PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Spinning Fire (ranked 2378 p4p, 227 weight class) and Sauli Kekkonen (ranked 2011 p4p, 199 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Fire
vs
Kekkonen

209 cm
21
290 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

206 cm
19
265 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Spinning Fire!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sauli Kekkonen!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Radbod Blank and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kekkonen misses the shot to the body.
Kekkonen has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Kekkonen misses with a hook. Fire ducked under it nicely.
Fire moves forwards but Kekkonen connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Fire moves out of range of the strikes.
Fire changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Kekkonen lands the left hand.
Kekkonen swinging wildly here.
Kekkonen cracks Fire with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kekkonen lands the left hand.
Fire moves out of range as Kekkonen strikes.
A big left from Kekkonen misses.
Fire appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kekkonen scores with a hook to the body. Fire takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Kekkonen just misses with a punch to the body.
Kekkonen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Fire staying out of range there.
Fire appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Fire gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Kekkonen misses with a combination

so Fire counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fire won't allow Kekkonen to sweep him here.
Kekkonen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kekkonen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Fire landing some decent shots from guard.
Fire has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fire slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Kekkonen throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Kekkonen throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kekkonen trying to strike off his back.
Kekkonen trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Kekkonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kekkonen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Kekkonen throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Kekkonen throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Kekkonen tries to strike from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Fire takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Kekkonen looks to land a combination but Fire avoids it well.
Fire attempts a counter takedown but Kekkonen avoids it well and moves away.
Kekkonen jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Kekkonen feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Fires jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
A punch combination from Kekkonen misses.
Kekkonen scores with a jab to the jaw.
Kekkonen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kekkonen fails to land with a series of punches.
Kekkonen fails to land with a series of punches.
Fire appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Kekkonen connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Kekkonen throws a combination that misses

so Fire counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
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!
Kekkonen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Fire's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fire utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kekkonen chips away with some ground and pound.
Kekkonen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kekkonen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Fire has his hands on Kekkonen's head, controlling the position.
Kekkonen throws a strike but Fire rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Kekkonen trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Kekkonen doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Kekkonen is striking but Fire is not phased and passes to half guard.
Kekkonen has hold of Fire's hands but Fire slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kekkonen is looking to control Fire's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kekkonen avoid being mounted?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sauli Kekkonen dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A jab from Kekkonen does it's job there.
Kekkonen misses with a hook.
Kekkonen lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Fire at a distance.
Kekkonen throws a lazy uppercut

and Fire counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Kekkonen!
Kekkonen sneaks back into half guard.
Kekkonen manages to get to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fire wants to control from the top but Kekkonen keeps moving.
Fire stands up over Kekkonen, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Kekkonen working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fire trying to control the position from guard on top but Kekkonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fire is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Kekkonen trying to strike off his back.
Kekkonen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kekkonen keeping full guard, as Fire tries to pass.
Kekkonen thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Fire tries to free his leg and advance position but Kekkonen is retaining full guard.
We've been hearing that Fire has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Kekkonen looking for a sweep. Not yet Kekkonen, not yet.
Fire works over Kekkonen with some ground and pound from guard.
Kekkonen keeping moving, preventing Fire from controlling successfully.
Fire lands a couple of elbows.
Fire landing with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Kekkonen trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Kekkonen keeping moving, preventing Fire from controlling successfully.
Kekkonen wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Kekkonen punching from the bottom - just letting Fire know he's still in a fight.
Kekkonen striking off his back but it's not causing Fire any problems.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Fire preventing the sweep.
Fire stands and throws Kekkonen's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Kekkonen is looking for a sweep.
Kekkonen is trying to control Fire's posture but Fire avoids it.
Kekkonen is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fire is working Kekkonen over with some ground and pound from side control.
Fire working away.
Fire landing strikes.
Fire landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Kekkonen is looking for a sweep.
Kekkonen taking a bit of punishment here - Fire scoring with strikes.
Fire wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kekkonen keeps working.
Kekkonen is trying to improve his position.
Kekkonen takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fire working the head with strikes.
Kekkonen is trying to control Fire's posture but Fire avoids it.
Fire trying to control the position but Kekkonen is working away.
Fire working away.
Fire moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Kekkonen is trying to control Fire's posture but Fire avoids it.
Kekkonen throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kekkonen is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Spinning Fire dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Kekkonen takes a swing at Fire's ribcage but misses.
Kekkonen scores with the left hand. Fire knows he should have avoided that one.
Kekkonen throws a combination that misses

and Fire counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Kekkonen has momentary wrist control but Fire slips an elbow through the middle.
Fire looking to pass the guard.
Kekkonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kekkonen throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Kekkonen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fire landing with the ground and pound.
Kekkonen trying to strike off his back.
Fire stands up over Kekkonen, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Fire stopping the sweep attempt from Kekkonen.
Fire landing with the ground and pound.
Spinning Fire overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fire looking to pass the guard.
Fire scoring with some ground and pound.
Kekkonen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Kekkonen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Fire is one step ahead there.
Fire looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Fire lands a couple of elbows.
Fire works over Kekkonen with some ground and pound from guard.
Kekkonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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.
Fire wants to control from the top but Kekkonen keeps moving.
Kekkonen throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Fire's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Fire slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Kekkonen is not content to let Fire control the position.
Fire scoring with punches from side control.
The referee asks Fire politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Fire prefers to stall for the moment though.
Kekkonen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Fire wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kekkonen keeps working.
Fire working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fire trying to control the position but Kekkonen is working away.
Fire working the ground and pound.
Kekkonen takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Kekkonen is rocked!
Kekkonen takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Kekkonen is still in real trouble! Can Fire finish him?
Kekkonen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Fire scoring with punches and elbows.
Fire wants to control but Kekkonen is keeping him busy.
Fire working away.
A big shot lands for Fire! That's hurt Kekkonen! Will he recover? Fire fires away with more strikes and the referee has to step in to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Spinning Fire!
An out of breath Spinning Fire thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.