PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pentti Lahjakas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luka Vainio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lahjakas's entrance music is Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger. A fine choice. Pentti Lahjakas has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lahjakas
vs
Vainio

225 cm
20
250 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

194 cm
19
246 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pentti Lahjakas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Luka Vainio!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vainio throws a nice looking combination but Lahjakas bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lahjakas changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Vainio tries to avoid it but Lahjakas manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Vainio to the ground. Vainio escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lahjakas really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Vainio closes the distance and pushes Lahjakas back into the cage.

Vainio is trying to trip Lahjakas. He has hold of a leg but Lahjakas is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Vainio persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Vainio wants to stand but Lahjakas has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lahjakas keeping full guard, as Vainio tries to pass.
Vainio tries to stand but Lahjakas is controlling from the bottom.
Lahjakas looking for a sweep. Not yet Lahjakas, not yet.
Vainio is stalling in the full guard.

Lahjakas escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Vainio gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vainio landing with the ground and pound.

Vainio drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Vainio jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Vainio postures up.
Vainio trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Vainio sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vainio trying to stand up but can't free himself from Lahjakas's guard.

Vainio got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lahjakas has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Vainio has managed to get both his arms back between Lahjakas's legs - danger averted.
Vainio wants to control from the top but Lahjakas keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Lahjakas tries to clinch

and Vainio counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Lahjakas's guard now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lahjakas not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lahjakas looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Vainio distracts Lahjakas with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Lahjakas is controlling Vainio's posture.

Vainio is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Vainio looks gassed!
Vainio trying to control but Lahjakas is working from the bottom.

That's four 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.
Vainio working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lahjakas wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Vainio manages to pass to side control.
Lahjakas works his way to full guard. Good work.
Lahjakas is pulling down on Vainio's head to control his posture.
Vainio stays in close to Lahjakas's body and controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luka Vainio dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Vainio closes the distance and clinches.

Lahjakas pulls guard successfully.

Vainio has gone for a leg lock! Lahjakas slips out almost immediately though and dives into Vainio's guard.
Lahjakas wants to control from the top but Vainio keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lahjakas wants to stand but Vainio is controlling his posture from full guard.

Vainio working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lahjakas doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lahjakas manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Vainio is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vainio wants to get back to his feet but Lahjakas passes into half guard.
Vainio moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Lahjakas won't allow Vainio to sweep him here.
Vainio will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Vainio is looking for a triangle but Lahjakas pushes his legs off easily.
Lahjakas tries to stand but Vainio is controlling from the bottom.
Vainio wants to stand up but Lahjakas is controlling him.
Lahjakas content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lahjakas wanted to stand there but Vainio had control of the position.
Vainio is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lahjakas is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lahjakas fails in his attempt to clinch.
Vainio wants to clinch

and Lahjakas counters by clinching up.

Lahjakas jumps guard and drags Vainio to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Vainio gets to his feet - Lahjakas follows without any prompting.
Lahjakas lands with a slapping head kick.
A head kick by Vainio misses

and Lahjakas counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Vainio's guard now.

Vainio is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vainio is striking from the bottom but Lahjakas uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Lahjakas is looking to take a break and control but Vainio is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Vainio looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Vainio is looking to improve his position.
Vainio trying to hold on to Lahjakas's head to control him but Lahjakas postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pentti Lahjakas dominated that second 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. And we move into the final round!

Vainio tries to clinch but Lahjakas moves away
and Lahjakas counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Vainio looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Lahjakas!

Vainio is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Lahjakas fails with the takedown

and Vainio counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Vainio scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Luka Vainio has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lahjakas keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Vainio looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Vainio is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lahjakas tries to get to full guard but Vainio has control of the leg.
Lahjakas has hold of Vainio's hands but Vainio slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Lahjakas is defending against the submission attempts here by Vainio.
Vainio wants to stand up but Lahjakas has a hold of him and won't allow it.

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.
Vainio trying to control the action but Lahjakas is working from the bottom.
Lahjakas wants to improve his position but Vainio is controlling well.
Vainio is taking a breather. Lahjakas says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vainio trying to control the action but Lahjakas is working from the bottom.

Vainio decides to stand and escape the position.
Vainio wants to clinch

and Lahjakas counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Vainio wants to get back to his feet.

Lahjakas is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Vainio sees it coming and defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vainio manages to get to full guard.
Vainio pulls Lahjakas in to control the position.
Lahjakas trying to control but Vainio is working from the bottom.
Vainio trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luka Vainio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Vainio 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luka Vainio!