PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sulevi Sammalharju (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Sibelius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sammalharju
vs
Sibelius

179 cm
21
169 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

175 cm
22
165 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sulevi Sammalharju!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jean Sibelius!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sammalharju throws a shot from downtown. Sibelius moves away and avoids it.
Sammalharju misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sammalharju scores with a hook to the body. Sibelius takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Sammalharju misses the jab.
Sibelius takes a swing at Sammalharju's ribcage but misses.
Sibelius ducks under a wild hook from Sammalharju.
Nice takedown defense from Sammalharju. No joy for Sibelius on that attempt.
A big right from Sammalharju misses.
A swing and a miss from Sammalharju.
Sibelius misses with a wild body shot.
Sibelius fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sammalharju avoids it really well and circles away.
Sibelius ducks under a wild hook from Sammalharju.
Sibelius takes a swing at Sammalharju's ribcage but misses.
A shot to the body from Sibelius misses
and Sammalharju counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like Jean Sibelius has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sibelius uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sammalharju.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sibelius. Sammalharju does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sammalharju will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Decent striking displayed by Sammalharju there.
Sammalharju fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sammalharju misses with a wild body shot.
Sibelius looks to land a right hand but Sammalharju moved out of range.
Sammalharju thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sammalharju tests Sibelius's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sibelius is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Sammalharju rather than just go for the knockout.
Sibelius shoots for a double leg takedown but Sammalharju sprawls well. He's pushed Sibelius's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sulevi Sammalharju has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jean Sibelius.
Sammalharju jabs Sibelius right on the nose. Sibelius blinks but takes it well.
Sammalharju missing with a left hand there. Sibelius was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sammalharju throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Sammalharju avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sibelius scores a takedown into full mount!
Sibelius fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Sibelius working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sammalharju is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sibelius throwing strikes but Sammalharju recovers to half guard. A much better position.
Sammalharju avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sibelius.
Sibelius not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sammalharju gets back to full guard.
Sibelius trying to control but Sammalharju is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sibelius trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sibelius is fighting to break Sammalharju's control of his arms but Sammalharju is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Sammalharju looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sibelius is one step ahead there.
Sammalharju keeping moving, preventing Sibelius from controlling successfully.
Sibelius missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sammalharju has control of Sibelius's left arm, preventing Sibelius from doing any damage.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Sibelius trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sammalharju looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sammalharju throws a head kick that misses.
Sammalharju connects with a solid leg kick.
Sammalharju throws a jab but it's blocked by Sibelius.
Sammalharju waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sibelius.
Sulevi Sammalharju is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Some bone on bone action there as Sibelius checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Sibelius moves out of range of the leg kick from Sammalharju.
Sibelius shoots in for a takedown but Sammalharju shows good takedown defense.
Sibelius misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sammalharju.
Sammalharju misses with a low kick.
Sammalharju missing with a left hand there. Sibelius was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sibelius fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sammalharju manages to avoid it.

Sammalharju gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Sibelius throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Sulevi Sammalharju will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jean Sibelius's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sibelius just misses with a punch to the body.
Sammalharju slips under a jab from Sibelius.

Sibelius closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sibelius scores with a couple of short elbows.

Sibelius is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sammalharju is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sibelius with the ground and pound but Sammalharju regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Sibelius thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sammalharju wants to get back to full guard.
Sammalharju trying to control here.
Sibelius passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Sammalharju!

That's one minute gone in the round.
BOOM! Sibelius connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sibelius lands a heavy elbow.

Sibelius goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Sammalharju turns into him and now he's in Sibelius's guard.
Sammalharju stopping the sweep attempt from Sibelius.
Sibelius bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sammalharju's guard.
Sibelius working some strikes from top position.
Sibelius forces his way into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sibelius passes the guard and advances to mount!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sammalharju tries to hold on but Sibelius postures up.
Sibelius looking to control but Sammalharju is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sibelius landing punches.
Sammalharju tries to hold on but Sibelius pushes him away.
Sibelius working the ground and pound effectively.

Sibelius is giving the impression that he's looking to ground and pound but he switches suddenly into a beautiful far side armbar! Sammalharju is forced to tap! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jean Sibelius!