PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rico Cole (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pekko Wannanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cole
vs
Wannanen

182 cm
24
156 lbs
11 - 4 - 1

172 cm
25
161 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Fast

Urban Fighter
Aspire Nutrition

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 11 - 4 - 1, fighting out of London, Rico Cole!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pekko Wannanen!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yuuki Gou and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cole circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cole misses with a left hand
and Wannanen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cole slips a straight right by Wannanen.
Wannanen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cole.
We've been informed that Wannanen has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Cole shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Wannanen throws a hook but Cole avoids it easily.
Cole slips under a jab.
Pekko Wannanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cole displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Wannanen throws out the jab.

Cole clinches.
I was talking to Cole's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Cole goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cole blocking some punches.
Cole goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cole blocking some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cole pushes Wannanen back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Cole can't find room to land a body shot as Wannanen controls the action.
Wannanen misses with a punch to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Cole goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cole misses with a body punch.
Wannanen blocks a body shot from Cole.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole scores with a hook to the body.
Still in the clinch, Cole scores with a nice short uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Wannanen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short right from Wannanen.

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

Cole rushes Wannanen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Wannanen leaning against his opponent.
Cole misses with a hook to the ribs.
Wannanen scores with a shoulder strike.
Cole blocks an elbow strike.
Cole misses with a punch to the body.
Cole wants to break free but Wannanen has control.
Cole takes a shot to the head.
Wannanen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Coles head.
Wannanen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cole is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Cole breaks from the clinch.
Wannanen connects with a looping right hand.
Cole just misses with a punch to the body.
Wannanen looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Wannanen misses its intended target.
Cole throws a jab when Wannanen was well out of range.
Wannanen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cole throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Wannanen.
Wannanen tries to clinch up.
Wannanen on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Cole throws a sloppy head kick and Wannanen moves out of range easily.
Cole cracks a nice hook into Wannanen's ribs.
Wannanen missing with a left hand there. Cole was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Wannanen tried to score with a low kick but Cole checks it.
Wannanen tries to clinch up but Cole circles away and keeps his distance.

Wannanen moves into range and clinches up with Cole.
Cole is looking to break free of the clinch but Wannanen has double underhooks.
Wannanen tries to land knees in the clinch but Cole avoids the damage to the body.
Cole takes an elbow to the temple.
Cole's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Cole takes a shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cole tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Wannanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wannanen looks to land a combination but Cole avoids it well.
Cole just misses with a punch to the body.
Wannanen looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Wannanen lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Wannanen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cole sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Wannanen moves into range and clinches up with Cole.
Wannanen blocks a body shot from Cole.
Wannanen lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cole backwards.
Cole misses with a punch to the body.
Cole looking to slow down the pace here.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Wannanen.
The referee is keeping an eye on Cole - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Wannanen.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Wannanen just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cole's brow.
Wannanen misses with an elbow over the top.
Wannanen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wannanen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cole's defenses.
Cole can't break the clinch.
Cole blocks an elbow strike from Wannanen.
With the fighters up against the cage, Wannanen throws an elbow but misses.
Wannanen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cole's efforts to push away.
Wannanen throws an elbow but it misses.
Wannanen taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Cole lands a shot to the body.
Wannanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Cole backwards.
Cole avoids a wild elbow strike from Wannanen.
Wannanen throws a head punch that misses.
Cole wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cole scores with a shot to the side of Wannanen's head.
Wannanen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cole blocks the elbow strike.
Cole lands with a left to the head.

Wannanen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A shot to the body from Cole misses
and Wannanen counters with a straight right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pekko Wannanen dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Cole moves into the clinch.
Cole wants to break free but Wannanen has control.
Cole blocks the elbow strike.
Cole takes an elbow to the forehead.
Wannanen throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Cole escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wannanen lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Cole moves out of range as Wannanen strikes.
Cole misses with a two punch combination.

Cole moves into the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Wannanen throws an elbow but misses.
Pekko Wannanen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cole lands a body punch in the clinch.
Wannanen looks to throw an elbow but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Wannanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cole slips under a jab from Wannanen.

Cole drives through and clinches with Wannanen against the cage.

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

Cole clinches up against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cole tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wannanen prevents a body shot from Cole.
Cole is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Cole letting Wannanen take a breather here.
Wannanen pushes off an throws an elbow but Cole leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Wannanen misses with an elbow strike.
Cole misses with a body punch.
Cole gets through Wannanen's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Cole wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Wannanen has him pressed against the cage.

Cole breaks the clinch.
Wannanen checks a leg kick.
Cole connects with a leg kick. Wannanen looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Cole's corner calls for a 1-2. Cole obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Cole misses with an uppercut.
Wannanen 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.
Cole keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Wannanen.
Cole throws a jab when Wannanen was well out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wannanen has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Cole finds it's way round the side to connect with Wannanen's head.
Cole lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Wannanen has Cole up against the cage in a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cole lands with a left to the head.

Cole escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cole throws a body punch but Wannanen moves out of range.
Cole will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Wannanen avoids the head kick by Cole.
Wannanen now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Pekko Wannanen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A good leg kick by Wannanen.
Wannanen misses the shot to the body.
Cole moves out of range of the strikes.
Cole fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Wannanen moves away from the strike by Cole.
Wannanen throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wannanen lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Cole bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Wannanen's head.
Wannanen misses with a body shot.
Wannanen avoids the head kick by Cole.
Wannanen tries to clinch there but Cole circles away.
Cole throws a head kick that misses.
A low kick from Wannanen is predictable there
and Cole cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cole looks to land a combination. Wannanen sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
A slapping leg kick lands for Cole.
Cole misses with a shot to the body
and Wannanen counters with a nice low kick that buckles Cole's knee momentarily.

Cole rushes Wannanen and presses him up against the cage.
Cole lands with a short head shot on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cole misses with a body punch.
Wannanen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cole struggles to land a body shot inside as Wannanen controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wannanen lands a hook to the side of the head.
Cole goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cole blocks the elbow strike.
Cole misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Wannanen stalling in the clinch but Cole improves position.
Wannanen lands an elbow inside that Cole shrugs off.

Wannanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cole fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Wannanen looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
A head kick misses from Cole.
Wannanen misses with an uppercut.
Cole punishes Wannanen's body with a nice straight punch.

Cole clinches with his opponent.
Cole lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Wannanen tries to work over Cole's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cole misses with a body punch.
Wannanen pushes off an throws an elbow but Cole leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Cole tries to work over Wannanen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Cole breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rico Cole dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Cole throws a head kick but Wannanen moves out of range.
Cole misses with a body shot
letting Wannanen counter with a right hand.
Wannanen swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Cole gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Wannanen.
Cole lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Wannanen circles away quickly and effectively.
Wannanen sizes up Cole with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Wannanen takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Cole misses with a body kick.
Wannanen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Wannanen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cole on the side of the head.
Wannanen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cole circles away quickly and effectively.
Cole takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cole fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Wannanen manages to avoid it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Cole misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Cole fails to land.
Cole tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Wannanen's elbow.
Cole misses with a hook to the ribs.

Cole pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cole throws a shot to the body.
A good leg kick by Wannanen.
Wannanen tries to clinch but Cole is having none of it.
Cole is looking to wear down Wannanen with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Wannanen tries to clinch there but Cole circles away.
A swing and a miss from Wannanen.
Cole uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Wannanen has time to react.
Wannanen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cole has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cole lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Wannanen has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Cole.
Wannanen misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Cole counters with a series of strikes. Wannanen will be more careful next time no doubt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wannanen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cole manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cole misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cole clobbers Wannanen with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Cole cracks Wannanen with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Wannanen misses the jab.
Good leg kick by Cole there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Cole misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Wannanen.
Cole throws a body shot but no joy.
Wannanen missing with a left hand there. Cole was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cole moves out of range of the strikes.
Cole half committed to a counter leg kick.
Wannanen lands with a nice combination. Cole backs away looking to recover.
Cole is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Wannanen fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Cole moves into range and connects with a jab.

Cole closes the distance and clinches.
Cole tries a body shot but Wannanen blocks it.
Cole struggles to land a body shot inside as Wannanen controls his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wannanen lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Wannanen throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Wannanen pushes off an throws an elbow but Cole leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Cole on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Cole breaks from the clinch.

Wannanen moves into range and clinches up with Cole.
Wannanen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Wannanen tries to throw a body punch but Cole avoids it by throwing Wannanen back against the cage.
Cole lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Cole's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cole slips under a jab.
Wannanen moves out of range of the body kick from Cole.
Wannanen throws a push kick but Cole slaps the foot to one side.
Cole scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Cole takes a swing at Wannanen's ribcage but misses.
Cole scores with a one two! Wannanen had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cole displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Wannanen throws out the jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wannanen misses the shot to the body.
Wannanen moves out of range as Cole strikes.
Wannanen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Wannanen connects with a solid leg kick.
Wannanen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Wannanen misses with a body shot
and Cole counters with a nice low kick that buckles Wannanen's knee momentarily.
Cole looks to score with a jab to the body but Wannanen is just out of range.
Cole chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Wannanen can pounce on him.
Cole scores with a nice right hand.
Cole looks to land a right hand but Wannanen moved out of range.
Nice jab there from Cole.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Wannanen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Cole is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cole softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Wannanen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Nice elbow from Wannanen.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Rico Cole.
I think Cole 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Pekko Wannanen!
A very excited looking Pekko Wannanen rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.