PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Markku Koskela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dark Horse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dark Horse will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Koskela
vs
Horse

190 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Markku Koskela!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dark Horse!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Tarja Halkonen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Horse has managed to clinch.
Koskela wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Horse has him pressed against the cage.

Horse escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
No luck for Horse with that takedown attempt.
Koskela shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nice takedown defense from Koskela. No joy for Horse on that attempt.
Koskela takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Koskela takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Horse tries to clinch but Koskela moves out of range.
Horse fakes the leg kick and cracks Koskela in the body.
Horse fails with an attempt to clinch.
Koskela throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Horse counters with a low kick, right behind Koskela 's knee.
Horse scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Koskela throws a head kick that misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Koskela, as that shot connected.
Koskela misses with a wild combination.
Koskela is breathing heavily.
Koskela misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Horse.
Koskela with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Horse to score with a decent uppercut.
Koskela moves out of range of the body kick from Horse.
Horse moves out of range as Koskela strikes.
A punch combination from Horse misses.
Horse is looking to slow Koskela down with leg kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Horse gets a clinch.
Horse is working for takedown but Koskela is calmly controlling the position for now.
Markku Koskela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dark Horse.
Horse lands a right hand that snaps the head of Koskela backwards.
Horse gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Horse taking a breather.

Horse breaks from the clinch.
Horse drops Koskela with a right and a left! Horse comes rushing in but Koskela regains his composure and manages to keep Horse in guard.

Koskela is rocked!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Horse lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Oh Koskela is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Horse gets to his feet - Koskela follows without any prompting.
Markku Koskela seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horse cracks a nice hook into Koskela's ribs.
Koskela seems to have got his legs back now.

Horse gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Koskela really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Horse changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Koskela fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Horse tries for a takedown but Koskela sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Koskela looks to land a left hand but Horse moved out of range nicely.
Horse misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Horse.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
No luck for Koskela with that takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Horse gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Horse goes for a takedown in the clinch but Koskela prevents it.
Koskela has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Horse avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Horse has picked Koskela up - he's going for a ride! Horse dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Koskela flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Koskela avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Horse.
Horse missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Horse is looking for a kimura but Koskela is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Horse to get the leverage.
Koskela trying to control but Horse postures up.
Horse is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Koskela is looking to escape.
Ground and pound from Horse.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Horse tries for a takedown but Koskela sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Koskela stuffs the takedown attempt from Horse. Horse gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horse shoots for a double leg takedown but Koskela sprawls well. He's pushed Horse's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Koskela misses with a jab, cross combination.
Horse takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Horse throws a combination. Koskela tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
No luck for Horse with that takedown attempt.
Koskela avoids a punch combination nicely.
Koskela looks to score with a jab to the body but Horse is just out of range.
Horse scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Koskela fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Horse lands a head shot.
Horse displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Koskela throws out the jab.
A cross from Horse lands.
Horse fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Koskela on the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Horse throws a series of punches but Koskela moves out of range.
Horse fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Horse tries to close the distance and clinch up but Koskela swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Koskela scores with a jab. Horse acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Horse throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Horse throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Koskela's waist but Koskela gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Horse off to one side.
Horse lands with a shot to the body.
Horse shoots in looking for a takedown. Koskela tries to sprawl out of it but Horse keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Koskela manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Koskela lands a body shot.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Koskela. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Horse moves out of range of the strikes.
Horse lands a front kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
An inside leg kick lands from Horse.
Horse moves forwards but Koskela connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Horse throws a nice looking combination but Koskela bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Horse takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Horse will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Horse tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Koskela swivels and escapes.
Horse on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A jab from Koskela does it's job there.
Koskela misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Horse misses with a double jab.
Koskela tries to bum rush Horse with a series of wild strikes but Horse uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Koskela drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Horse strikes from his own guard.
Horse is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Koskela trying to control but Horse is working from the bottom.
Koskela is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Horse is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Horse looking for a guillotine here but Koskela defends easily.
Koskela cracks Horse with a solid left hand.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Horse clinches up against the cage.

Horse breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Koskela shoots for a double leg takedown but Horse sprawls well. He's pushed Koskela's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Horse lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
No luck for Horse with that takedown attempt.
Markku Koskela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dark Horse.
Koskela paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Markku Koskela is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Horse has managed to clinch.
Horse keeps control of Koskela as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Horse is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Horse escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Koskela finds it's way through Horse's defenses.
Horse will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Koskela tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Horse counters with a nice leg kick.
Koskela lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Horse circles away quickly and effectively.
Horse rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Koskela moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Horse moves into the clinch successfully.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Koskela.

Horse escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Koskela fails in his attempt to clinch.
Koskela misses with an uppercut.
Horse's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Horse duly obliges.
Horse misses with a wild combination.
Koskela lands with a shot to the body.
Horse avoids the head kick by Koskela.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horse closes the distance and clinches up with Koskela, looking for a takedown. Horse pushes Koskela against the cage but Koskela circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Koskela scores a takedown into full mount!
Koskela dominating with strikes here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Koskela blocks Horse's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Horse is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Koskela lands a big shot there that rocks Horse but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Koskela scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Horse?
Horse tries to hold on but Koskela pushes him away.
Horse keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Horse wants to control but Koskela is having none of it.
Horse is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koskela looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Horse is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Koskela avoids the attempt from Horse to control.
Koskela is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Koskela cracks Horse with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Horse is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Koskela looking to secure an arm triangle but Horse defends it well.
Horse wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Koskela lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Horse tries to hold on but Koskela pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markku Koskela dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Horse has a takedown stuffed.
Koskela swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Horse dodges the punch combination from Koskela.
Koskela keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Koskela with a jab.
Koskela tries to clinch up

and Horse counters by clinching up.

Horse escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Horse fails with an attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Horse shoots in and drives through. Koskela sprawls well.
Markku Koskela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dark Horse.
Koskela misses with a wild body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Horse fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Koskela slips a jab and a cross from Horse.
Horse closes this distance looking for a takedown but Koskela circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koskela misses with a looping right.
Crunch! Horse slams his shin into Koskela's torso.
Horse has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Koskela finds it's way round the side to connect with Horse's head.
Horse shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Horse tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Horse shoots in for a double leg but Koskela sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Horse shoots in but no luck this time.
Horse will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Koskela throws a jab but it's blocked by Horse.
Koskela tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Horse clinches with his opponent.
Koskela stops a takedown attempt from Horse.
Horse leaning against his opponent.

Horse has picked Koskela up - he's going for a ride! Horse dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Horse is trying to control the action in half guard but Koskela is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Koskela looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Koskela throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horse thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Koskela's head.
Koskela tries to kick Horse off but Horse keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Koskela is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Koskela blocking the ground and pound attempt from Horse.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Horse cracks the inside of Koskela's front leg.
Horse is looking to clinch but Koskela is avoiding it.
Horse throws a series of punches but Koskela moves out of range.
Koskela moves in looking to clinch but Horse pushes him off.
Horse turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Koskela tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Koskela scores with a decent looking hook.
Horse moves in looking to clinch but Koskela pushes him off.
Horse shoots in but Koskela avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horse tries to close the distance and clinch up but Koskela swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Horse pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Koskela looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Horse is fending him off so far but Koskela persists. Nope, Horse circles away and we're back to standing.
Horse looks for a takedown but Koskela sprawls well.
Koskela pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice defenses there by Horse.
Koskela throws a right hand that Horse ducks under and follows up with a left that Horse also avoids with ease.
A combination from Horse does no damage.
Koskela takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Horse lands a jab to Koskela's midsection.
Horse comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Horse misses with a series of wild punches.
Horse misses with the combination.
Koskela avoids the head kick by Horse.

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.
Horse throws a one two combo.
Koskela wants to land a leg kick but Horse is out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Koskela. No joy for Horse on that attempt.
Koskela swinging wilding here.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Horse.
Koskela doesn't manage to clinch there - Horse circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Koskela as Horse shoots in.
Koskela throws a lazy right hand but Horse sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Horse slips a straight right by Koskela.
Koskela showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Horse.
Koskela slips a jab and a cross from Horse.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Horse scores with a one two! Koskela had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Horse tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Horse circles away from the clinch attempt.
Horse scores with a leg kick.
Horse scores with a three punch combo!

And that's the end of the fight!
Dark Horse comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Horse 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dark Horse!