PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Seppo Hovi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Giordano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Hovi
vs
Giordano

183 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

183 cm
20
197 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Seppo Hovi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Giordano!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hovi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hovi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Giordano.

Hovi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Giordano, pushing him back against the cage.
Giordano can't get the takedown.

Giordano breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Giordano will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Giordano throws a series of punches but Hovi avoids them all with ease.
A right-left combo lands from Hovi.

It looks like Anthony Giordano has been cut.
A combination from Giordano does no damage.
Hovi throws a good cross that connects.

Giordano is rocked!

Hovi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Giordano looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Giordano is still in real trouble! Can Hovi finish him?
Giordano tries to improve position but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hovi working the head with strikes.
Hovi working the ground and pound from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hovi trying to control the action but Giordano is working from the bottom.
Giordano tries to buck Hovi off but Hovi is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hovi working the head with strikes.
Hovi creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Hovi scoring with punches from side control.
Hovi controlling the position from side mount.
Giordano can't do much from the bottom here.
Giordano on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
A lull in the action here.
Giordano tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Hovi presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Hovi lands with some strikes.
Hovi landing punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hovi controlling from the full mount.
Hovi lands a big shot there that rocks Giordano but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Hovi with shots to the head and body - Giordano looks very uncomfortable down there.
Giordano is desperately trying to improve his position but Hovi has a good base and remains in mount.
Hovi with good strikes from the mount here!
Hovi landing strikes from the mount and Giordano is in trouble!
Hovi controlling from mount.
Giordano tries to hold on but Hovi pushes him away.
Giordano looks gassed!
Hovi content just to control the position here.
Hovi raining down shots from the mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hovi working the ground and pound effectively.
Giordano seems to have recovered his senses.
Hovi tries to control but Giordano wriggling away.
Giordano is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hovi scoring with strikes but Giordano is staying in there.
Hovi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Giordano tries to hold on but Hovi postures up.
Giordano working to try and regain half guard.
Hovi wants to control the pace but Giordano is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Giordano is looking to improve his position but Hovi isn't that keen on the idea.
Giordano is trying to stand up.
Hovi lands a big shot there that rocks Giordano but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Giordano takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Hovi looking to secure an arm triangle but Giordano defends it well.
Giordano wants to control but Hovi is having none of it.
Hovi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Hovi is landing with some decent strikes but Giordano is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Hovi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Hovi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anthony Giordano's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hovi ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Giordano has a takedown stuffed.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Hovi.
Giordano takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Hovi is looking to take a break and control but Giordano is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Giordano sneaks back into half guard.
Hovi wants to take a breather but Giordano is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Giordano looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hovi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Hovi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Giordano is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hovi is pressing down on Giordano's thigh, looking to free his foot. Giordano is holding on for now.
Hovi is working hard here to advance position.
Giordano desperately trying to maintain half guard.

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

Hovi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hovi wants to control from the top but Giordano keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hovi preventing the sweep.
Hovi postures up.
Giordano is pulling down on Hovi's head to control his posture.
Hovi trying to control the position from guard on top but Giordano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Giordano trying to control the position.
Hovi content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Hovi lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Hovi has Giordano up against the cage in a clinch.
Giordano stalling.
Hovi wants to get back to striking at distance but Giordano won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hovi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Hovi gets the takedown into side control.
Giordano is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Hovi wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Giordano, who protects the arm well.
Giordano is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Hovi's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Giordano trying to control but Hovi postures up.
Giordano tries to roll over but Hovi keeps him under control.
Giordano is in trouble now - Hovi has advanced to mount!
Giordano slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hovi trying to control from half guard but Giordano is working away.
Giordano gets back to full guard.
Giordano avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Giordano trying to control the position.
Hovi has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Giordano is proving hard to escape from.

Hovi thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Giordano bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hovi's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Hovi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Anthony Giordano's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Giordano takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Horrible takedown by Hovi or perhaps it was just good defense by Giordano which made him look bad.

Hovi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Giordano!
Hovi with a couple of short strikes.
Giordano tries to hold on but Hovi postures up.
Giordano is squirming around, avoiding Hovi's attempts to control the action.
Seppo Hovi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Giordano in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Giordano takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Giordano tries to lock up and control but Hovi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Hovi wants to finish this one by submission but Giordano is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Hovi.
Giordano wants to hold on but Hovi pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hovi controlling the position easily from mount.
Hovi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hovi lands a nice shot to the head.
Giordano is squirming around, avoiding Hovi's attempts to control the action.
Giordano wants to hold on but Hovi pushes him away.
Giordano is trying to keep from getting into a worse position than he's already in but Giordano is working away and isn't letting himself get tied up.
Giordano manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Hovi seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's two 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.
Giordano trying to hold on to Hovi's head to control him but Hovi postures up.

Giordano looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Giordano trying to control from the bottom.
Hovi wants to pass to mount but Giordano is defending the position.
Hovi is thwarting Giordano's attempts to control the position.
Hovi wants to take a breather but Giordano is having none of it.
Nice strikes from Hovi there.
Hovi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Giordano keeps working.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hovi shoots in for a takedown but Giordano shows good takedown defense.

Giordano shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Giordano was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Giordano goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Hovi turns into him and now he's in Giordano's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Giordano is looking for a triangle but Hovi pushes his legs off easily.
Hovi scoring with some ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Giordano is on top in guard.
Giordano missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hovi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Giordano works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Hovi punching from the bottom.
Giordano works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Giordano jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Hovi manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Giordano is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hovi is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Giordano moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Anthony Giordano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hovi sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Hovi taking some punishment here, with Giordano in his half guard.
Hovi missing with punches from the bottom.
Hovi makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hovi.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Anthony Giordano.
Well Hovi 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Seppo Hovi!