PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rob Mugabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reijo Laamanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mugabe comes into the arena with The Zimbabwean National Anthem blaring out of the sound system. 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?

Mugabe
vs
Laamanen

195 cm
24
210 lbs
13 - 11 - 0

207 cm
27
217 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rob Mugabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Reijo Laamanen!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Fedor Mirinova and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mugabe darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

It looks like Reijo Laamanen has been cut.
Mugabe throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mugabe misses with a looping right.
Laamanen moves in looking to clinch but Mugabe pushes him off.
Laamanen throws a head kick that Mugabe semi-blocks.
Mugabe tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Laamanen was well out of range. Poor timing from Mugabe.
A jab from Mugabe misses.
Laamanen wants to clinch up but Mugabe keeps it at a distance.
Laamanen moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Mugabe fails to land with a series of punches.
Laamanen avoids the body shot from Mugabe.
Laamanen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Laamanen thuds his shin into the meat of Mugabe's side.
Mugabe swinging wildly here.
Laamanen moves in looking to clinch but Mugabe pushes him off.
Mugabe misses with the combination.
Mugabe falls off balance throwing a combination
and Laamanen counters with a nice body kick.
Laamanen cracks Mugabe with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Good exchange - Laamanen coming out on top.
No joy there for Laamanen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A looping hook to the body misses from Laamanen. Mugabe does a little dance to reset his feet.
Laamanen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Laamanen dodges the punch combination from Mugabe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mugabe jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Mugabe with a nice cross.
Laamanen darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Laamanen tries to close the distance and clinch but Mugabe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Reijo Laamanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mugabe misses with a looping right.
Mugabe walks into a stiff left hand from Laamanen.
Laamanen ducks under a wild hook from Mugabe.
Mugabe misses with a hook.
Laamanen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mugabe.
Laamanen wants to clinch up but Mugabe keeps it at a distance.
Laamanen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mugabe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Laamanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mugabe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mugabe throws a hook to the side of Laamanen's head but Laamanen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Laamanen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Mugabe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mugabe throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Laamanen counters with a thumping low kick.
Laamanen looks to land a combination but Mugabe avoids it well.
Laamanen wants to clinch up but Mugabe keeps it at a distance.
The fighters circle momentarily. Mugabe darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Laamanen clinches.
Mugabe is trying to force a seperation but Laamanen has the dominant position.
Mugabe tries a body shot but Laamanen blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Mugabe is looking to break free of the clinch but Laamanen has double underhooks.

Mugabe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mugabe closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Mugabe looks to land a right hand but Laamanen moved out of range.

Laamanen moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Laamanen stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Laamanen lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Mugabe.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Laamanen just misses with a elbow thrown towards Mugabe's brow.
Laamanen lands a shot to the body.
Mugabe is breathing heavily.
A nice right hand lands inside from Laamanen.
Laamanen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Mugabe throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Laamanen landing knees to the body.
Laamanen lands with a short shot to the head.
Laamanen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Still in the clinch, Laamanen scores with a nice short uppercut.
Laamanen scores with a nice hook to the head.
Laamanen lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Rob Mugabe has been cut.
Laamanen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Mugabe's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Mugabe takes a shot to the head.
Laamanen lands a right hand.
Nice elbow from Laamanen.
Laamanen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mugabe's defenses.
Nice body punch from Laamanen - that landed with a thud.
Laamanen lands a nice elbow.
Laamanen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A short right from Laamanen on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Laamanen tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mugabe avoids it.
Laamanen looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Laamanen lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Mugabe takes a shot to the head.
Laamanen throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Mugabe is trying to force a seperation but Laamanen has the dominant position.
Laamanen scores with a shot to the side of Mugabe's head.
Laamanen working Mugabe over with knees to the body.
Mugabe throws a punch but it's blocked by Laamanen.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mugabe.
Laamanen digs a right hand underneath Mugabe's ribcage. Mugabe let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Still in the clinch, Laamanen scores with a nice short uppercut.
Mugabe misses with some punches.
Laamanen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Laamanen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Laamanen lands an elbow just above Mugabe 's eye.
Laamanen lands a nice uppercut.
Mugabe tries a body shot but Laamanen blocks it.
Laamanen lands with a light punch inside.
Mugabe tries to break the clinch but Laamanen is controlling the position.
Laamanen scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Nice elbow from Laamanen.

Mugabe breaks from the clinch.
Laamanen tries to clinch up but Mugabe circles away and keeps his distance.
Mugabe ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Laamanen moves away.

Laamanen takes the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Laamanen.
Still in the clinch, Laamanen scores with a nice short uppercut.
Mugabe tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Mugabe wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mugabe is looking to break free of the clinch but Laamanen has double underhooks.
Laamanen works on Mugabe's body with a couple of short punches.
A knee to the head by Laamanen.
Laamanen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Laamanen lands an elbow just above Mugabe 's eye.
A body shot lands from Laamanen.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Laamanen lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Knees in the clinch landing for Laamanen.
Laamanen lands a damaging elbow.
Laamanen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Laamanen utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Laamanen.
A short body shot lands from Laamanen as the two fighters clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Laamanen.
Laamanen presses Mugabe against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Laamanen lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Laamanen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Laamanen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Laamanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mugabe backwards.
Laamanen tries to land knees in the clinch but Mugabe avoids the damage to the body.
Mugabe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Laamanen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Mugabe backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Laamanen dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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.

Laamanen uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Mugabe throws a combination. Laamanen tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Laamanen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mugabe moves away.
Laamanen is looking to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Laamanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rob Mugabe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Laamanen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mugabe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Laamanen in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Mugabe lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Laamanen circles away quickly and effectively.
Mugabe lands a nice shot that snaps Laamanen's head back.
Mugabe scores with a body shot.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mugabe avoids a wild elbow strike from Laamanen.
Mugabe is trying to push Laamanen away but Laamanen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Laamanen looking to throw knees to the head but Mugabe is blocking nicely.
Laamanen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mugabe stalls.
Mugabe tries to work over Laamanen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Mugabe has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mugabe's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Laamanen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laamanen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Mugabe lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A body shot lands from Mugabe.
Laamanen is breathing heavily.
Mugabe tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Mugabe lands a nice uppercut.
Laamanen lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Laamanen blocks a body shot from Mugabe.
Mugabe can't find room to land a body shot as Laamanen controls the action.
Mugabe can't find room to land a body shot as Laamanen controls the action.
Mugabe misses with the head strike.
Nice body punch from Mugabe - that landed with a thud.
Laamanen misses with a short punch on the inside.
A short right from Laamanen.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Mugabe creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Mugabe is leaning against Laamanen and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Mugabe lands a left hand that snaps the head of Laamanen backwards.
Mugabe is trying to break the clinch but Laamanen has him pressed against the cage.

Mugabe breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Laamanen is looking to clinch but Mugabe is avoiding it.
Sloppy strikes from Mugabe. Those never looked like landing.
Laamanen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Mugabe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mugabe throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Laamanen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Mugabe cracks Laamanen with a right hand to the side of the head.
Laamanen wants to clinch up but Mugabe keeps it at a distance.
Mugabe scores with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Laamanen is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Laamanen has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Mugabe on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
A punch lands to the side of Laamanen 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Rob Mugabe is winning the standup battle so far.
Laamanen throws a nice head kick!
Laamanen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mugabe throws out the jab.
Laamanen looks for the body kick but Mugabe saw that one coming.
Mugabe swinging wildly here.
Laamanen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mugabe throws out the jab.
Mugabe misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Mugabe keeps the fight on the outside.
Laamanen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mugabe throws a hook to the side of Laamanen's head but Laamanen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Mugabe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mugabe fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mugabe swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mugabe misses with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mugabe missing with a left hand there. Laamanen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mugabe throws a big shot that misses.
A punch lands to the side of Mugabe 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Laamanen connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Mugabe momentarily.
Laamanen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mugabe.
Laamanen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Mugabe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Laamanen is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Mugabe just misses with a punch to the body.
Laamanen misses with a hook. Mugabe ducked under it nicely.
Laamanen has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Mugabe throws a shot to the body.
Laamanen slips under a jab from Mugabe.
Laamanen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Laamanen misses with a two punch combination.
Laamanen tries to clinch up but Mugabe circles away and keeps his distance.
Mugabe misses with a combination

and Laamanen counters by moving into the clinch.
Laamanen looking to throw knees to the head but Mugabe is blocking nicely.
Laamanen working aggressively here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mugabe blocks an elbow strike from Laamanen.
Mugabe tries to break free but Laamanen pushes him back against the cage.
Mugabe digs a right hand underneath Laamanen's ribcage. Laamanen let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Mugabe lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Mugabe breaks the clinch.
Laamanen tries to clinch up but Mugabe circles away and keeps his distance.
Mugabe throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Laamanen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Laamanen tries to clinch up but Mugabe circles away and keeps his distance.
Laamanen tries to close the distance and clinch but Mugabe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Laamanen with a jab.
Laamanen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Laamanen tries to close the distance and clinch but Mugabe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mugabe fails to land with a series of punches.
Mugabe misses with a wild combination.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laamanen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Laamanen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mugabe.
Mugabe lands a head shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Mugabe dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Laamanen clinches up with Mugabe and pushes him back against the cage.
Good body shot from Mugabe.
Mugabe is trying to break the clinch but Laamanen is controlling him.
Mugabe blocks an uppercut.

Mugabe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mugabe scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Laamanen wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Laamanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mugabe throws out a loose jab but Laamanen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mugabe throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Laamanen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mugabe misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Laamanen.
Mugabe throws a combination. Laamanen tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Laamanen tries to close the distance and clinch but Mugabe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mugabe lands a jab to Laamanen's midsection.
Mugabe throws an overhand right that lands on Laamanen's shoulder, as Laamanen tries to avoid the shot.
Mugabe just misses with a punch to the body.
Mugabe fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mugabe throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Laamanen counters with a thumping low kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mugabe throws a shot from downtown. Laamanen moves away and avoids it.
Mugabe misses with a hook to the body
and Laamanen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Mugabe throws a right and a left that Laamanen avoids nicely.
Laamanen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mugabe.
Laamanen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mugabe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mugabe throws a right and a left that both miss.

Laamanen closes the distance and pushes Mugabe back into the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Laamanen.
Laamanen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mugabes head.
Laamanen will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Mugabe up against the cage.
Laamanen works on Mugabe's body with a couple of short punches.
A nice right hand lands inside from Laamanen.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Laamanen obliges.
Mugabe looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Laamanen digs a right hand into Mugabe's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Mugabe's gas tank.
Mugabe takes a knee right on the jaw!
Laamanen lands with a right to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Laamanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mugabe backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Laamanen.
Laamanen lands an elbow just above Mugabe 's eye.
A nice right hand lands inside from Laamanen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laamanen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Laamanen pushes Mugabe back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Laamanen lands a damaging elbow.
Laamanen landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Mugabe takes an elbow to the temple.
Mugabe is trying to break the clinch but Laamanen has him pressed against the cage.
Laamanen lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Mugabe.
Laamanen works on Mugabe's body with a couple of short punches.
Mugabe tries a body shot but Laamanen blocks it.
Laamanen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Laamanen lands a body punch in the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Laamanen obliges.
A short body shot lands from Laamanen as the two fighters clinch.
Laamanen scores with a shoulder strike.
Laamanen just leaning against Mugabe, taking a breather.
Laamanen lands a body shot in the clinch.
Laamanen is trying to maintain a safe position but Mugabe gets an underhook and turns Laamanen into the cage.
Laamanen keeps control of Mugabe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Laamanen lands a body punch in the clinch.
Laamanen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Laamanen lands a body shot in the clinch.
Laamanen manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Laamanen lands an elbow inside.
Laamanen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Mugabe has had enough of the clinch but Laamanen keeps him there for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mugabe presses Laamanen against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Mugabe has a couple of punches blocked by Laamanen.
Mugabe can't find room to land a body shot as Laamanen controls the action.
Mugabe tries a body shot but Laamanen blocks it.
Laamanen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Laamanen lands a body shot.
Mugabe wants to break the clinch but can't.
Laamanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mugabe backwards.
Laamanen is leaning against Mugabe and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Mugabe presses Laamanen against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Laamanen obliges.
A right hook to the body lands for Laamanen.
Laamanen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Reijo Laamanen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A knee to the head by Laamanen.
Laamanen tries a body shot but Mugabe blocks it.

Mugabe breaks the clinch.
Mugabe looks to land a left hand but Laamanen moved out of range nicely.
Laamanen feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Mugabe's calf.
Laamanen takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Laamanen wants to clinch.
Mugabe throws a right hand that Laamanen ducks under and follows up with a left that Laamanen also avoids with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Laamanen pushes Mugabe up against the cage in a clinch.
Laamanen keeps control of Mugabe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Nice body punch from Mugabe - that landed with a thud.
Mugabe wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Laamanen lands a body punch in the clinch.
Laamanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mugabe backwards.
Laamanen lands a left hand that snaps the head of Mugabe backwards.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Mugabe takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Laamanen lands with a short shot to the head.
Mugabe swings wildly with an uppercut but Laamanen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mugabe lands a body shot in the clinch.
Mugabe struggles to land a body shot inside as Laamanen controls his hands.
Laamanen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Good body shot from Laamanen.
Mugabe working hard to break the clinch.
Laamanen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Mugabe backwards.
A bit of stalling here from Laamanen.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Laamanen working Mugabe over with knees to the body.
A right hand to the body from Laamanen.
Laamanen lands a nice uppercut.
Laamanen prevents a body shot from Mugabe.
Laamanen scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Mugabe wants to get back to striking at distance but Laamanen won't allow it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reijo Laamanen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Laamanen 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29

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