PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Blackie Lawler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kustaa Pohjanala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lawler comes to the cage accompanied by hand on the pump. Pohjanala comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Scooter - Fire kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lawler
vs
Pohjanala

170 cm
23
140 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

168 cm
27
146 lbs
13 - 12 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

MADE IN GERMANY

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 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Blackie Lawler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kustaa Pohjanala!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawler throws the left hand but Pohjanala avoids the punch easily.
Pohjanala shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Lawler as he avoids it easily.
Lawler throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Pohjanala closes the distance and clinches.
Pohjanala tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Lawler avoids it.
Pohjanala tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Lawler avoids it.
Pohjanala is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Lawler is defending well for now.
Pohjanala tries to land knees in the clinch but Lawler avoids the damage to the body.
Lawler tries to circle away but Pohjanala has him pinned against the cage.
Pohjanala prevents Lawler from breaking the clinch.

Lawler breaks the clinch.
Pohjanala fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lawler throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Lawler swats away the attempt to clinch by Pohjanala.
Pohjanala misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pohjanala tries to clinch but Lawler moves out of range.
A decent looking cross lands there for Lawler.
Lawler throws a series of punches but Pohjanala avoids them all with ease.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lawler. Pohjanala does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawler misses with an uppercut. Pohjanala saw that one coming.
Pohjanala looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lawler is fending him off so far but Pohjanala persists. Nope, Lawler circles away and we're back to standing.
Lawler moves into range and connects with a jab.
Lawler works the jab nicely.
Blackie Lawler is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pohjanala tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lawler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lawler scores with a hook.
Pohjanala tries to clinch there but Lawler circles away.
Pohjanala throws a nice inside leg kick.
No luck for Pohjanala with that takedown attempt.
Blackie Lawler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kustaa Pohjanala.
Lawler clobbers Pohjanala with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Pohjanala tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lawler swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice uppercut there from Lawler.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pohjanala walks into a stiff left hand from Lawler.
Lawler works the jab nicely.

Pohjanala is rocked!
Pohjanala is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lawler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pohjanala.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawler scores with a sloppy right hand. Pohjanala should have avoided that one.
Lawler is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Lawler with a nice cross.
Pohjanala is still on wobbly legs! Can Lawler finish him?
Pohjanala uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lawler.
Pohjanala seems to have recovered his senses.
Pohjanala slips a jab from Lawler.
Pohjanala is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Lawler sends Pohjanala crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Lawler is motioning to the referee to let Pohjanala up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Pohjanala looks gassed!
Lawler wants to slow Pohjanala down by chopping away at his legs.
Lawler throws out a loose jab but Pohjanala uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lawler throws a right hand that Pohjanala ducks under and follows up with a left that Pohjanala also avoids with ease.
Lawler misses with the combination.
Lawler misses with a double jab.
Lawler swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Pohjanala uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lawler.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler looks to land a left hand but Pohjanala moved out of range nicely.
Lawler misses with a hook.
A right-left combo lands from Lawler.
Pohjanala tries to clinch there but Lawler circles away.
Lawler displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Pohjanala tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lawler keeps the fight on the outside.
Lawler tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Pohjanala was well out of range. Poor timing from Lawler.
Lawler stuffs the takedown.
Pohjanala wants to clinch up but Lawler keeps it at a distance.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lawler. Pohjanala does a little dance to reset his feet.
A head kick misses from Pohjanala.
Pohjanala drops his hands momentarily and Lawler takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Pohjanala fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pohjanala uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lawler.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawler misses with a few strikes there.
A chopping leg kick lands by Pohjanala.
Lawler misses with a shot to the body
letting Pohjanala counter with a right hand.
Pohjanala tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lawler swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lawler misses with a shot to the body

and Pohjanala decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lawler's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pohjanala pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lawler is keeping the position for now.
Lawler on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Lawler tries to get out of the position.
Pohjanala trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blackie Lawler dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pohjanala defending well as Lawler loads up on a big left hand.
Pohjanala tries to clinch up.
A good leg kick by Lawler.
Pohjanala has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Pohjanala there as he acknowledges the shot.
Pohjanala tries to close the distance and clinch but Lawler swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pohjanala avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Lawler tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Pohjanala was well out of range. Poor timing from Lawler.
Blackie Lawler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lawler lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Pohjanala shoots for a takedown but Lawler saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Lawler cracks Pohjanala with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Lawler swats away the attempt to clinch by Pohjanala.
Lawler lands with a hook. Pohjanala tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Pohjanala misses with a hook to the body
and Lawler counters with a right hand to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lawler swinging wildly here.
Pohjanala is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pohjanala tries to clinch there but Lawler circles away.
Lawler looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Lawler tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Pohjanala was well out of range. Poor timing from Lawler.
Pohjanala takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Pohjanala with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Lawler to score with a decent uppercut.
Pohjanala takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A low kick from Lawler is predictable there
and Pohjanala cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lawler throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Pohjanala tries to clinch up
letting Lawler counter with a right hand.
Lawler throws a jab when Pohjanala was well out of range.
Lawler fails to land with a series of punches.
Lawler throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala tries to clinch
enabling Lawler to counter with a crisp jab.
Lawler is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pohjanala can do to turn this around?
Pohjanala ducks under a wild hook from Lawler.
Nice sprawl there from Lawler as Pohjanala shoots in.
Pohjanala takes one to the chin there.
Pohjanala closes the distance but Lawler moves to the side
and Lawler counters with a stiff right hand.
Pohjanala tries for a takedown but Lawler circles away easily
and Lawler counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Blackie Lawler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kustaa Pohjanala.
Lawler works the jab nicely.
Pohjanala takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Blackie Lawler is winning the standup battle so far.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Pohjanala tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lawler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pohjanala keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Good shot there by Lawler.
Pohjanala takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Lawler throws a leg kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Lawler duly obliges.

Lawler lands a left and a right that send Pohjanala crashing to the mat, dazed. Lawler thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Lawler digs a good body shot into Pohjanala's ribs.
Pohjanala closes the distance looking to clinch
and Lawler counters with a left and a right that stings Pohjanala.
Lawler pivots, looking for a leg kick but Pohjanala is out of range and Lawler settles back down.

Pohjanala drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Lawler looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pohjanala is one step ahead there.
Pohjanala trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pohjanala thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blackie Lawler dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Lawler misses the shot to the body.
Pohjanala tries to clinch
and Lawler counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Pohjanala shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lawler defends it nicely.
Lawler misses with a body kick.
Lawler misses with a wild combination.
Pohjanala has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Pohjanala takes a swing at Lawler's ribcage but misses.
Lawler tried to score with a low kick but Pohjanala checks it.
Lawler cracks Pohjanala with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Pohjanala takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nice cross by Lawler.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Pohjanala checks a leg kick.
Lawler ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Pohjanala moves away.
Pohjanala moves out of range as Lawler strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pohjanala tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Pohjanala takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lawler lands a jab to the nose.
Pohjanala plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Pohjanala tries to clinch but Lawler is having none of it.
Lawler throws a right hand that Pohjanala ducks under and follows up with a left that Pohjanala also avoids with ease.
Lawler swats away the attempt to clinch by Pohjanala.
A big right from Lawler misses.
Lawler moves out of range as Pohjanala strikes.
Pohjanala takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Lawler throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Lawler misses with a combination
and Pohjanala cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lawler as he jumps to the side.
Lawler lands with a straight right. Pohjanala didn't see that one coming.
Lawler misses with a body shot.
Jab from Lawler.
Lawler throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Pohjanala on the side of the head.
Pohjanala avoids a punch combination nicely.
Pohjanala throws a nice head kick!
Pohjanala tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lawler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lawler lands a nice hook to Pohjanala's body. Pohjanala takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lawler lands a nice hook to Pohjanala's body. Pohjanala takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Pohjanala tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Lawler counters with a stiff right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lawler swats away the attempt to clinch by Pohjanala.
Pohjanala takes a swing at Lawler's ribcage but misses.
Lawler paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Pohjanala shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Lawler's guard.
Lawler looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pohjanala is one step ahead there.
Kustaa Pohjanala has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Lawler is looking to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pohjanala seems to be looking for submissions.

And that's the end of the fight!
Blackie Lawler showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lawler, 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Blackie Lawler!