PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nico Hatjula (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason Smack (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hatjula comes to the cage accompanied by Mokoma - Takatalvi. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hatjula
vs
Smack

185 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

185 cm
19
212 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nico Hatjula!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jason Smack!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hatjula throws a head kick that misses.

Hatjula gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Smack throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smack throws a big right hand that misses.
Smack lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Smack postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hatjula wants to sweep here but Smack controlling him for the moment.
Smack with a flurry of punches that miss.

Hatjula looking for a guillotine here but Smack defends easily.
Smack must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hatjula is breathing heavily.
Hatjula has momentary wrist control but Smack slips an elbow through the middle.
Smack is working Hatjula over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hatjula wants to sweep here but Smack controlling him for the moment.
Smack stands up over Hatjula, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Smack working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hatjula's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smack distracts Hatjula with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Smack cracks Hatjula with a solid left hand.
Smack scoring with punches to the head and body.
Smack working some strikes from top position.
Smack scoring with some ground and pound.
Smack postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Smack is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hatjula keeping full guard, as Smack tries to pass.
Smack scoring with some ground and pound.
Smack postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Smack postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Hatjula is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Smack is aware though and is defending well.
Smack stopping the sweep attempt from Hatjula.
Hatjula has momentary wrist control but Smack slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smack scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Smack connects with a couple of short punches.
Smack is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Smack distracts Hatjula with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Smack is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Smack cracks Hatjula with a solid left hand.
Hatjula trying to keep a closed guard but Smack is proving a slippery customer.

Hatjula is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Smack with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Smack working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Smack connects with a couple of short punches.
Hatjula is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hatjula throws a nice head kick!

Smack scores with a takedown into Hatjula's guard.
Smack trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smack landing with the ground and pound.
Smack is in close to Hatjula's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Smack throwing strikes from guard but Hatjula blocks nicely.
Smack with a flurry of punches that miss.
Smack chips away with some ground and pound.
Hatjula looking for a sweep. Not yet Hatjula, not yet.
Smack lands a couple of elbows.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Smack drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hatjula is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Hatjula wants to get back to his feet.
Check out the look on Smack's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hatjula manages to work his way to half guard, despite Smack's best efforts.
Smack landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hatjula is pressing down on Smack's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Smack chips away with some ground and pound.
Smack distracts Hatjula with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hatjula manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Smack wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hatjula gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Smack counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Smack lands a couple of digs.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Smack's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Smack postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hatjula is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Smack stands up over Hatjula, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Smack avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Jason Smack has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smack with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Smack scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Smack really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hatjula. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smack with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Smack postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Hatjula looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hatjula looking for a guillotine here but Smack defends easily.
Smack landing with the ground and pound.
Hatjula striking off his back but it's not causing Smack any problems.
Smack postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Smack postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hatjula wants to stand up but Smack is controlling him.
Smack is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

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

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hatjula tries for a takedown but Smack circles away easily

and Smack counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hatjula!
Hatjula is trying to escape the mount.
Hatjula is working hard here to advance position.
Smack cracks Hatjula with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Smack with good strikes from the mount here!
Hatjula tries to hold on but Smack postures up.
Smack with good strikes from the mount here!
Smack in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Smack scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Smack avoids the attempt from Hatjula to control.
Smack landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hatjula is in all sorts of trouble here.
BOOM! Smack connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hatjula is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Smack scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hatjula?
Hatjula working to try and regain half guard.
Smack postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hatjula looks a forlorn figure.
Smack looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hatjula is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Hatjula is desperately trying to improve his position but Smack has a good base and remains in mount.
A nice elbow there by Smack.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hatjula wants to control but Smack is having none of it.
Hatjula tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hatjula regains half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Smack lands a nice short elbow.
Hatjula wants to get back to full guard.
Smack lands strikes from half guard.
Smack scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Smack is thwarting Hatjula's attempts to control the position.
Smack lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Smack showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hatjula misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Smack shoots in and bounces Hatjula off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Smack cracks Hatjula with a solid left hand.
Hatjula trying to keep a closed guard but Smack is proving a slippery customer.
Smack scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Smack postures up and lands a big shot to Hatjula's brow.
Smack scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hatjula looking for a sweep. Not yet Hatjula, not yet.
Smack lands a couple of elbows.
Hatjula looking for a sweep. Not yet Hatjula, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smack scoring with some ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smack working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hatjula is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Smack shoots in but Hatjula avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hatjula tries to clinch up.
Hatjula wants to slow Smack down by chopping away at his legs.

Hatjula gets caught flat footed, as Smack shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Smack working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hatjula's head.
Hatjula manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Hatjula working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Smack is squirming around, avoiding Hatjula's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hatjula is really struggling to control Smack but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Hatjula blocks Smack's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Smack can do anything to dispel that myth.
Smack is wriggling around trying to escape.
Hatjula dominating with strikes here.
Smack swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Smack can't escape the position.
Hatjula blocks Smack's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Hatjula landing strikes from the mount.
The referee warns Smack that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Hatjula has hold of Smack's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Smack manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Hatjula throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hatjula is looking to stand but Hatjula has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
Smack is looking to get to half guard.
Hatjula connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Smack working to try and regain half guard.
Hatjula looking to control but Smack is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Smack gets back to half guard.

Hatjula is looking for a kimura but Smack is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Hatjula to get the leverage.
Smack scores with a few weak punches.
Hatjula is trying to control the action in half guard but Smack is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hatjula blocks the strikes from Smack.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hatjula scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Smack manages to get to full guard.
Hatjula is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Smack throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Hatjula stands up and waves to Smack to follow him.

Smack shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hatjula's guard.

Hatjula working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Smack doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Smack manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Nico Hatjula has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smack scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Jason Smack is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Smack lands a couple of elbows.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jason Smack comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Smack winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Jason Smack!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Jason Smack!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Jason Smack!

Jason Smack wins by unanimous decision!