PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Miller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Osmo Ikola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Miller
vs
Ikola

185 cm
19
176 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

176 cm
22
173 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Miller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Osmo Ikola!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ikola drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Ikola throwing strikes from guard but Miller blocks nicely.
Ikola postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ikola accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ikola looking to pass the guard.
Ikola trying to control but Miller is working from the bottom.
Miller controls Ikola momentarily but Ikola frees himself.
Ikola looking to pass the guard.
Miller wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ikola keeps the fight on the outside.
Miller moves in looking to clinch but Ikola pushes him off.

Ikola scores with a takedown into Miller's guard.
Miller is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miller tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ikola tries to free his leg and advance position but Miller is retaining full guard.
Miller is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ikola wants to get back to full guard.
Ikola is refusing to be controlled, as Miller sits in half guard.
Ikola is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ikola landing small, sideways elbows.
Well, if Miller is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Miller is looking to take a break and control but Ikola is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

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.
Ikola has his hands clasped together around Miller's back. He's all about the action.
Ikola wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ikola is trying to stand.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ikola can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ikola looks gassed!
Miller seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Ikola wants to improve his position but Miller is controlling well.

Miller stands up out of the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller blocks a low kick nicely.

Ikola looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Miller!
Miller is wriggling around trying to escape.
Miller tries to hold on but Ikola pushes him away.
Ikola putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Miller is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Ikola is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Miller has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Ikola controlling the pace for now.
Ikola working the ground and pound effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miller tries to get back to half guard but can't.
A nice elbow there by Ikola.
Ikola landing strikes from the mount and Miller is in trouble!
Ikola unloading with bombs!
Miller is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Ikola scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Miller is looking to improve his position but Ikola isn't that keen on the idea.
A nice elbow there by Ikola.
Ikola landing punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Osmo Ikola dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ikola has managed to clinch.
Miller is looking to control Ikola's arms but Ikola gets an underhook and turns him. Now Miller has his back to the cage.
Miller using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Miller landing knees to the body.
Miller misses with a knee to the head.
Ikola is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Miller gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ikola wants a takedown.
Ikola can't break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Miller keeps control of Ikola as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Miller fails to pull guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Ikola has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Miller uses from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miller controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ikola is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Miller wants to control from the top but Ikola keeps moving.
Ikola looking to hit a scissor sweep but Miller is one step ahead there.
Miller wants to get up but he can't break Ikola's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two 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.
Ikola trying to keep a closed guard but Miller is proving a slippery customer.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Miller moves into the clinch.
Miller tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ikola looking for a takedown.
Mike Miller has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Osmo Ikola.
A knee to the head by Miller.
Miller is trying to stall.
Ikola stalling the fight.
Miller tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ikola is pushing Miller up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Ikola lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Ikola sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Miller defending well though.
Ikola has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Ikola sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ikola looking to control but Miller is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ikola content just to control the position here.
Ikola with a couple of short strikes.
Ikola working Miller over with strikes here.
Ikola trying to control but Miller is having none of it.
Miller wants to hold on but Ikola pushes him away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ikola lands with some strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Osmo Ikola 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Miller tries to clinch but Ikola moves away

and Ikola counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Ikola seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Miller does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Miller trying to control here.
Ikola prevents Miller from improving his position.
Osmo Ikola has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ikola working the head and body with strikes.
Miller is trying to get back to full guard.
Ikola takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Ikola sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Ikola scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ikola landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ikola is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Ikola wants to pass to mount but Miller is defending the position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ikola lands a nice short elbow.
Ikola not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Miller wants to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Miller fails with the takedown

and Ikola decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Miller's guard.
Miller can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ikola controls the pace.
Miller working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ikola prevents Miller from getting back to his feet.
Ikola works over Miller with some ground and pound from guard.
Ikola chips away with some ground and pound.
Ikola thows a big elbow that misses.
Ikola thows a big elbow that misses.
Ikola chips away with some ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Ikola shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Ikola was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Miller is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Miller working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Ikola controlling his opponent.

Ikola goes for an armbar but Miller turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Miller.
Miller's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Miller is looking to stand up but Ikola won't let him.

Ikola has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Miller can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ikola is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Osmo Ikola is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Miller stopping the sweep attempt from Ikola.
Miller controls from within his opponent's guard.
Miller being controlled here momentarily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Osmo Ikola comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ikola has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Osmo Ikola!