PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Christian Nokim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilkka Laitinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Nokim might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Kent - Töntarna. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nokim
vs
Laitinen

180 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
19
164 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Christian Nokim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ilkka Laitinen!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nokim forces Laitinen back against the cage and clinches.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Nokim takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Nokim has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Laitinen clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Oooh a big shot gets through from Nokim. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
You can see the frustration on Laitinen's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Laitinen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Laitinen is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
I really don't envy Laitinen right now.
Nokim connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Laitinen to escape the position.
I really don't envy Laitinen right now.
Nokim slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Nokim 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.
Laitinen covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Laitinen tries to escape the position.

Nokim is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Laitinen knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Laitinen for a finish.
Laitinen is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nokim lands strikes to the head.
A lull in the action here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nokim just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

Nokim tightening his grip on Laitinen, looking for the choke.
Laitinen takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Nokim is looking to control Laitinen but Laitinen is wriggling around and keeping busy.
You can see the frustration on Laitinen's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nokim controls the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Laitinen wants to escape the position.
Laitinen turns into Nokim and is now in his guard.
Nokim wants to sweep here but Laitinen controlling him for the moment.
Laitinen throws a strike but Nokim rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Nokim forces his way into half guard.
Laitinen is trying to get back to full guard.
Nokim controlling the pace.
Laitinen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nokim is looking for a kimura but Laitinen is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nokim to get the leverage.
Nokim performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Nokim is breathing heavily.
Laitinen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Nokim wants to control but Laitinen is keeping him busy.
Laitinen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Laitinen takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Laitinen scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
A big left from Laitinen misses.
Laitinen catches Nokim with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Nokim gets a clinch.
Nokim stalling against the cage.
Nokim tries for a takedown but Laitinen manages to get underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laitinen throws a punch but it's blocked by Nokim.

Nokim gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Laitinen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Nokim works his foot free and advances to mount.
Laitinen is working to get back to half guard.
Nokim landing shots from mount.
Laitinen is looking to get to half guard.
Laitinen taking shots to the head.
Laitinen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Nokim dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nokim with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Laitinen to score with a decent uppercut.
Laitinen moves into range and connects with a jab.
Nokim keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Laitinen.
Laitinen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Christian Nokim is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nokim changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Laitinen tries to avoid it but Nokim manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Laitinen to the ground. Laitinen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Laitinen throws a series of punches but Nokim avoids them all with ease.
No joy there for Laitinen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Laitinen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Laitinen throws a big shot that misses.

Nokim closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Nokim lands in his opponent's guard.
Laitinen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Laitinen trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Laitinen is striking from the bottom but Nokim uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Laitinen is breathing heavily.
Nokim is tying to control. Laitinen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laitinen gets back to full guard.
Nokim forces his way into half guard.

Nokim is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Laitinen defends it well.
Laitinen is trying to get back to full guard.
Laitinen is refusing to be controlled, as Nokim sits in half guard.
Nokim seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Nokim looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Nokim is looking for a kimura but Laitinen is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nokim to get the leverage.
Nokim wants to take a breather but Laitinen is having none of it.
Nokim blocks the strikes from Laitinen.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Laitinen closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Nokim staying out of range there.
Laitinen misses with a straight right.
A big left from Laitinen misses.
Laitinen lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Laitinen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Laitinen throws the left hand but Nokim avoids the punch easily.
Nokim slips under a jab.
Laitinen misses with the combination.

Nokim gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laitinen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Nokim is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Nokim has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Laitinen is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Laitinen misses with the head strike.
Laitinen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Laitinen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nokim blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nokim.
Nokim displaying some good clinch control by pressing Laitinen up against the cage.
Nokim fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Christian Nokim. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Nokim jumps into guard, dragging Laitinen to the mat.
Laitinen advances position into side control!
Nokim regains half guard, as Laitinen was trying to land strikes.
Nokim regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nokim lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Laitinen!
Nokim wants to control the pace but Laitinen is squirming around nicely.
Nokim controlling from the full mount.
Nokim seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Laitinen for as long as he can get away with.
Nokim putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Nokim dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Nokim rushes Laitinen and presses him up against the cage.
Laitinen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Nokim manages to pull guard.
Nokim wants to sweep here but Laitinen controlling him for the moment.
Nokim doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Laitinen throws and elbow that misses. Nokim uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Laitinen's guard. Nice move by Nokim!
Laitinen has momentary wrist control but Nokim slips an elbow through the middle.
Nokim trying to control but Laitinen is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laitinen doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Laitinen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nokim manages to get himself to full guard.
Nokim is adopting a defensive guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nokim lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Laitinen!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Laitinen is desperately trying to improve his position but Nokim has a good base and remains in mount.
Laitinen wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Nokim controlling the position well here. Laitinen rolled but Nokim kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Laitinen is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nokim landing with strikes.
Nokim struggling to keep hold of the position.
Laitinen tries to escape but Nokim has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Nokim lands a shot to the body.
Laitinen tries to break free.
Nokim is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Laitinen up.
Good control from Nokim.
Laitinen tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nokim is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Nokim loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Laitinen hold on?
Laitinen can't escape the position.
Laitinen tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Nokim trying to control but Laitinen is having none of it.
Nokim blocks Laitinen's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Laitinen is wriggling around trying to escape.
Christian Nokim overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nokim controlling his opponent.
Laitinen takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's four 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.
Nokim punishing his opponent with strikes.
Laitinen flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

Nokim is controlling this nicely and is looking to make no mistakes. Laitinen is trying to wiggle out of this horrible position. Laitinen flips to his side and attempts to get a leg in for half guard. Nokim anticipates the leg and manages to get behind Laitinen and secures both hooks! This could be bad! Nokim slips an arm under Laitinen chin and tries to position for a rear naked choke. Nokim has worked the choke in now and it looks tight. Nokim is squeezing on Laitinen like an anaconda would it's prey. Laitinen fails to tap and has fallen unconscious! We've got ourselves a winner by way of a rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Christian Nokim!