PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Aniruddha Anand (ranked 2335 p4p, 3707 weight class) and Ari Katajamaki (ranked 204 p4p, 203 weight class). Anand comes to the cage accompanied by Swag Se Segat by Salman Khan & Katrina Kaif. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Anand
vs
Katajamaki

160 cm
21
144
3 - 2 - 1

162 cm
24
135
6 - 9 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Hoarse Pills

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 3 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aniruddha Anand!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Ari Katajamaki!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Atkins and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anand lands a high kick!
Katajamaki fails with the takedown.
Anand misses the jab.

Anand tries to sprawl but Katajamaki drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Anand trying to control but Katajamaki postures up.
Anand gets back to full guard.
Katajamaki trying to control but Anand is working from the bottom.
Katajamaki is looking to work some ground and pound but Anand has wrist control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Katajamaki is working Anand over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Katajamaki missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Anand trying to keep a closed guard but Katajamaki is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katajamaki postures up in Anand's guard and throws a big left but Anand blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Katajamaki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Katajamaki throwing strikes from guard but Anand blocks nicely.
Anand looking to hit a scissor sweep but Katajamaki is one step ahead there.
Anand looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Katajamaki closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Anand quickly recovers to half guard.
Anand makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Anand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki stopping the sweep attempt from Anand.
Katajamaki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Katajamaki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Anand working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Katajamaki.
Katajamaki trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Anand working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Katajamaki.
Katajamaki chips away with some ground and pound.
Katajamaki throwing strikes but missing.
Katajamaki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anand is pulling down on Katajamaki's head to control his posture.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Anand thows a left - swing and a miss!
Katajamaki tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Anand tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Anand misses with an uppercut. Katajamaki saw that one coming.
Anand looks to throw the jab but Katajamaki is out of range.
Anand looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Anand buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Katajamaki stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Anand.
Katajamaki slips under a jab from Anand.
Katajamaki tries to score a power double leg takedown but Anand sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Katajamaki somewhat.

Katajamaki rushes Anand and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Anand gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Katajamaki.
Aniruddha Anand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ari Katajamaki.

Anand pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Katajamaki with the counter takedown but Anand avoids it easily.
Anand misses with a straight left.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Katajamaki.
An elbow from Katajamaki crashes against the mat.
Anand struggling a bit here.
Anand manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Katajamaki throwing shots but Anand is blocking nicely.
Katajamaki sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Anand defending well though.
Anand blocking the ground and pound attempt from Katajamaki.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ari Katajamaki will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Katajamaki shoots for a double leg takedown but Anand sprawls well. He's pushed Katajamaki's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Katajamaki tries to clinch there but Anand circles away.
Katajamaki drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Anand lands with a thumping leg kick.
Katajamaki takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Anand thumps Katajamaki with a low kick.
Anand throws a nice outside leg kick.
Katajamaki tries for a takedown but Anand circles away easily
and Anand cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Anand stuffs the takedown.
Aniruddha Anand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ari Katajamaki.
Anand connects with a solid leg kick.
Anand is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Katajamaki can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Katajamaki slips a jab from Anand.

Anand gets caught napping as Katajamaki dives in and scores a takedown. Anand manages to retain guard.
Katajamaki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Anand looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Anand bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Katajamaki's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katajamaki keeping moving, preventing Anand from controlling successfully.
Katajamaki is controlling Anand's posture.
Anand preventing the sweep.
Katajamaki keeps trying to improve his position.
Katajamaki manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Anand manages to get himself to full guard.

Katajamaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Anand is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Katajamaki working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Anand's head.
Anand pulls Katajamaki in close to prevent any damage.
Anand's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Aniruddha Anand has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Katajamaki throwing strikes from guard but Anand blocks nicely.
Katajamaki lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Katajamaki with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki postures up.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Katajamaki loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Katajamaki dives in for a single leg takedown but Anand sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Katajamaki closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Anand's guard.
Katajamaki scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Katajamaki connects with a couple of short punches.
Katajamaki throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Anand works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Anand is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Anand is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Katajamaki distracts Anand with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki is looking to work some ground and pound but Anand has wrist control.
Katajamaki is looking to work some ground and pound but Anand has wrist control.
Katajamaki landing some decent shots from guard.
Anand avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Aniruddha Anand is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A decent looking cross lands there for Anand.
Katajamaki slips under a jab from Anand.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Katajamaki.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Anand finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Katajamaki or perhaps it was just good defense by Anand, which made it look bad.

Katajamaki drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Aniruddha Anand will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Katajamaki fails with the takedown.
A telegraphed right hand from Anand misses the target.
Katajamaki is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Katajamaki shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Anand defends it nicely.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Katajamaki is defended easily by Anand.
Aniruddha Anand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ari Katajamaki.
A slapping leg kick lands for Anand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Katajamaki shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Anand sprawls well. Anand wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Katajamaki gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Katajamaki shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Anand is trying to defend but Katajamaki finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Anand is looking to improve his position.
Katajamaki missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Katajamaki scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Katajamaki throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Katajamaki throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Anand taking some punishment here, with Katajamaki in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Katajamaki throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Katajamaki working over Anand with some ground and pound. Anand looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Katajamaki throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Anand avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Katajamaki.
Katajamaki not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Anand is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A leg kick checked by Katajamaki.
Katajamaki tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Katajamaki shoots in but Anand avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Anand finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Katajamaki changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Katajamaki checks a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki shoots in looking for a takedown but Anand manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Katajamaki's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Katajamaki manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Anand on his heels. He'll look to pass Anand's guard now, I'm sure.
Katajamaki throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Anand works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Katajamaki is in close to Anand's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Katajamaki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Katajamaki postures up in Anand's guard and throws a big left but Anand blocks it.
Katajamaki trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Katajamaki throws a big elbow that misses.
Katajamaki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Katajamaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Anand is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Katajamaki shoots in looking for a takedown but Anand manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Katajamaki's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Katajamaki has a takedown stuffed.
Katajamaki's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Katajamaki shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Anand counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Anand pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Anand lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Anand thows a leg kick but Katajamaki checks it

and Katajamaki counters with a shoot takedown. Anand fights it but they end up in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Anand keeping moving, preventing Katajamaki from controlling successfully.
Anand lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Anand pushing down on Katajamaki's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ari Katajamaki.
I think Katajamaki 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:29
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27

The fight is ruled a draw!