PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Yates (ranked 1562 p4p, 183 weight class) and Julius Turunen (ranked 2559 p4p, 261 weight class). Julius Turunen is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Yates
vs
Turunen

177 cm
20
167 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

173 cm
19
165 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jimmy Yates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Julius Turunen!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Ryoma Takatsuka and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Turunen slips under a jab from Yates.
A swing and a miss from Yates.
Yates loads up on a big right hand but Turunen slips the punch.
Jab by Turunen.

Turunen looking to score a takedown here. Yates is defending well but Turunen drives through and ends up in Yates's guard.
Turunen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Yates manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Turunen manages to get himself to full guard.

Turunen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Turunen keeping moving, preventing Yates from controlling successfully.
Yates slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Turunen is looking to sweep but instead, Yates has passed into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Turunen wants to control but Yates is keeping busy.
Yates tries to pass to full mount but Turunen defends it.
Turunen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Yates is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Turunen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Turunen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Turunen.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Turunen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Yates pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Turunen is keeping the position for now.

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.
Turunen has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Yates has passed into side control.
Yates trying to control the action but Turunen is working from the bottom.
Turunen tries to bench press Yates off him but Yates keeps the position.
Turunen manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Yates wants to get back to full guard.
Turunen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Yates with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Yates is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Turunen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Turunen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Turunen is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yates moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Turunen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yates is controlling Turunen's posture.
Turunen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Turunen is pushing down on Yates's leg trying to pass to half guard. Yates is fighting to maintain full guard but Turunen has managed to sneak the leg through.
Turunen working Yates over with strikes.

Yates is rocked!
Turunen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Oh Yates is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Turunen lands a big elbow from half guard. That looks like it's hurt Yates quite badly. Yates pulls Turunen in close trying to recover. Turunen postures up and lands two really hard shots that put Yates on queer street! The ref takes a look and decides to call an end to the fight! Possibly an early stoppage but Yates doesn't seem to be complaining too much.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Julius Turunen!