PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mauri Pekkarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sho Kasugi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Pekkarinen
vs
Kasugi

170 cm
26
150 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

172 cm
27
155 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mauri Pekkarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sho Kasugi!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Viktor Lagutenko and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kasugi misses with a wild body shot.
Pekkarinen avoids the head kick by Kasugi.
Pekkarinen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kasugi scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Kasugi moves into the clinch successfully.
Pekkarinen looking to stall.
Kasugi tries a knee to the head but Pekkarinen blocks it.
Pekkarinen wants a takedown.
Kasugi tries a knee to the head but Pekkarinen blocks it.
The referee calls for Pekkarinen to work.

Pekkarinen tightens his grip and picks Kasugi up, before dumping him to the ground. Kasugi manages to land in guard.
Pekkarinen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Kasugi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kasugi wants to sweep here but Pekkarinen controlling him for the moment.
Kasugi is trying to keep Pekkarinen in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Pekkarinen is fighting to break Kasugi's control of his arms but Kasugi is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's two 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.

We're going to have a standup here because Mauri Pekkarinen wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Kasugi feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Pekkarinen's calf.
A head kick misses from Kasugi.
Pekkarinen throws an off balance right hand
and Kasugi counters with a low kick, right behind Pekkarinen 's knee.

Pekkarinen scores a takedown into full mount!
Kasugi wants to hold on but Pekkarinen pushes him away.
Pekkarinen prevents Kasugi from getting the reversal.
Kasugi is squirming around, avoiding Pekkarinen's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kasugi is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kasugi tries to lock up and control but Pekkarinen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Pekkarinen prevents Kasugi from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Pekkarinen trying to control but Kasugi is having none of it.
Pekkarinen avoids the attempt from Kasugi to control.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kasugi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Pekkarinen scores with a nice right hand.
Pekkarinen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mauri Pekkarinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kasugi throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Pekkarinen tries a head kick but it misses.
Pekkarinen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sho Kasugi will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kasugi throws a head kick that misses.

Pekkarinen gets a takedown into half guard.
Kasugi trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Pekkarinen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kasugi is looking to escape.
Kasugi is trying to escape the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kasugi slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Pekkarinen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kasugi regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Pekkarinen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kasugi is trying to control the position but Pekkarinen postures up.
Pekkarinen is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Kasugi not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pekkarinen lands a couple of digs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pekkarinen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kasugi trying to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Mauri Pekkarinen.
Pekkarinen moves out of range of the leg kick from Kasugi.
Kasugi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Pekkarinen.
Pekkarinen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kasugi tries to avoid it but Pekkarinen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kasugi to the ground. Kasugi escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kasugi misses with a low kick.
Pekkarinen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kasugi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pekkarinen.
Kasugi defending well as Pekkarinen loads up on a big left hand.
Pekkarinen misses with an uppercut
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
A head kick misses from Kasugi.
Kasugi slaps away a takedown attempt from Pekkarinen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kasugi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Pekkarinen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kasugi tries to close the distance and clinch but Pekkarinen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kasugi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kasugi with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pekkarinen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kasugi won't be happy with that.
Kasugi is breathing heavily.
Kasugi prevents Pekkarinen from moving into mount.
Pekkarinen throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Kasugi works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Kasugi regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Pekkarinen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauri Pekkarinen dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Kasugi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kasugi throws a body kick that misses.
Pekkarinen looks to land a right hand but Kasugi moved out of range.
Kasugi throws a head kick that misses.
Pekkarinen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kasugi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Pekkarinen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Pekkarinen takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Pekkarinen scores with the left hand. Kasugi knows he should have avoided that one.
Pekkarinen misses with an uppercut
and Kasugi counters with a nice kick to the body.
Pekkarinen misses with a wild body shot.
Pekkarinen doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kasugi counters with a nice low kick that buckles Pekkarinen's knee momentarily.
Kasugi dives in and grabs Pekkarinen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Pekkarinen pushes down on Kasugi's head and hops out.
Kasugi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Pekkarinen.
Kasugi is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Pekkarinen trying to control the action but Kasugi is working from the bottom.
Kasugi gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

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.
Kasugi trying to control from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Mauri Pekkarinen wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Pekkarinen misses with a wild body shot.
Kasugi throws a head kick that Pekkarinen semi-blocks.
Pekkarinen throws a hook to the side of Kasugi's head but Kasugi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kasugi is looking to chop away at Pekkarinen's legs.
Pekkarinen takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Kasugi throws a sloppy head kick and Pekkarinen moves out of range easily.
Kasugi takes a swing at Pekkarinen's ribcage but misses.
Pekkarinen misses the shot to the body.
A bone on bone clash there as Pekkarinen blocks the leg kick.
Kasugi throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pekkarinen throws an overhand right that lands on Kasugi's shoulder, as Kasugi tries to avoid the shot.
Kasugi misses with an uppercut. Pekkarinen saw that one coming.
Pekkarinen swings for the body but Kasugi moves out of range.
Kasugi misses with an attempted mid kick.
Pekkarinen lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kasugi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Kasugi.
Kasugi moves forwards but Pekkarinen connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Pekkarinen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kasugi is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Pekkarinen rather than just go for the knockout.

Pekkarinen feints and as Kasugi raises his hands in defense, Pekkarinen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Pekkarinen wants to pass the guard but Kasugi is keeping the position.
Pekkarinen with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pekkarinen forces his way into half guard.
Kasugi is trying to control but Pekkarinen passes into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kasugi can't do much from the bottom here.
Pekkarinen advances nicely into full mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mauri Pekkarinen.
I think Pekkarinen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mauri Pekkarinen!