PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Young Hope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pera Pukama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Young Hope could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Pera Pukama's chin.

Hope
vs
Pukama

180 cm
22
198 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

190 cm
21
199 lbs
4 - 4 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Young Hope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Pera Pukama!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pukama dives in and grabs Hope's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hope pushes down on Pukama's head and hops out.
Hope throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pukama.
Pukama tries a head kick but it misses.

Pukama closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Hope quickly recovers to half guard.

Pukama looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Pukama is looking to advance position but Hope won't allow it.
Pukama seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hope does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pukama trying to advance position but Hope counters by regaining guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hope wants to stand and escape but Pukama is having none of it.
Pukamais looking to pass into half guard but Hope pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Hope is in guard.
Hope throwing strikes but missing.

Pukama is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hope is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Pukama has a closed guard, preventing Hope from standing up.

Pukama uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Pukama tries for a takedown but Hope sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hope fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pukama shoots in looking for a takedown. Hope tries to sprawl out of it but Pukama keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hope manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Young Hope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pera Pukama.
Pukama shoots in but no luck this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pukama.
Hope keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Pukama looks gassed!
Pukama fails with the takedown.

Hope closes the distance and pushes Pukama back into the cage.
Hope connects with a nasty looking knee right to Pukama's face.

It looks like Pera Pukama has been cut.
Hope with a knee to the head.
Hope landing knees to the head.
Hope connects with a nasty looking knee right to Pukama's face.

Hope pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pukama throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Hope tries to clinch up but Pukama circles away and keeps his distance.
Pukama takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pukama fails with a takedown attempt.
Hope tries to clinch up but Pukama circles away and keeps his distance.

Hope takes the fight into the clinch.

Hope's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hope tries to clinch up but Pukama circles away and keeps his distance.
Hope blocks a head kick by Pukama.
Pukama throws a series of strikes that have Hope backpedaling.
Pera Pukama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hope tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pukama manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hope displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Pukama.
Hope slaps away a takedown attempt from Pukama, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hope moves in looking to clinch but Pukama pushes him off.

Hope gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hope utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Hope using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Hope scores with a knee to the head.
Hope digs a right hand into Pukama's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Pukama's gas tank.

Hope breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pukama tries for a takedown but Hope sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hope moves in looking to clinch but Pukama pushes him off.

Hope has taken the fight to the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Hope obliges.
Hope utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hope with a knee to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hope crunches a lovely knee into Pukama's ribcage.
Pukama takes a knee right on the jaw!
Hope landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Hope lands a nice knee to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Young Hope dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pera Pukama'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.

Hope tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pukama swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Horrible takedown by Pukama or perhaps it was just good defense by Hope which made him look bad.
Pukama swats away the attempt to clinch by Hope.
Pukama tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hope swivels and escapes.
Pukama swats away the attempt to clinch by Hope.
Hope stuffs the takedown.
Young Hope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pera Pukama.

Hope takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hope manages to break the clinch.
Hope stuffs the takedown attempt from Pukama. Pukama gets slowly back to his feet.
Pukama is breathing heavily.
Pukama dives in and grabs Hope's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hope pushes down on Pukama's head and hops out.
Young Hope is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hope moves into range and clinches up with Pukama.

Hope manages to break the clinch.

Pukama scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Pukama swings around for an armbar but Hope sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Pukama's guard.
Pukama utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Pukama had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hope defends it easily.

Hope gets to his feet. Pukama looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Hope lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Hope.
Pukama shoots in for a double leg but Hope sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Pukama keeps the fight on the outside.
Hope tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pukama manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Hope closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Pukama on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hope escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pukama circles away from the clinch attempt.
A punch combination from Hope misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pukama.
Hope moves in looking to clinch but Pukama pushes him off.
Pukama fails with the takedown.
Hope rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pukama moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hope lands a nice looking body kick.

Hope has managed to clinch.
Hope connects with a nasty looking knee right to Pukama's face.
Hope tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hope lands a knee to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hope scores a nice knee to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Hope.
A short right from Hope on the inside.

Hope pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hope trying to land knees to the body.

Hope breaks the clinch.
Pukama shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hope as he jumps to the side.
Hope tries to close the distance and clinch but Pukama swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pukama clinches but Hope breaks the clinch

and Hope counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hope is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pukama is defending well for now.
Hope stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Hope with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pukama blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hope scores with a nice hook to the head.
Pukama has Hope pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hope manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Hope unloads a knee to the mid-section. Pukama lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Hope lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Pukama or not.

Hope's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hope blocks a head kick by Pukama.
Pukama gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Hope counters with a nice body kick.

Hope moves into the clinch.
Hope landing knees to the head.

Hope breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hope tries to clinch there but Pukama circles away.
Pukama has a takedown stuffed.
Pukama throws a leg kick that is checked

and Hope holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Young Hope dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Pera Pukama's cut.
That's time! Hope's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Hope forces Pukama back against the cage and clinches.

Hope breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hope fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pukama shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hope counters with a slapping leg kick.
Pukama tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hope sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Pukama somewhat.

Hope takes the fight into the clinch.
A short right from Hope on the inside.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Hope obliges.

Hope escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hope wants to clinch.

Pukama drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pukama is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Hope knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pukama creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Hope sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Pukama working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Hope is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Pukama asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Hope sneaks out the side door and pushes Pukama away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Pukama misses with a takedown

and Hope counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hope.
Young Hope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pera Pukama.
Hope lands a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hope with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hope tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hope misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hope missing with knees to the body.
Hope misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pukama is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Hope gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Pukama.
Pukama goes for a takedown attempt but Hope pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Hope tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pukama swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hope lands with a thumping leg kick.

Pukama tries to keep at a distance but Hope has taken the fight into the clinch.

Hope breaks from the clinch.
Pera Pukama has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Pukama shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Hope looks like he's trying to stand up.

Pukama is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hope is just riding it out for now. Pukama eventually gives up the hold.
Young Hope is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Pukama is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hope is just riding it out for now. Pukama eventually gives up the hold.

And that's the end of the fight!
Young Hope showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hope, 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Young Hope!