PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hager Meister (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kustaa Pohjanala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Meister's entrance music is Amazing. A fine choice. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Meister
vs
Pohjanala

175 cm
21
140 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

168 cm
24
142 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hager Meister!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kustaa Pohjanala!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pohjanala fails in his attempt to clinch.
Meister fails with the takedown.
Pohjanala misses with a two punch combination.

Pohjanala moves into the clinch successfully.
A knee to the head by Pohjanala.
Meister trying to stall but Pohjanala improves his position.
Meister has Pohjanala pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Pohjanala manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Meister goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Pohjanala unloads a knee to the mid-section. Meister lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Meister changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Pohjanala fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hager Meister. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Meister closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Pohjanala can't do much from the bottom here.
Meister wants to stand but Pohjanala has his arm trapped.
Meister working away.
Meister wants to control but Pohjanala is keeping him busy.
Pohjanala struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meister tries to move to mount but Pohjanala blocks the move with his legs.
Pohjanala can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pohjanala is looking to regain half guard here but Meister keeps moving and retains side control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Pohjanala looks to land a combination but Meister avoids it well.

Pohjanala fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Meister sprawls well initially but Pohjanala persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Pohjanala is keen to just control but Meister is a slippery customer.
Pohjanala wants to free his trapped foot but Meister is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Pohjanala uses his free foot to push down on Meister's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Meister.
Meister is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pohjanala wants to finish this one by submission but Meister is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Pohjanala.
Pohjanala looks gassed!
Meister working to try and regain half guard.
Meister in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Meister regains half guard.
Meister wants to control but Pohjanala is keeping busy.
Meister is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Meister kicks off Pohjanala and gets to his feet.
Pohjanala tries to clinch up.
Pohjanala scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Meister misses with a takedown
and Pohjanala counters with a nice body kick.
Meister gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Pohjanala counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Pohjanala prevents Meister from improving his position.
Pohjanala missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Pohjanala performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Meister is in trouble now - Pohjanala has advanced to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meister is looking to improve his position but Pohjanala isn't that keen on the idea.

Pohjanala looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Pohjanala is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Meister can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Meister is trying to escape the mount.
Meister tries to hold on but Pohjanala pushes him away.

Pohjanala stands up from mount. Strange move.
Meister tries for a takedown but Pohjanala circles away easily

and Pohjanala counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Pohjanala.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kustaa Pohjanala dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Pohjanala tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Meister paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Meister with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pohjanala counters by clinching up.
Pohjanala lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Pohjanala connects with a knee to the head.
Pohjanala looking to throw knees to the head but Meister is blocking nicely.
Meister has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Pohjanala avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Pohjanala leaning his opponent against the cage.
Pohjanala lands a nice knee to the body.
Meister wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hager Meister. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Meister has clasped his hands together around Pohjanala's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Pohjanala manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Meister looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Pohjanala wants to control but Meister is keeping busy.

Meister is trying to work for a kimura but Pohjanala is defending well.
Pohjanala trying to control here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Meister is working for a submission of some sort.

Meister is looking for a kimura but Pohjanala is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Meister to get the leverage.
Pohjanala is doing well to control the position and prevent Meister from advancing to side control.
The fighters are battling for position here. Pohjanala manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Pohjanala keeping moving, preventing Meister from controlling successfully.

Meister avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Meister wants to pass the guard but Pohjanala is keeping the position.
Pohjanala is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Meister passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Meister trying to control the position but Pohjanala is working away.
Pohjanala is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Meister's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meister wants to stand up but Pohjanala has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Pohjanala controlling the position for now.
Pohjanala tries to get to full guard but Meister has control of the leg.
Meister is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Meister goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Pohjanala turns into him and now he's in Meister's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Pohjanala wants to control from the top but Meister keeps moving.
Pohjanala working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Meister working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pohjanala doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Pohjanala manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Meister wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Pohjanala manages to pass to side control.
Pohjanala content to control rather than advance.
Pohjanala trying to control the action but Meister is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kustaa Pohjanala will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Meister misses with a takedown attempt

and Pohjanala counters by clinching up.

Meister jumps guard.

Meister escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Pohjanala gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pohjanala trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pohjanala not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Pohjanala in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pohjanala trying to control the position from guard on top but Meister is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pohjanala pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Meister is keeping the position for now.
Pohjanala must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Meister looking for a guillotine here but Pohjanala defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meister looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pohjanala is one step ahead there.
Meister is trying to keep Pohjanala in close.
Pohjanala pushes down on Meister's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Pohjanala moves nicely into side control.

Pohjanala looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

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.
Meister gets back to half guard.
Meister is trying to get back to full guard.
Pohjanala throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala stalling.
Hager Meister has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Pohjanala is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Meister is trying to stand up here but Pohjanala is controlling him well.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pohjanala fails with an attempt to clinch.
Meister shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Pohjanala counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pohjanala.
Meister tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pohjanala trying to control the position from guard on top but Meister is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Meister looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pohjanala wants to control from the top but Meister keeps moving.

Meister throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Meister looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pohjanala trying to control the position from guard on top but Meister is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kustaa Pohjanala is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pohjanala controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Pohjanala is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Meister has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Pohjanala is looking to defend but Meister has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Pohjanala! Meister pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Pohjanala taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Hager Meister!