PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Esko Ponka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Connoly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Connoly has chosen Break Stuff - Limp Bizkit as his entrance music. Connoly has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Ponka
vs
Connoly

225 cm
22
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
275 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Esko Ponka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dan Connoly!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Ponka.
Connoly looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Connoly showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ponka.
Ponka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Connoly.
Ponka misses with a jab, cross combination.
Connoly misses with a low kick.
Ponka throws a nice looking combination but Connoly bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Ponka does no damage.
Ponka misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ponka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Connoly circles away quickly and effectively.
Ponka swinging wilding here.
Ponka tries to bum rush Connoly with a series of wild strikes but Connoly uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ponka will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Esko Ponka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ponka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Some wild striking there from Ponka.
A combination from Ponka does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Connoly drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Ponka wants to stand and escape but Connoly is having none of it.
Ponka knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Connoly on the ground.
Ponka keeping moving, preventing Connoly from controlling successfully.
Ponka is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Connoly is controlling him.
Connoly throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ponka works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ponka keeping full guard, as Connoly tries to pass.
Connoly trying to control but Ponka is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ponka throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connoly avoids a punch combination nicely.
Connoly shoots in but no luck this time.
Ponka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Connoly fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Connoly closes the distance and clinches up with Ponka, looking for a takedown. Connoly pushes Ponka against the cage but Ponka circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Esko Ponka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Connoly.
Ponka fails to land with a series of punches.
An inside leg kick lands from Connoly.
Ponka throws a series of punches but Connoly moves out of range.
Horrible takedown by Connoly or perhaps it was just good defense by Ponka which made him look bad.
Connoly fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Connoly wants to clinch up but Ponka keeps it at a distance.
Connoly avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponka throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A punch combination from Ponka misses.
Nice takedown defense from Ponka. No joy for Connoly on that attempt.
Ponka throws a right hand that Connoly ducks under and follows up with a left that Connoly also avoids with ease.
Esko Ponka is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Connoly gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Connoly.
Ponka has had enough of the clinch but Connoly keeps him there for the moment.

Connoly breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ponka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Connoly circles away quickly and effectively.
Connoly has a takedown stuffed.
Connoly shoots in but Ponka avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Connoly misses with a head kick.
Connoly fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ponka misses with a two punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Ponka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ponka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
No joy there for Ponka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Connoly tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Connoly is looking to clinch.
Ponka stuffs the takedown attempt from Connoly. Connoly gets slowly back to his feet.
Ponka throws a series of punches but Connoly moves out of range.
Ponka throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ponka swinging wilding here.
Ponka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Connoly.
Connoly avoids a punch combination nicely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ponka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Connoly circles away quickly and effectively.
Ponka throws a right and a left that both miss.
A combination from Ponka does no damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dan Connoly will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ponka throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ponka tries to bum rush Connoly with a series of wild strikes but Connoly uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ponka throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ponka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ponka misses with a double jab.
Ponka will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ponka looks to land a combination but Connoly avoids it well.
Connoly has a takedown stuffed.
Ponka tries to bum rush Connoly with a series of wild strikes but Connoly uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A punch combination from Ponka misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Connoly has a takedown stuffed.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ponka throws a nice looking combination but Connoly bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ponka misses with a few strikes there.
Ponka fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponka tries to bum rush Connoly with a series of wild strikes but Connoly uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Connoly fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Esko Ponka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Connoly.
Ponka throws a series of punches but Connoly avoids them all with ease.
No joy there for Ponka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ponka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Connoly circles away quickly and effectively.
Ponka swinging wilding here.
Connoly misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ponka.
Ponka throws a series of punches but Connoly avoids them all with ease.
Some wild striking there from Ponka.
Ponka misses with a wild combination.
Some wild striking there from Ponka.
Ponka looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

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.
Ponka looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ponka scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Ponka tries to bum rush Connoly with a series of wild strikes but Connoly uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ponka misses with a jab, cross combination.

Connoly looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Ponka!
Ponka's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Connoly working the ground and pound effectively.
Connoly can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ponka is looking to escape.
Connoly sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Connoly raining down shots from the mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponka tries to buck Connoly off but he can't manage it.
Connoly lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Connoly has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ponka trying desperately to get to his feet.

Connoly is working for a guillotine from mount but Ponka frees his head quite easily.
Connoly controlling from mount.
Ponka wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Connoly looking to secure an arm triangle but Ponka defends it well.
Ponka is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Connoly wants to control the pace but Ponka is squirming around nicely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ponka is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Connoly has taken his back!
Ponka looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Connoly showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Ponka's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ponka throws a one two combo.
No joy there for Ponka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Connoly avoids a punch combination nicely.
Connoly fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Connoly tries to bum rush Ponka with a series of wild strikes but Ponka uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ponka throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Connoly counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ponka!
Ponka wants to get back to his feet.
Connoly can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ponka is looking to escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ponka tries to buck Connoly off but he can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connoly trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Connoly looking to finish Ponka with some ground and pound. This is bad for Ponka!
Connoly won't let Ponka get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Connoly looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ponka is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Connoly looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Ponka is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Ponka taking shots to the head.
Ponka's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Connoly controlling his opponent.
Connoly trying to control but Ponka is having none of it.
Connoly lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Ponka is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ponka somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!

Connoly feints and as Ponka raises his hands in defense, Connoly changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Connoly wants to control from the top but Ponka keeps moving.

Connoly stands up and waves to Ponka to follow him.
Connoly fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Some wild striking there from Ponka.
Esko Ponka is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Connoly shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ponka pinned against the cage. Ponka gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Esko Ponka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Connoly.
Ponka misses with a double jab

and Connoly counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ponka won't be happy with that.
Ponka tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ponka is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Connoly with shots to the head and body - Ponka looks very uncomfortable down there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Connoly won't let Ponka get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ponka is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Connoly has taken his back!
Ponka is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Connoly has Ponka flattened out and is raining down punches.
Ponka trying to get back to his feet but Connoly is in full control for now.
Esko Ponka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dan Connoly is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Connoly comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Connoly winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Connoly!