PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sami Kuristaja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Monfriesz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Kuristaja
vs
Monfriesz

189 cm
20
195 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

190 cm
24
199 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Full Metal Gear (Top Quality, Low Price)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sami Kuristaja!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Johnny Monfriesz!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Monfriesz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kuristaja.
Monfriesz blocks a head kick by Kuristaja.
Monfriesz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kuristaja takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Kuristaja lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Monfriesz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kuristaja tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kuristaja is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Kuristaja throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Sami Kuristaja seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Monfriesz checks a leg kick.
Kuristaja misses with a leg kick.
Monfriesz throws a jab when Kuristaja was well out of range.
A head kick misses from Kuristaja.
Monfriesz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kuristaja as he avoids it easily.
Kuristaja tries a head kick but it misses.
Kuristaja throws a sloppy head kick and Monfriesz moves out of range easily.
Monfriesz takes a swing at Kuristaja's ribcage but misses.
Monfriesz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Kuristaja moves into the clinch.
Monfriesz changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Kuristaja fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Kuristaja goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuristaja thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Monfriesz if he has to take too many more of those.
Kuristaja throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Kuristaja clinches up with Monfriesz and pushes him back against the cage.
Kuristaja misses with a knee to the head.

Monfriesz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kuristaja fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Monfriesz.
Kuristaja scores with a leg kick.
Monfriesz fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Kuristaja throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Kuristaja is looking to clinch but Monfriesz is avoiding it.
Kuristaja throws a leg kick but Monfriesz sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Kuristaja throws a head kick but Monfriesz moves out of range.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Kuristaja. Monfriesz shrugs it off though.
Monfriesz moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Kuristaja fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kuristaja misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuristaja throws out a leg kick but Monfriesz moves out of range and Kuristaja only half commits.
Kuristaja fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kuristaja blocks a head kick by Monfriesz.

Kuristaja has closed the distance and engaged Monfriesz in a clinch.
Kuristaja throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kuristaja landing knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Kuristaja.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuristaja misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Monfriesz.
Monfriesz is looking to break free of the clinch but Kuristaja has double underhooks.
Kuristaja with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kuristaja with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Monfriesz has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kuristaja landing knees to the head.

It looks like Johnny Monfriesz has been cut.
Monfriesz is trying to break the clinch but Kuristaja is controlling him.
Kuristaja misses with a knee to the head.
Kuristaja lands a good knee to the midsection. Monfriesz won't want to take too many of those.
Monfriesz can't get the takedown.
Sami Kuristaja has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Monfriesz.
Monfriesz looks gassed!
Monfriesz looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Kuristaja using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Monfriesz has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Monfriesz is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuristaja using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Monfriesz has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Monfriesz blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kuristaja looking to throw knees to the head but Monfriesz is blocking nicely.
Kuristaja misses with a knee strike.
Monfriesz has had enough of the clinch but Kuristaja keeps him there for the moment.
Monfriesz is looking to break free of the clinch but Kuristaja has double underhooks.
Kuristaja using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Monfriesz has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kuristaja throws a knee to the head but misses.
Monfriesz working hard to break the clinch.
Kuristaja tries a knee to the head but Monfriesz blocks it.
Monfriesz takes a knee to the side of the body.
Kuristaja throws a knee to the head but misses.
Monfriesz blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kuristaja scores a nice knee to the body.
Monfriesz wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kuristaja misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Monfriesz.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Monfriesz avoids it.
Monfriesz blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kuristaja looking to throw knees to the head but Monfriesz is blocking nicely.
Kuristaja scores with a shot to the side of Monfriesz's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kuristaja has Monfriesz pressed against the cage, preventing Monfriesz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Monfriesz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Monfriesz breaks from the clinch.
Monfriesz lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Kuristaja throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Kuristaja doesn't manage to clinch there - Monfriesz circles away.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Kuristaja.
Monfriesz looks to land a combination. Kuristaja sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Monfriesz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Kuristaja throws a head kick that misses.
Monfriesz connects with a looping right hand.
Kuristaja wants to clinch up but Monfriesz keeps it at a distance.
Kuristaja doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kuristaja showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Monfriesz.

Kuristaja has Monfriesz up against the cage in a clinch.
Monfriesz tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kuristaja smiles and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sami Kuristaja dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Johnny Monfriesz'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.

Kuristaja throws a head kick that half lands.
Kuristaja fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kuristaja tries a head kick but it misses.

Kuristaja forces Monfriesz back against the cage and clinches.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Monfriesz tries to break the clinch but Kuristaja is controlling the position.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kuristaja landing knees to the head.
Kuristaja using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Monfriesz has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the head but Monfriesz blocks with his arms.
Kuristaja using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Monfriesz has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kuristaja is looking to control Monfriesz's arms but Monfriesz gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kuristaja has his back to the cage.
Kuristaja just leaning against Monfriesz, taking a breather.
Kuristaja looking to throw knees to the head but Monfriesz is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kuristaja misses with a hook from the clinch.
Monfriesz tries to pull guard but Kuristaja holds him up against the cage and eventually Monfriesz drops back down to his feet.
Monfriesz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kuristaja has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Monfriesz avoids it.
Kuristaja lands a knee to the head.

Monfriesz is rocked!
Kuristaja has the Thai clinch. He lands a big knee to the head that stumbles Monfriesz - he's in trouble! Another big knee to the head from Kuristaja, and another! Monfriesz is out on his feet - the ref jumps in to save him and ends the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:16 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knees). Sami Kuristaja!
Sami Kuristaja retains his middleweight title!