PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Maoto Lychida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mohammed Unsui (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lychida
vs
Unsui

186 cm
25
203 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

205 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Maoto Lychida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mohammed Unsui!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lychida wants a takedown but no success here.
Lychida has Unsui pushed against the cage.

Lychida gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Unsui is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lychida throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Unsui is refusing to be controlled, as Lychida sits in half guard.
Unsui trying to control here.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Lychida is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Unsui sees it coming and defends easily.
The fighters are battling for position here. Unsui manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Lychida has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Unsui managing to control the position.
Lychida trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Unsui had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lychida defends it easily.
Unsui is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Lychida drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Unsui dives on top into guard.
Lychida is trying to control the position but Unsui postures up.
Unsui trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Unsui scoring with some ground and pound.
Lychida is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Unsui moves into full guard.
Lychida trying to control the position from guard on top but Unsui is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lychida throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Unsui works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Lychida trying to control but Unsui is working from the bottom.

Unsui looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Lychida passes into side control.
Unsui looks gassed!
Unsui can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lychida working the ground and pound from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lychida is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Unsui is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Lychida working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Lychida tries for a kimura but Unsui is defending well.

Lychida is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Unsui knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Unsui parries the strikes from Lychida easily there. Lychida is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Unsui to escape.

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.
Lychida sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Unsui is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Lychida working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Lychida is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Unsui knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Unsui manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maoto Lychida dominated that round.
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.

Unsui blocks a head kick by Lychida.
Lychida tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Unsui paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lychida throws a body kick that misses.
Lychida takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Unsui closes the distance and pushes Lychida back into the cage.
Lychida manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Unsui is trying to push Lychida away but Lychida has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Lychida lands a knee to the body.
Lychida misses with a knee strike.
Unsui is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Lychida.
Lychida stalls.
Unsui tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Unsui pulls guard effortlessly.
Lychida throwing strikes from guard but Unsui blocks nicely.

Unsui is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Lychida might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Unsui keeping moving, preventing Lychida from controlling successfully.
Unsui throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Lychida content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Lychida drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Unsui manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Lychida has Unsui in his guard.
Unsui preventing the sweep.
Lychida is pulling down on Unsui's head to control his posture.

That's two 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.
Unsui won't allow Lychida to sweep him here.
Lychida manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Unsui bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Lychida is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Lychida has Unsui pulled in close to control his posture.
Unsui trying to control but Lychida is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Unsui stopping the sweep attempt from Lychida.
Lychida is controlling Unsui's posture.
Lychida looking to hit a scissor sweep but Unsui is one step ahead there.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lychida moves out of range of the body kick from Unsui.

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.

Lychida clinches up with Unsui and pushes him back against the cage.
Unsui tries to pull guard but Lychida won't allow it.
Lychida with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Lychida with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Lychida obliges.
Lychida misses with a knee to the head.
Unsui tries to pull guard but Lychida holds him up against the cage and eventually Unsui drops back down to his feet.
Maoto Lychida has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mohammed Unsui.
Lychida with a knee to the head.
Lychida is struggling to control the position.
Lychida putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Unsui in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Lychida gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Unsui.
Lychida throws a knee to the head but misses.
Lychida landing knees to the body.
The referee calls for Lychida to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Maoto Lychida 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. This is the final round!

A kick lands to the mid section there for Lychida.

Unsui rushes Lychida and presses him up against the cage.
Lychida using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Unsui goes for a takedown in the clinch but Lychida prevents it.
Lychida with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Lychida keeps control of Unsui as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Lychida is pressed up against the cage. Unsui has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lychida down to the mat. Lychida avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Unsui pushes Lychida up against the cage in a clinch.
Unsui is trying to stall.
Lychida misses with a knee strike.
Lychida lands a good knee to the midsection. Unsui won't want to take too many of those.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Lychida.
Lychida connects with a nasty looking knee right to Unsui's face.
Lychida looking to throw knees to the head but Unsui is blocking nicely.

Lychida gets a trip takedown into half guard.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lychida seems to be working for a kimura but Unsui defends the submission attempt.

Lychida is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Unsui is just riding it out for now. Lychida eventually gives up the hold.
Unsui slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

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.

Lychida thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Lychida trying to control but Unsui is working from the bottom.
Lychida pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Unsui is keeping the position for now.
Maoto Lychida overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Unsui working a defensive guard here.
Unsui is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Maoto Lychida is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lychida is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Lychida has managed to clinch.
Unsui takes a knee right on the jaw!
Lychida connects with a nasty looking knee right to Unsui's face.
Lychida lands a knee to the body.
Lychida with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A knee to the head by Lychida.
Lychida with a knee to the head.
Lychida lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Lychida tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's four 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.

Lychida gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Lychida looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Maoto Lychida wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Unsui tries to keep at a distance but Lychida has taken the fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maoto Lychida showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lychida, 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maoto Lychida!