PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tikka Masala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and kristoff pollinski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). kristoff pollinski will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Masala
vs
pollinski

182 cm
19
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Golden supplements

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tikka Masala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, kristoff pollinski!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Masala looks to land a combination but pollinski avoids it well.
pollinski ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Masala moves away.
Masala fails with a takedown attempt.

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

Masala working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. pollinski doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. pollinski manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Masala looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
pollinski is pushing down on Masala's leg trying to pass to half guard. Masala is fighting to maintain full guard but pollinski has managed to sneak the leg through.
pollinski working over Masala with some ground and pound. Masala looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Masala wants to get back to his feet.
pollinski is nestled in close to Masala, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
pollinski wants to take a breather but Masala is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
pollinski working Masala over with strikes.
Masala is refusing to be controlled, as pollinski sits in half guard.
Well, if pollinski is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
pollinski missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with pollinski in particular looking to stall.
I looks like pollinski might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
pollinski looks gassed!
pollinski lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
pollinski is thwarting Masala's attempts to control the position.
pollinski is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
pollinski is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
pollinski prevents Masala from standing back up.
Masala wants to control but pollinski is keeping busy and won't allow it.
pollinski wants to stand up but Masala is controlling the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Masala tries to clinch but pollinski moves out of range.
Masala tries to close the distance and clinch up but pollinski swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Masala moves in looking to clinch but pollinski pushes him off.

Masala looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masala perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Masala stalling away here and it's allowed pollinski to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Masala not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Masala wants to control from the top but pollinski keeps moving.
pollinski can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Masala controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Masala throwing strikes but missing.
Masala wants to control from the top but pollinski keeps moving.
Masala is looking to stand up but pollinski won't let him.
Masala might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Masala trying to control but pollinski is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
pollinski preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

kristoff pollinski dominated that round.
That's time! Masala's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

pollinski showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Masala.
Masala swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
pollinski falls off balance throwing a combination

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

Masala decides to take the fight back to the feet.
pollinski tries to clinch

and Masala counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for pollinski!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Masala looking to finish with strikes here!
pollinski is squirming around, avoiding Masala's attempts to control the action.
pollinski tries to lock up and control but Masala gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
pollinski is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masala manages to capitalize on a mistake by pollinski to take his back!
Masala just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Masala missing with punches from the back.
Masala tries to keep control of the position but pollinski is staying busy.
Masala is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because pollinski is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Tikka Masala just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Masala tries for a takedown but pollinski circles away easily

and pollinski moves into the clinch.
Masala jumps guard but pollinski stands there with Masala around his waist. Masala gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Masala breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Masala.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tikka Masala. That's going to take a lot out of him.
pollinski lands a right hook to the body.
Masala shoots in for a takedown but pollinski shows good takedown defense.
Masala fails in his attempt to clinch.
Masala tries to clinch but pollinski is having none of it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Masala is defended easily by pollinski.
pollinski blocks a head kick by Masala.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masala fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Masala scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Masala decides to take the fight back to the feet.
pollinski lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Masala circles away quickly and effectively.
Masala doesn't manage to clinch there - pollinski circles away.
Masala fails with a takedown attempt.
Tikka Masala is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Masala shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masala can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as pollinski is looking to escape.
Masala is landing with some decent strikes but pollinski is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Masala throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for pollinski because Masala loaded up on that one.
pollinski is working to get back to half guard.

Masala is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, pollinski has managed to escape the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tikka Masala dominated that second round.
That's time! Masala's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Masala smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Masala closes the distance and clinches.
The referee calls for Masala to work.

Masala's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Masala tries to clinch but fails miserably

and pollinski decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Masala's guard.
Masala is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst pollinski is controlling him.
Masala trying to control the position.
pollinski stopping the sweep attempt from Masala.
pollinski takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
pollinski is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Masala looking to hit a scissor sweep but pollinski is one step ahead there.
Masala has control of pollinski's left arm, preventing pollinski from doing any damage.
Masala is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
pollinski preventing the sweep.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A punch combination from pollinski misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Masala falls off balance throwing a combination

and pollinski counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
pollinski wants to control but Masala is keeping him busy.
Masala is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
pollinski is thwarting Masala's attempts to control the position.
Masala is trying to stand back up but pollinski is controlling him
Masala is looking to improve his position.
pollinski seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Masala does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Masala actively working from the bottom here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Masala blocks a head kick by pollinski.
Masala shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with pollinski but pollinski pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Masala gets the takedown into side control.
Masala working the ground and pound.
pollinski is looking for a sweep.
Masala wants to lay and pray for a moment but pollinski keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Masala decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Masala shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts pollinski as he jumps to the side.
Masala wants to clinch
enabling pollinski to counter with a crisp jab.

Masala has closed the distance and engaged pollinski in a clinch.
Masala tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. pollinski smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tikka Masala. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Masala doesn't succeed with the takedown
and pollinski counters with a big head kick but Masala shrugs it off.

And that's the end of the fight!
kristoff pollinski comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think pollinski has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... kristoff pollinski!