PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Keke Ikonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damian Kaia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Ikonen might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Conan the Barbarian. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ikonen
vs
Kaia

180 cm
23
189 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

183 cm
23
194 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Nemesis Cage Clothing
Natural Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Keke Ikonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Damian Kaia!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kaia decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Ikonen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Kaia is trying to work for a kimura but Ikonen is defending well.
Kaia trying to control from Ikonen's half guard. Ikonen has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Kaia drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ikonen dives on top into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ikonen thows a big elbow that misses.
Ikonen tries to free his leg and advance position but Kaia is retaining full guard.
Ikonen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ikonen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kaia swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kaia working for a triangle but Ikonen defends it easily.

Ikonen drops back looking for a leg! Kaia is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kaia manages to kick Ikonen off! Ikonen jumps back into Kaia's guard.
Ikonen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kaia is proving hard to escape from.

Kaia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ikonen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ikonen wants to control from the top but Kaia keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kaia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ikonen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ikonen tries to free his leg and advance position but Kaia is retaining full guard.

Kaia has his foot on Ikonen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ikonen works his way back into a safe position though.
Ikonen looking to sit in guard and control but Kaia gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kaia trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kaia controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kaia postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Ikonen is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Kaia, into his guard.
Ikonen postures up in Kaia's guard and throws a big left but Kaia blocks it.

Kaia had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Ikonen is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Kaia Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Ikonen's back instead.

Kaia working for a choke but Ikonen is defending well.
Kaia looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kaia is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Ikonen knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Ikonen for a finish.
Ikonen trying to control the position but Kaia manages to sink in the hooks.
Kaia is trying to stick to Ikonen's back but Ikonen is turning into Kaia. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Kaia's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Ikonen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damian Kaia dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kaia shoots in for a takedown but Ikonen shows good takedown defense.
Ikonen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kaia.
Kaia tries for a takedown but Ikonen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Keke Ikonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damian Kaia.
Kaia shoots for a double leg takedown but Ikonen sprawls well. He's pushed Kaia's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Ikonen gets a takedown into half guard.
Kaia avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ikonen.
Kaia throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Ikonen is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Ikonen wants to free his trapped foot but Kaia is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Kaia blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ikonen.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ikonen is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kaia doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ikonen.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kaia is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ikonen pulls his head out easily.
Kaia is breathing heavily.

Ikonen is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kaia doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ikonen.

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

Ikonen scores with a takedown into Kaia's guard.

Ikonen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ikonen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Ikonen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ikonen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ikonen wants to stand but Kaia is controlling his posture from full guard.

Kaia has his foot on Ikonen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ikonen works his way back into a safe position though.
Ikonen stopping the sweep attempt from Kaia.
Ikonen throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaia looking to control but Ikonen passes into half guard.

Kaia is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ikonen pulls his head out easily.
Kaia gets full guard.
Kaia looking for a sweep. Not yet Kaia, not yet.
Ikonen chips away with some ground and pound.
Kaia keeping full guard, as Ikonen tries to pass.
Kaia with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Ikonen can't handle though.

Kaia is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ikonen is aware though and is defending well.

Ikonen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ikonen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Kaia throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

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.
Ikonen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kaia's guard.

Ikonen is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Kaia actively working from the bottom here.
Ikonen tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kaia knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Kaia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keke Ikonen dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Kaia gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Kaia has his foot on Ikonen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ikonen works his way back into a safe position though.
Kaia keeping full guard, as Ikonen tries to pass.

Kaia looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Kaia has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ikonen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ikonen working some strikes from top position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ikonen content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kaia has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Ikonen is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Kaia.

Ikonen decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Kaia misses with a takedown attempt

and Ikonen decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kaia's guard.

Kaia throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Ikonen gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Kaia tries for a takedown but Ikonen circles away easily

and Ikonen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kaia won't be happy with that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kaia struggling a bit here.
Kaia is looking for a sweep.
Kaia takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Ikonen creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Ikonen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kaia struggling a bit here.
Kaia tries to bench press Ikonen off him but Ikonen keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaia gets back to half guard.
Ikonen trying to control the action but Kaia is working from the bottom.

Kaia has one foot on Ikonen's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Ikonen moves into the clinch.

Kaia gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Kaia drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ikonen dives on top into guard.

Kaia is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ikonen is aware though and is defending well.
Ikonen wants to control from the top but Kaia keeps moving.

Kaia working for a triangle but Ikonen defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ikonen drops back looking for a leg! Kaia is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kaia manages to kick Ikonen off! Ikonen jumps back into Kaia's guard.
Ikonen looking to sit in guard and control but Kaia gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kaia stands up over Ikonen, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keke Ikonen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ikonen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keke Ikonen!