PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Biot Savart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ari Vanhala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Savart comes to the cage accompanied by Alice in Chains - Check My Brain. Vanhala has chosen Bad Religion - Generator as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Savart
vs
Vanhala

186 cm
24
198 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
186 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Bargain Basement Best Buy (only $20)

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Biot Savart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ari Vanhala!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Savart lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Vanhala thows a body shot but no joy.
Vanhala throws a nice looking combination but Savart bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Savart moves out of range of the body kick from Vanhala.
Savart throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

It looks like Ari Vanhala has been cut.

Savart connects with a vicious head kick that knocks Vanhala to the floor! Savart dives in looking for the finish!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Savart is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Vanhala tries to hold on but Savart postures up.
Vanhala tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Savart pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Vanhala is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Savart is looking to stand but Savart has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
Vanhala tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Savart is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

That's two 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.
Savart pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Vanhala lands the left hand.
Savart throws a head kick but Vanhala moves out of range.
Vanhala misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Savart.
A decent looking cross lands there for Vanhala.
Vanhala avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Vanhala lands with an uppercut that bounces Savart off the cage and back into rage.
Vanhala misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Savart fails in his attempt to clinch.
Savart fails in his attempt to clinch.
Savart tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Vanhala is able to avoid easily.
Savart takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Savart swinging wildly here.
Vanhala throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Vanhala misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Savart, right into the meat.
Vanhala missing with a left hand there. Savart was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Savart tries to clinch there but Vanhala circles away.
Vanhala lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
The fight stays on the outside here - Savart looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Savart goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Savart buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Vanhala tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Savart swivels and escapes.
Vanhala looks gassed!
Vanhala tries to clinch there but Savart circles away.
Savart misses with a head kick.
Savart misses with a double jab
and Vanhala counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Biot Savart is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Vanhala throws a jab when Savart was well out of range.
Savart misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Savart uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Vanhala.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Savart throws a head kick but Vanhala moves out of range.
Savart tries a head kick but it misses.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Vanhala.
Savart tries to land knees in the clinch but Vanhala avoids the damage to the body.
Vanhala tries to break the clinch but Savart is controlling the position.
Vanhala stalling in the clinch.
Vanhala wants to stall.
Savart tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vanhala misses with some punches.
Vanhala throws a punch but it's blocked by Savart.
Savart using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Savart breaks from the clinch.
Savart swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Vanhala slips a jab and a cross from Savart.
Vanhala will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Savart ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Biot Savart dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ari Vanhala's cut.
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.

Vanhala misses with a double jab

and Savart counters by moving into the clinch.
Savart trying to land knees to the body.
Good body shot from Vanhala.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Vanhala is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Savart connects with a knee to the head.
Vanhala lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Savart is trying to maintain a safe position but Vanhala gets an underhook and turns Savart into the cage.
Vanhala on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Savart.
Savart tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Savart is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Savart wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Vanhala managing to block the knees to the body from Savart.
Savart is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Savart keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Vanhala's efforts to push away.
Vanhala tries to pull guard but Savart holds him up against the cage and eventually Vanhala drops back down to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vanhala has Savart pressed against the cage.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vanhala misses with a two punch combination.
Vanhala looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Savart is fending him off so far but Vanhala persists. Nope, Savart circles away and we're back to standing.
Vanhala stuns Savart with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Savart darts in trying to clinch
and Vanhala counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vanhala closes the distance and clinches up with Savart, looking for a takedown. Vanhala pushes Savart against the cage but Savart circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Biot Savart has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ari Vanhala.
Vanhala avoids the head kick by Savart.
Biot Savart is winning the standup battle so far.
Vanhala lands a nice hook to Savart's body. Savart takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Vanhala tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Savart was well out of range. Poor timing from Vanhala.
Savart ducks right into an uppercut from Vanhala.
Vanhala throws a big shot that misses.
Savart closes the distance but Vanhala moves to the side
and Vanhala counters with a nice uppercut.
Vanhala throws a combination that misses
and Savart counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vanhala swings for the body but Savart moves out of range.
Vanhala swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Savart counters by clinching up.
Savart tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Savart wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Vanhala has him pressed against the cage.

Savart breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vanhala ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Savart moves away.
Vanhala scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Vanhala throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Savart sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Savart lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Vanhala circles away quickly and effectively.
Savart tries to work over Vanhala's front leg with a kick but Vanhala checks it.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Savart, right into the meat.
Biot Savart is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vanhala shoots in but no luck this time.
Vanhala shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Savart but Savart pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Savart slips a jab and a cross from Vanhala.
Jab, jab by Vanhala - just one landing.
Vanhala lands a nice hook to Savart's body. Savart takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Savart throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Vanhala paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Vanhala feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Savart working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Vanhala.
Vanhala trying to control the position from guard on top but Savart is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vanhala is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Vanhala advances position into side control!
Savart takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vanhala scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Savart to see if he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vanhala creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Savart takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
An elbow from Vanhala crashes against the mat.
Vanhala working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Vanhala scores with a couple of short elbows.
Vanhala grinds an elbow into Savart's temple.
Vanhala laying and praying for a moment but Savart takes advantage and regains half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vanhala is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Vanhala showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ari Vanhala's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Savart throws a chopping leg kick but Vanhala manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Biot Savart seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Vanhala shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Savart napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Savart is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Savart struggling a bit here.
Vanhala lands some shots froms side control.
Vanhala tries to score with some ground and pound. Savart controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Savart sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Vanhala throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Savart is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Savart on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Vanhala tries to pass the half guard into mount. Savart knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Savart blocking the ground and pound attempt from Vanhala.
Vanhala lands strikes from half guard.
Vanhala working over Savart with some ground and pound. Savart looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Savart is staying active underneath Vanhala, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Vanhala lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Savart pushes Vanhala off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vanhala looks to land a combination but Savart avoids it well.
Vanhala throws a looping overhand right but Savart ducks down to avoid it.
Vanhala avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Savart tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Vanhala counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Vanhala tries to clinch but Savart moves out of range.
Savart tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Vanhala tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Savart was well out of range. Poor timing from Vanhala.
Savart takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Vanhala misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Savart tries to clinch
and Vanhala connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Savart on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Savart takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Vanhala takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Savart dodges the punch combination from Vanhala.
Vanhala misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Vanhala misses.
Savart misses with a head kick.
Savart misses with a combination
and Vanhala counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Vanhala throws a combination that misses
and Savart counters with a head kick.

Vanhala feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Vanhala landing with the ground and pound.
Vanhala trying to control but Savart is working from the bottom.
Vanhala thows a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vanhala tries to free his leg and advance position but Savart is retaining full guard.
Vanhala cracks Savart with a solid left hand.
Savart wants to stand and escape but Vanhala is having none of it.
Vanhala sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Savart's guard.
Vanhala winds up and cracks Savart with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Vanhala not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vanhala wants to pass to mount but Savart is defending the position.
Vanhala not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Savart slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ari Vanhala comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Vanhala 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ari Vanhala!