PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Xander Boudewijn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reijo Laamanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Boudewijn might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to The Streets - Blinded by the Lights. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Boudewijn
vs
Laamanen

189 cm
24
215 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

207 cm
26
217 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Xander Boudewijn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Reijo Laamanen!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksandr Martynov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boudewijn keeps the fight on the outside.
Boudewijn shoots in and drives through. Laamanen sprawls well.
Laamanen tries to clinch up but Boudewijn circles away and keeps his distance.
Laamanen slips a straight right by Boudewijn.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Laamanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Boudewijn swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Boudewijn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Laamanen pushes Boudewijn up against the cage in a clinch.
Laamanen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Boudewijn lands a right hand that snaps the head of Laamanen backwards.

It looks like Reijo Laamanen has been cut.
Laamanen presses Boudewijn against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Laamanen misses with a body punch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Boudewijn blocks a body shot from Laamanen.
Boudewijn misses with the head strike.
Boudewijn misses with a hook from the clinch.
Laamanen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Boudewijn blocking some punches.
Boudewijn wants a takedown.
Boudewijn lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Laamanen backwards.
Laamanen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Boudewijn.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Xander Boudewijn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Laamanen lands a left hand.
Nice body punch from Laamanen.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Laamanen throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Boudewijn is breathing heavily.
Laamanen landing knees to the body.
Laamanen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Laamanen.
Laamanen lands a body shot.
Laamanen stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Laamanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Reijo Laamanen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Laamanen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Laamanen lands with a short shot to the head.
Laamanen scores with a nice hook to the head.
Laamanen lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Laamanen unloads a knee to the mid-section. Boudewijn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Laamanen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Laamanen unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Laamanen lands a nice elbow.
Laamanen landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Laamanen connects with a nasty looking knee right to Boudewijn's face.
Laamanen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Boudewijn backwards.
Laamanen lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Laamanen lands a knee to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Boudewijn misses with the head strike.

Laamanen breaks from the clinch.
Boudewijn throws a shot from downtown. Laamanen moves away and avoids it.
Boudewijn just misses with a punch to the body.
Boudewijn misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Laamanen.
Boudewijn takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Laamanen scores with a one two! Boudewijn had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
A left lands for Laamanen.
Boudewijn tries to clinch
and Laamanen counters with a big head kick but Boudewijn shrugs it off.

Laamanen pushes Boudewijn up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by Laamanen.
Laamanen lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Boudewijn or not.
Laamanen lands a body punch in the clinch.
Laamanen lands a body punch in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Laamanen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Laamanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Laamanen tests Boudewijn's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Boudewijn tries to keep at a distance but Laamanen has taken the fight into the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Laamanen.
A knee to the head by Laamanen.
Laamanen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Boudewijn blocks it with crossed arms.
Laamanen is leaning against Boudewijn and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Boudewijn.
Laamanen lands a hook that snaps the head of Boudewijn backwards.
Boudewijn has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Laamanen avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Boudewijn doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Boudewijn tries a body shot but Laamanen blocks it.
Boudewijn misses with a punch on the inside.

Laamanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Laamanen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Laamanen clinches up with Boudewijn and pushes him back against the cage.
Laamanen prevents a body shot from Boudewijn.
Boudewijn swings wildly with an uppercut but Laamanen uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short body shot lands from Boudewijn as the two fighters clinch.
Laamanen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Boudewijn backwards.
Boudewijn tries to score a body lock takedown but Laamanen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Laamanen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Boudewijn goes for a takedown attempt but Laamanen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Boudewijn throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Laamanen's waist but Laamanen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Boudewijn off to one side.

Laamanen moves into range and clinches up with Boudewijn.
Laamanen lands an elbow just above Boudewijn 's eye.

Laamanen breaks the clinch.
Laamanen tries to clinch up.

Laamanen moves into the clinch.
Laamanen lands an elbow that stopped Boudewijn in his tracks for a moment.
Boudewijn lands an uppercut.
Laamanen is leaning against Boudewijn and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Boudewijn stalling in the clinch but Laamanen improves position.
Laamanen lands with a right to the head.
Nice body punch from Laamanen.
Laamanen lands a right hand.
Laamanen lands with a right to the head.
A hook to the body from Laamanen.
Laamanen stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Laamanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Laamanen moves into the clinch.
Boudewijn misses with a hook from the clinch.
Laamanen lands an elbow inside that Boudewijn shrugs off.
Laamanen scores with a knee to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Boudewijn throws a punch but it's blocked by Laamanen.
Boudewijn swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Laamanen lands an elbow that stopped Boudewijn in his tracks for a moment.
Boudewijn has a couple of punches blocked by Laamanen.
Laamanen digs a right hand underneath Boudewijn's ribcage. Boudewijn let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Laamanen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Laamanen is leaning against Boudewijn and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Laamanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Boudewijn backwards.
Laamanen lands a good knee to the midsection. Boudewijn won't want to take too many of those.
A short body shot lands from Laamanen as the two fighters clinch.
Laamanen lands a left hand.

Laamanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Laamanen wants to clinch up but Boudewijn keeps it at a distance.

Laamanen closes the distance and pushes Boudewijn back into the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Laamanen connects with a knee to the head.
Laamanen tries to land a knee to the head but Boudewijn blocks with his arms.
A short right from Laamanen.
Boudewijn drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Laamanen gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Laamanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Laamanen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Reijo Laamanen's cut.
That's time! Boudewijn's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Boudewijn walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Reijo Laamanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Boudewijn shoots in for a double leg but Laamanen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Boudewijn circles away from the clinch attempt.
Laamanen lands with a nice combination. Boudewijn backs away looking to recover.
Boudewijn looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Laamanen blocks a low kick nicely.

Laamanen clinches with his opponent.
Laamanen unloads a knee to the mid-section. Boudewijn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Boudewijn tightens his grip and picks Laamanen up, before dumping him to the ground. Laamanen manages to land in guard.
Laamanen wants to stand and escape but Boudewijn is having none of it.

Laamanen pushes Boudewijn off and gets back to his feet.
Laamanen fails with an attempt to clinch.
A big right from Boudewijn misses.
Laamanen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Laamanen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Laamanen lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Laamanen works on Boudewijn's body with a couple of short punches.

Laamanen breaks from the clinch.
Boudewijn shoots in for a double leg but Laamanen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Xander Boudewijn. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boudewijn takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Nice shot lands for Laamanen.
Reijo Laamanen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Laamanen moves in looking to clinch but Boudewijn pushes him off.
Boudewijn jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Boudewijn tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Laamanen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Laamanen using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Good body shot from Laamanen.
Boudewijn managing to block the knees to the body from Laamanen.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Laamanen.
Laamanen throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Boudewijn blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Laamanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Laamanen digs a good hook to Boudewijn's body.
Laamanen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
The fight stays on the outside here - Laamanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Laamanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Laamanen has managed to clinch.
Boudewijn is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Laamanen is defending well for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boudewijn throws a knee to the head but misses.
Laamanen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Laamanen is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Boudewijn is keeping busy.
Laamanen scores with a hook to the body.
Laamanen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Laamanen connects with a nasty looking knee right to Boudewijn's face.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Laamanen presses Boudewijn against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Laamanen pushes Boudewijn back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Laamanen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A short right from Laamanen.
Laamanen is leaning against Boudewijn and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Laamanen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Boudewijn goes for a takedown attempt but Laamanen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Laamanen!
Boudewijn takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Boudewijn does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Laamanen is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Laamanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Boudewijn swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Laamanen avoids the body shot from Boudewijn.
Laamanen wants to clinch up but Boudewijn keeps it at a distance.
Boudewijn throws a sloppy head kick

and Laamanen counters by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boudewijn misses with a knee strike.
Boudewijn misses with the head strike.
Nice body punch from Laamanen.

Laamanen manages to break the clinch.

Laamanen clinches up against the cage.
Laamanen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Laamanen stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Reijo Laamanen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Boudewijn softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Boudewijn goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Laamanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Boudewijn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Laamanen tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Laamanen slips a straight right by Boudewijn.
Laamanen shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Boudewijn is looking to clinch.
Laamanen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Boudewijn.
Boudewijn scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Boudewijn shoots in for a takedown but Laamanen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Laamanen is looking to clinch but Boudewijn is avoiding it.
Boudewijn tries to close the distance and clinch up but Laamanen swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boudewijn takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Boudewijn clinches up against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Laamanen.
A right hand to the body from Laamanen.
A nice right hand lands inside from Laamanen.
Boudewijn is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Laamanen's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Good body shot from Laamanen.
Laamanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Boudewijn backwards.
Boudewijn's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Laamanen lands a body punch.
Laamanen lands an uppercut.
Laamanen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Boudewijns head.
Laamanen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Laamanen lands an elbow inside.
Boudewijn tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Laamanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Laamanen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Laamanen looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Laamanen doesn't manage to clinch there - Boudewijn circles away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Boudewijn doesn't manage to clinch there - Laamanen circles away.
Laamanen keeps the fight on the outside.
Laamanen throws out a powerful jab.

Laamanen drives through and clinches with Boudewijn against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Laamanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Reijo Laamanen's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Boudewijn closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Boudewijn thows a leg kick but Laamanen checks it
and Laamanen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Boudewijn swings for the body but Laamanen moves out of range.
A head kick from Laamanen lands but Boudewijn takes it in his stride.
Boudewijn blocks a head kick by Laamanen.
Boudewijn circles away from the clinch attempt.

Laamanen forces Boudewijn back against the cage and clinches.
Laamanen lands an elbow just above Boudewijn 's eye.
Laamanen working aggressively here.
Boudewijn misses with a short punch on the inside.
Boudewijn swings wildly with an uppercut but Laamanen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Laamanen lands a shot to the body.
Laamanen is leaning against Boudewijn and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Laamanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Boudewijn backwards.
Laamanen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Laamanen is working Boudewijn over against the cage.
Laamanen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Laamanen lands a nice uppercut.
Boudewijn takes a knee right on the jaw!
Laamanen lands an elbow inside.

Laamanen breaks the clinch.
Laamanen has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

Laamanen rushes Boudewijn and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Good body shot from Laamanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boudewijn looking to slow down the pace here.
Laamanen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Laamanen lands an elbow inside.
A right hook to the body lands for Laamanen.
Laamanen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Boudewijn has a couple of punches blocked by Laamanen.
Laamanen misses with an elbow strike.
Laamanen using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Boudewijn has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Boudewijn takes an elbow to the forehead.
Laamanen using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Laamanen cracks Boudewijn with a nice body shot.
Boudewijn avoiding damage as Laamanen throws knees to the body.
Laamanen stalls.
Laamanen misses with a hook to the ribs.
A shot in the inside from Boudewijn.
Boudewijn is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Laamanen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Boudewijn tries to work over Laamanen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Laamanen putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Boudewijn in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Laamanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Laamanen throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Boudewijn's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Boudewijn throws out the jab.
Boudewijn thows a left - swing and a miss!
Laamanen tries to clinch but Boudewijn moves out of range.
Laamanen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Boudewijn swats away the attempt to clinch by Laamanen.
Laamanen is looking to clinch.
Horrible takedown by Boudewijn or perhaps it was just good defense by Laamanen which made him look bad.
Laamanen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Laamanen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Laamanen tries to clinch there but Boudewijn circles away.

Laamanen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Laamanen blocks an uppercut.
Laamanen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Boudewijn with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Boudewijn lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Laamanen.
Laamanen lands a body punch.
A right handed body shot lands from Laamanen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Laamanen trying to stall but Boudewijn improves his position.
Nice body punch from Laamanen - that landed with a thud.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Laamanen lands a nice elbow.
Laamanen prevents the takedown attempt.
Laamanen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Laamanen slows down the pace here.
Laamanen scores with a nice hook to the head.
Boudewijn looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Xander Boudewijn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Boudewijn looking to stall.
Laamanen lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Boudewijn or not.
Laamanen lands a right hand.
Laamanen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Laamanen stalling in the clinch but Boudewijn improves position.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Laamanen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Boudewijn drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Laamanen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A shot in the inside from Laamanen.
Xander Boudewijn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Laamanen lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Reijo Laamanen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Laamanen lands an elbow that stopped Boudewijn in his tracks for a moment.
Boudewijn tries to throw a body punch but Laamanen avoids it by throwing Boudewijn back against the cage.
Boudewijn wants a takedown but no success here.
Laamanen pushes Boudewijn back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Boudewijn avoiding damage as Laamanen throws knees to the body.
Laamanen blocks an elbow strike from Boudewijn.
Laamanen pushes Boudewijn back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Laamanen blocks a body shot from Boudewijn.
Boudewijn looking to throw knees to the head but Laamanen is blocking nicely.
Laamanen avoids a wild elbow strike from Boudewijn.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Boudewijn fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Laamanen misses with a knee strike.
Laamanen lands with a left to the head.

Laamanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Laamanen scores with a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reijo Laamanen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Laamanen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 25:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reijo Laamanen!