PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between DeShawn West (ranked 831 p4p, 568 weight class) and Reijo Halli (ranked 116 p4p, 83 weight class). West comes to the cage accompanied by Can’t Be Touched - Roy Jones Jr. Halli has chosen Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz as his entrance music. Reijo Halli acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

West
vs
Halli

172 cm
35
145
28 - 12 - 0

177 cm
38
165
17 - 11 - 1

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Fast

Vegan Gains
Shadow Realm Apparel

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 28 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, DeShawn West!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reijo Halli!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Jonathan Paton and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Halli throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
West needs to keep his hands up - Halli had a free shot at his head there.
Halli waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract West.

Halli drives through and clinches with West against the cage.
Halli throws a head punch that misses.
Halli misses with a punch to the body.
Halli tries to work over West's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
West tries to circle away but Halli has him pinned against the cage.
Halli tries a body shot but West blocks it.
Halli lands a shot to the body.
Halli digs a right hand into West's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on West's gas tank.
A right hand to the body from Halli.
Halli throws a punch but it's blocked by West.

Halli has dropped down and is working for a takedown. West is trying to keep an underhook but Halli manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Halli thows a huge punch but West dodges it nicely.
Halli wants to pass the guard but West is defending well.
West's coaches at Outlier Martial Arts have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Halli stalling.
Halli wants to pass the guard but West is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halli sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. West defending well though.

Halli is working for a kimura but West is defending it quite comfortably.
Halli is trying to control. West wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Halli is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and West reverses the position - he's now on top in Halli's guard.
West sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
West'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.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Halli is on top in guard.

Halli has gone for a leg lock! West slips out almost immediately though and dives into Halli's guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Halli working a defensive guard here.
West controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
West trying to control the position from guard on top but Halli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Halli wants to hit a sweep here but West passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Halli there!
West controlling his opponent.
Halli felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Halli tries to hold on but West pushes him away.

That's four 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.
Halli tries to control West's body but West pushes him off. Halli squirms to his side and now West has his back!
West has the hooks in. Halli is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
West is looking to control Halli but Halli is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Halli can't escape the position.
West controlling the position well here. Halli rolled but West kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Halli wants to control his opponent's hands but West gets his hands free.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Halli might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control West haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Halli looking to control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Halli scores with a hook.
Halli swings for the body but West moves out of range.
Halli throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Halli uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by West.
West misses with a hook.
Halli lands a head shot.

Halli rushes West and presses him up against the cage.
Halli misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Halli drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A short right from Halli.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

West manages to break the clinch.
Halli has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Halli catches West with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Halli uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from West.
West takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Halli has West up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
West scores with a shoulder strike.
West tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Halli lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
West working aggressively here.
A right hand to the body from Halli.
Halli goes for a takedown in the clinch but West prevents it.
West throws a head punch that misses.
Halli looking for a takedown.
DeShawn West has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Reijo Halli.
Halli can't get the takedown.
Halli tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
West can't find room to land a body shot as Halli controls the action.
Halli blocks a punch to the side of the head.
West lands a left hand.
Halli has West pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. West manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
West swings away with an uppercut that misses.
West scores with a shot to the side of Halli's head.

Halli works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Halli controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halli throwing strikes from guard but West blocks nicely.
Halli wants to control from the top but West keeps moving.
Halli wants to pass the guard but West is keeping the position.
Halli advances to half guard.
Halli not doing much here.

Halli is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and West defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli wants to pass the guard but West is defending well.

Halli is working for a submission of some sort.
West is trying to get back to full guard.
West regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Halli.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Halli advances position into side control!
West tries to buck Halli off but Halli is having none of it.
Halli controls the position.

Halli working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Halli is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. West knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Halli showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Halli fails in his attempt to clinch.
West is looking to counter punch.
Halli tries for a takedown but West sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
It looked like West was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Halli.
Halli scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Halli cracks West with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
West throws a right hand that misses
and Halli cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice body punch from Halli.
Halli keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Halli gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Halli lands a shoulder strike.
Halli can't find room to land a body shot as West controls the action.
Halli can't find room to land a body shot as West controls the action.
Halli tried to land a shot to the body but connects with West's elbow.

Halli jumps guard and drags West to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
West trying to control the position from guard on top but Halli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Halli working for a triangle but West defends it easily.
West has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
This has been an exciting period of action!
West trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
DeShawn West has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
West would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

West decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Halli, up you get!

Halli takes the fight into the clinch.
West prevents a body shot from Halli.
West is trying to stall.
A right handed body shot lands from Halli.
Halli blocks a body shot from West.
West lands with a right to the head.
West is looking to control Halli's arms but Halli gets an underhook and turns him. Now West has his back to the cage.
West throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Halli lands a hook that snaps the head of West backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
West prevents a body shot from Halli.
Halli fails to pull the fight into his guard.
West is working Halli over against the cage.
Halli takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
West lands with a right to the head.
Halli changes levels and goes for a takedown here. West fights it off and pushes away nicely.
DeShawn West has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Reijo Halli.
Good shot there by West.
Halli fails with the takedown.
Halli misses with a hook
and West connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
West uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Halli.
Halli fakes high and swings low for a body shot but West manages to avoid it.
West slips under a jab from Halli.
Halli jabbing away but nothing is landing.
West scores with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli blocks a jab.

Halli moves into range and clinches up with West.
Halli misses with a body punch.
West lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Halli is working for takedown but West is calmly controlling the position for now.
Halli misses with a body punch.
Halli tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Halli tries a body shot but West blocks it.
A short uppercut from West.
West tries to work over Halli's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
West goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
West tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Halli doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Halli gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Halli trying to advance position but West counters by regaining guard.
Halli trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but West manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Halli has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. West doesn't defend quickly enough and Halli has managed to lock this one up! Can West escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Halli on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Reijo Halli!
Reijo Halli decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.