PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antti Toronen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Blackhead (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antti Toronen looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Toronen
vs
Blackhead

193 cm
21
205 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
217 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antti Toronen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Blackhead!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Ben Zyskovitsi.

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

Toronen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Toronen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Blackhead won't allow Toronen to get back to his feet.
Blackhead throwing strikes from guard but Toronen blocks nicely.
Toronen 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.
Blackhead is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Toronen wants to stand up but Blackhead is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Blackhead scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Toronen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blackhead is in close to Toronen's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Blackhead throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Toronen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Blackhead wants to pass the guard but Toronen is keeping the position.
Toronen controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackhead lands a couple of digs.
Blackhead scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Toronen is breathing heavily.
Blackhead lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Toronen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Blackhead can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Blackhead with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Toronen has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Blackhead off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Blackhead drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Blackhead wants to pass the guard but Toronen is keeping the position.
Blackhead throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Blackhead working some strikes from top position.
Blackhead distracts Toronen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackhead lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Blackhead cracks Toronen with a solid left hand.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Blackhead accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Blackhead makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Blackhead distracts Toronen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Blackhead postures up and lands a big shot to Toronen's brow.
Blackhead stops Toronen from standing up.
Blackhead makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Blackhead landing with the ground and pound.
Toronen working a defensive guard here.
Blackhead really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Toronen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Blackhead scoring with some ground and pound.
Blackhead lands a couple of elbows.
Blackhead lands a couple of digs.
Blackhead is working Toronen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackhead working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Toronen's head.
Blackhead prevents Toronen from getting back to his feet.
Blackhead lands a couple of digs.
Blackhead stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Toronen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Toronen tries to strike from the bottom.
Toronen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Blackhead works over Toronen with some ground and pound from guard.
Blackhead postures up and lands a big shot to Toronen's brow.
Toronen controls Blackhead momentarily but Blackhead frees himself.
Blackhead content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Blackhead stands up over Toronen, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Blackhead is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Blackhead works over Toronen with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackhead working some strikes from top position.
Blackhead is looking to advance position but Toronen has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Blackhead really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Toronen is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Blackhead to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Blackhead shrugs it off.
Blackhead is trying desperately to improve position.
Blackhead avoids a series of strikes thrown by Toronen.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Blackhead can do anything to dispel that myth.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Blackhead is trying to escape the mount.
Blackhead is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Blackhead dominated that 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.

Blackhead gets a takedown into half guard.
Blackhead wants to free his trapped foot but Toronen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Blackhead looks to land a strike but Toronen avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Blackhead throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Toronen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Blackhead postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Blackhead wants to pass the guard but Toronen is keeping the position.
Blackhead stands up over Toronen, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Blackhead stopping the sweep attempt from Toronen.
Blackhead is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackhead connects with a couple of short punches.
Blackhead stands up over Toronen, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Blackhead won't allow Toronen to sweep him here.
Blackhead postures up and lands a big shot to Toronen's brow.
Blackhead makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Blackhead wants to pass the guard but Toronen is keeping the position.
Blackhead distracts Toronen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Blackhead connects with a couple of short punches.
Blackhead wants to pass the guard but Toronen is keeping the position.
Blackhead lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Blackhead works over Toronen with some ground and pound from guard.
Toronen is looking to stand up but Blackhead isn't so interested in that idea.
Blackhead content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackhead passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Toronen takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Toronen wants to get back to his feet but Blackhead drags him back down.
Toronen tries to bench press Blackhead off him but Blackhead keeps the position.
Blackhead lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Toronen down.
Blackhead lands an elbow.
Check out the look on Blackhead's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Toronen takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Toronen pushes Blackhead away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Blackhead gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Toronen prevents Blackhead from improving position.
Toronen takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackhead landing a few strikes.
Blackhead cracks Toronen with a big right hand but Toronen just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Blackhead scoring with punches from side control.
Blackhead avoids the strikes from the bottom by Toronen.
Blackhead lands some shots froms side control.
Toronen is looking for a sweep.
Blackhead lands a few punches from side control.
Toronen is trying to get back to his feet.
Toronen takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Blackhead lands a few punches from side control.
Mike Blackhead has got the better of the ground game so far.
Blackhead cracks Toronen with an elbow. That is naaassty.
You can see the frustration on Toronen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Blackhead lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Blackhead lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackhead working the head with strikes.
Blackhead is chipping away with strikes.
Toronen is trying to control Blackhead's posture but Blackhead avoids it.
Blackhead tries to advance to mount but Toronen denies him.
Toronen throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Blackhead is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Toronen's half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Toronen manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Blackhead won't allow Toronen to get back to his feet.
Blackhead landing with the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Blackhead showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

A decent looking body kick lands there for Blackhead.

Blackhead looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Blackhead content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Blackhead's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Blackhead scoring with punches to the head and body.
Blackhead landing with the ground and pound.
Blackhead throws a big right hand that misses.
Blackhead lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Blackhead is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Toronen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackhead prevents Toronen from getting back to his feet.
Blackhead lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Blackhead throws a strike but Toronen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Toronen trying to control the position from guard on top but Blackhead is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Blackhead has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Toronen stopping the sweep attempt from Blackhead.
Blackhead is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

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.
Toronen pushes down on Blackhead's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Toronen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Blackhead's head.
Blackhead is holding on to half guard well.
Blackhead is trying to stand up here but Toronen is controlling him well.
Blackhead blocking the ground and pound attempt from Toronen.
Blackhead is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackhead trying to control here.
Blackhead on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Blackhead keeping hold of Toronen's head, controlling as best he can.
Toronen trying to control from half guard but Blackhead is working away.
Toronen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

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

Blackhead drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Blackhead works over Toronen with some ground and pound from guard.
Blackhead lands a couple of digs.
Blackhead is in close to Toronen's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Blackhead looking to pass the guard.
Blackhead postures up in Toronen's guard and throws a big left but Toronen blocks it.
Blackhead throws a big right hand that misses.
Toronen keeping full guard, as Blackhead tries to pass.
Toronen throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Toronen is looking to stand up but Blackhead isn't so interested in that idea.

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

Blackhead feints and as Toronen raises his hands in defense, Blackhead changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Blackhead comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Blackhead has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Blackhead!