PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Luca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Woima Karhu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karhu is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by House of Pain - Jump Around. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Luca
vs
Karhu

180 cm
28
185 lbs
13 - 12 - 2

182 cm
39
175 lbs
26 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
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 13 - 12 - 2, fighting out of London, Johnny Luca!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Woima Karhu!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Paul Aken and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Luca takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Karhu connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A lazy left from Karhu finds it's target.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Karhu can't find room to land a body shot as Luca controls the action.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Karhu.
Karhu is trying to stall.
Karhu blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Luca is trying to maintain a safe position but Karhu gets an underhook and turns Luca into the ropes.

Luca breaks the clinch.
Woima Karhu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Karhu shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Karhu lands the left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luca fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Luca tries to clinch up but Karhu circles away and keeps his distance.

Luca gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Karhu to score an easy takedown into full guard.
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!
Karhu pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Luca is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luca working a defensive guard here.
Luca keeping moving, preventing Karhu from controlling successfully.
Karhu might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Luca haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Karhu looking to sit in guard and control but Luca gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Karhu is adopting a defensive guard.
Luca would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Karhu looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Karhu looking to control.
Karhu is pulling down on Luca's head to control his posture.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Karhu has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Luca can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karhu seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Luca has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Karhu is proving hard to escape from.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Luca takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Karhu comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Karhu showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Luca.
Luca scores with a jab to the jaw.
Luca takes a jab right on the kisser.
Luca with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luca is looking to score with low kicks.
Karhu's jab looks to have found its range, popping Luca under the eye.
A looping hook to the body misses from Karhu. Luca does a little dance to reset his feet.
Luca slips under a jab from Karhu.
Luca uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Karhu.
Karhu misses with a low kick.
Luca fails in his attempt to clinch.
Luca fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Karhu has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Karhu tries to work over Luca's front leg with a kick but Luca checks it.
Luca avoids the head kick by Karhu.
Luca is looking to clinch.
Karhu wants to land a leg kick but Luca is out of range.
A clash of legs there as Karhu blocks the low kick.
Luca is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Karhu throws a body shot but no joy.
Luca wants to land a leg kick but Karhu is out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Woima Karhu dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Karhu tried to score with a low kick but Luca checks it.
Luca was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A head kick misses from Luca.
Luca throws a quick inside leg kick.
Karhu slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Karhu throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Karhu throws a low kick but it's checked well by Luca.
Luca feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Luca takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

It looks like Woima Karhu has been cut.
Woima Karhu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Karhu with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Luca tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Karhu counters with a right hand to the body.
Luca throws the left hand but Karhu avoids the punch easily.
Karhu throws an overhand right that lands on Luca's shoulder, as Luca tries to avoid the shot.
Karhu with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Karhu is looking to chop away at Luca's legs.
Luca lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Karhu takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
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!
Karhu wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Karhu scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karhu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Karhu throws a solid leg kick but Luca takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Karhu.
Karhu scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Karhu shoots in but Luca avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Karhu looks to score with a jab to the body but Luca is just out of range.
A big left from Luca misses.
Karhu misses with a wild body shot.
Luca is looking to counter the offense by Karhu and move into the clinch.
Karhu lands with a good body shot.
Luca takes a swing at Karhu's ribcage but misses.
Karhu is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Luca rather than just go for the knockout.
Karhu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Luca was well out of range. Poor timing from Karhu.
Luca throws a counter high kick but Karhu was just alert enough to avoid it.
Luca tries to clinch up but Karhu circles away and keeps his distance.
A solid body kick from Karhu.
Karhu shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Luca as he avoids it easily.
Karhu lands a jab to Luca's midsection.
Karhu cracks the inside of Luca's front leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Luca. That's going to slow Karhu down.
Luca misses with a low kick.
Karhu turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Karhu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Luca throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Karhu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Luca was well out of range. Poor timing from Karhu.
An inside leg kick lands from Luca.

Luca fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Karhu, pushing him back against the ropes.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Karhu misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Karhu.
A short right from Luca on the inside.
Karhu is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Luca doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luca stalling the fight.
Karhu is trying to push Luca away but Luca has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Karhu is stalling here.
Luca lands a body punch.
Luca digs a right hand underneath Karhu's ribcage. Karhu let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Luca manages to break the clinch.
Luca tries to clinch but Karhu is having none of it.
A nice side step and Karhu releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Karhu throws a leg kick
and Luca counters with a nice uppercut.
Karhu takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Luca throws a leg kick
and Karhu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Karhu lands a nice looking body shot.
Karhu takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Karhu throws a body shot but no joy.
It looked like Luca wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Luca lands with an uppercut that bounces Karhu off the ropes and back into range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karhu throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Luca.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Karhu throws a predictable looking body shot
and Luca connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Karhu misses with a leg kick
and Luca counters with a nice uppercut.
Karhu changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Johnny Luca is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Luca uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Karhu.
Karhu closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Good exchange - Luca coming out on top.
Karhu connects with an inside leg kick.
Luca 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.
A head kick by Luca misses
and Karhu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Luca lands with a straight right. Karhu didn't see that one coming.
Karhu tried to score with a low kick but Luca checks it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Karhu. Luca does a little dance to reset his feet.
Karhu throws a head kick but Luca moves out of range.
Luca misses the shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Woima Karhu will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Woima Karhu's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Luca tries to clinch up but Karhu circles away and keeps his distance.
Luca dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Luca avoids the head kick by Karhu.
A quick step to the side and Luca tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Karhu checks the leg kick.
Karhu connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Luca pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Karhu defending well as Luca loads up on a big left hand.
Luca avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Luca throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Luca tries to work over Karhu's front leg with a kick but Karhu checks it.
Luca tries to land a body kick
and Karhu counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Luca closes the distance and pushes Karhu back into the ropes.
A head punch on the inside from Luca fails to land.
Karhu goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Luca scores with a shot to the side of Karhu's head.

Karhu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luca misses with a low kick.
A big right from Karhu misses.
As Karhu backs away, Luca returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Luca throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Karhu throws a head kick that misses.
Karhu scores with a punch to the head.
Luca fails in his attempt to clinch.
Luca takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Luca thows a left - swing and a miss!
Luca tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice shot lands for Karhu.
Karhu scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Karhu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Luca.
Jab from Luca.
Karhu throws a leg kick but Luca sees it coming and moves out of range.
Luca throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karhu throws a leg kick that is checked
and Luca counters with a nice kick to the body.
Luca lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
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!
Luca lands with a hook. Karhu tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Karhu on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Luca. Luca obviously looking to wear him down.
Karhu blocks a head kick by Luca.
Karhu changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Karhu lands a slapping body shot.
Karhu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Luca tries a head kick but it misses.
Nice takedown defense from Luca. No joy for Karhu on that attempt.
Karhu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Johnny Luca has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Luca takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Luca throws a quick inside leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Karhu.
An attempted straight right counter from Luca misses the target.
Karhu throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Luca misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karhu misses with an uppercut
and Luca counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Luca connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Karhu on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Luca. Luca obviously looking to wear him down.
Karhu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Luca throws a head kick but Karhu moves out of range.
Karhu misses with a body kick.
Karhu comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Karhu throws out a leg kick but Luca moves out of range and Karhu only half commits.
Karhu looks to land a body kick but Luca moved away.
Karhu lands the left hand.
Karhu checks a low kick from Luca.
Karhu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jab, jab by Karhu - just one landing.
Luca lands a lovely overhand right.
Luca throws a front kick that sends Karhu stumbling back into the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Luca looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A head kick misses from Luca.
Karhu scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Luca is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Luca gets a clinch.
Luca pushes Karhu back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Karhu looking to slow down the pace here.
Karhu has a couple of punches blocked by Luca.
Luca's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Woima Karhu is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Luca throws a punch but it's blocked by Karhu.
Luca swings wildly with an uppercut but Karhu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Luca has a couple of punches blocked by Karhu.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Luca showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Karhu 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 29:29
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!