PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kustaa Pohjanala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and sky earth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pohjanala's entrance music is Scooter - Fire. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Pohjanala
vs
earth

168 cm
25
145 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

154 cm
25
135 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kustaa Pohjanala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, sky earth!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

earth shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pohjanala napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Pohjanala tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but earth wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
earth advances to full mount.

earth moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Pohjanala has worked his arm free - good work by Pohjanala!

earth thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

earth swings around for an armbar but Pohjanala sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into earth's guard.
Pohjanala pushing down on earth's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Pohjanala works his way into side control.
earth is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Pohjanala wants to lay and pray for a moment but earth keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
earth is trying to get back to full guard.

Pohjanala seems to be looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pohjanala is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Pohjanala is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
earth looks gassed!
Pohjanala tries to close the distance and clinch but earth swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
earth swats away the attempt to clinch by Pohjanala.
Pohjanala doesn't manage to clinch there - earth circles away.

Pohjanala drives through and clinches with earth against the cage.
Pohjanala stalling the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala lands a nice elbow.
Pohjanala putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has earth in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
earth should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Pohjanala using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
earth drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Pohjanala.
earth takes a knee right on the jaw!
earth takes a knee right on the jaw!
Pohjanala gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
earth takes an elbow to the forehead.
Pohjanala unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Pohjanala.
Pohjanala lands a good knee to the midsection. earth won't want to take too many of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala leaning his opponent against the cage.
Pohjanala putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has earth in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Pohjanala using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Pohjanala stalling against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Kustaa Pohjanala.
Pohjanala fails with an attempt to clinch.

Pohjanala darts in and clinches earth up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pohjanala is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Pohjanala putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has earth in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Pohjanala stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Pohjanala landing knees to the body.
earth tries to pull guard but Pohjanala holds him up against the cage and eventually earth drops back down to his feet.
Pohjanala holding his opponent close, against the cage.
earth takes an elbow to the temple.
Pohjanala landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Pohjanala scores with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kustaa Pohjanala dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

earth circles away from the clinch attempt.

earth shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pohjanala napping and manages to drive through into side control!
You can see the frustration on Pohjanala's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

earth swings around for an armbar but Pohjanala sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into earth's guard.

earth is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
earth is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pohjanala pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. earth is keeping the position for now.
Pohjanala passes earth's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
earth is trying to get back to full guard.

Pohjanala is working for a submission of some sort.
Pohjanala passes to side control.
Pohjanala wants to lay and pray for a moment but earth keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Pohjanala controls the position.
Pohjanala wants to control but earth is keeping him busy.
Pohjanala is staying tight to earth's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Pohjanala will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Pohjanala trying to control the action but earth is working from the bottom.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Kustaa Pohjanala just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
A combination from Pohjanala does no damage.
Kustaa Pohjanala seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala doesn't manage to clinch there - earth circles away.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Pohjanala.
Kustaa Pohjanala is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
earth circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pohjanala is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Pohjanala throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
earth blocks a jab.
Kustaa Pohjanala is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pohjanala fails in his attempt to clinch.

Pohjanala moves into range and clinches up with earth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Pohjanala crunches a lovely knee into earth's ribcage.
Pohjanala scores with a knee to the head.
Nice elbow from Pohjanala.
Pohjanala scores a nice knee to the body.
Pohjanala taking a breather.
Pohjanala lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Pohjanala landing knees to the head.
earth letting Pohjanala take a breather here.
Pohjanala lands an elbow inside.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pohjanala lands a knee to the head.
Pohjanala lands a nice knee to the body.
The referee calls for Pohjanala to work.
Pohjanala lands an elbow inside that earth shrugs off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kustaa Pohjanala dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Pohjanala looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Pohjanala rushes earth and presses him up against the cage.
Pohjanala lands a nice elbow.
Pohjanala gets underhooks to prevent earth's takedown attempt.
earth tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Pohjanala just stands there and leans against the cage.
earth being controlled against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pohjanala landing knees to the body.
Pohjanala with a knee to the head.
Pohjanala lands an elbow inside that earth shrugs off.
Pohjanala leaning his opponent against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pohjanala lands a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
earth is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Pohjanala gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Kustaa Pohjanala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of sky earth.
Pohjanala crunches a lovely knee into earth's ribcage.
Pohjanala landing knees to the body.
Pohjanala stalling the fight.
Pohjanala unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Pohjanala is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Pohjanala stalls.
Pohjanala lands with a short shot to the head.
Pohjanala lands a knee to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Pohjanala.
Pohjanala unloads a knee to the mid-section. earth lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
earth being controlled against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala presses earth against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Pohjanala landing knees to the body.
Pohjanala landing knees to the body.
Pohjanala using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Pohjanala lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Pohjanala obliges.
Knees in the clinch landing for Pohjanala.
Pohjanala working earth over with knees to the body.
Pohjanala using the Thai plumb to throw knees but earth has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Pohjanala tries a knee to the head but earth blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala lands an elbow just above earth 's eye.
Knees to the body from Pohjanala.
earth on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Pohjanala putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has earth in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Pohjanala tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and earth avoids it.
Pohjanala scores with a knee to the head.
Pohjanala with a knee to the head.

earth has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Pohjanala uses from the top position.
Pohjanala trying to control but earth is working from the bottom.
earth has a closed guard, preventing Pohjanala from standing up.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Pohjanala wants to control from the top but earth keeps moving.

earth looking for a guillotine here but Pohjanala defends easily.

earth throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Pohjanala content to stall in guard here.
Kustaa Pohjanala is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pohjanala wants to control from the top but earth keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kustaa Pohjanala showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pohjanala, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kustaa Pohjanala!