An out of breath Arttu Mahtisaari thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.