PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Adam Strange (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikael Ahokangas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Strange comes to the cage accompanied by Adam Strange - Traveller. Ahokangas has chosen Sentenced - Cross my heart and hope to die as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Adam Strange has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Strange
vs
Ahokangas

160 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Adam Strange!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikael Ahokangas!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Strange.

Strange looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ahokangas struggling a bit here.
Ahokangas manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Strange is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ahokangas tries to pass to full mount but Strange defends it.
Strange gets full guard.

Ahokangas drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ahokangas jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ahokangas pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Strange is keeping the position for now.
Strange preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Strange throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Strange manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ahokangas manages to get himself to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ahokangas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Strange can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Ahokangas throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ahokangas looks gassed!

Ahokangas is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Strange working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ahokangas keeping moving, preventing Strange from controlling successfully.
Strange could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Strange sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Ahokangas's guard.
Ahokangas is staying active underneath Strange, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Strange is looking for a kimura here.
Ahokangas moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Strange passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Strange landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Strange works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Ahokangas is looking to regain half guard here but Strange keeps moving and retains side control.
Ahokangas is pushing Strange's head away, looking to escape. Strange manages to hold on to the position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strange is working Ahokangas over with some ground and pound from side control.
Ahokangas is looking for a sweep.
Ahokangas is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Strange off and has taken his back!
Strange tries to escape the position.

Ahokangas tightening his grip on Strange, looking for the choke.

Ahokangas is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Strange is defending well though. Ahokangas let's go of the attempt for now.
Strange trying to control the hands but Ahokangas breaks the grip.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A lull in the action here.
Ahokangas is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Strange manages to reverse the position and now he's in Ahokangas's guard. Nice work there by Strange.
Strange throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ahokangas is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Strange trying to control but Ahokangas is working from the bottom.
Strange pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ahokangas is keeping the position for now.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ahokangas with a poor takedown

and Strange counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ahokangas!
Ahokangas is in a horrible position here. Strange smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Strange tries to control but Ahokangas wriggling away.
Ahokangas in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adam Strange dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ahokangas blocks a low kick nicely.
Strange fails with an attempt to clinch.

Strange feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Strange tries to free his leg and advance position but Ahokangas is retaining full guard.
Strange wants to control from the top but Ahokangas keeps moving.
Strange content to stall in guard here.
Strange wants to control from the top but Ahokangas keeps moving.

Ahokangas escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Strange gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ahokangas is breathing heavily.
Ahokangas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Strange is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strange trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Strange throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Strange closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The referee asks Strange politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Strange prefers to stall for the moment though.
Strange landing strikes.
Ahokangas takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Strange in side control lands a decent elbow.
Ahokangas sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Strange works his foot free and advances to mount.
Ahokangas is bucking up trying to escape but Strange cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strange postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Ahokangas looks a forlorn figure.

Strange swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Ahokangas is now in Strange's guard. A big mistake from Strange there, giving up the dominant position!
Strange might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Strange is trying to hold Ahokangas in close to prevent damage but Ahokangas has managed to pass into half guard.
Strange gets back to full guard.
Adam Strange overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Strange manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ahokangas manages to get himself to full guard.
Ahokangas has momentary wrist control but Strange slips an elbow through the middle.

Strange thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Strange decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Ahokangas, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahokangas keeps the fight on the outside.
Ahokangas tries for a takedown but Strange circles away easily

and Strange counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Strange.

Ahokangas is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Ahokangas has his foot on Strange's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Strange works his way back into a safe position though.

Ahokangas throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Strange throws a big right hand that misses.

Strange drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Strange jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Strange trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Ahokangas escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Strange gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Ahokangas working for a triangle but Strange defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Strange closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ahokangas to the mat! Ahokangas manages to get full guard.

Strange avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Ahokangas is trying to control the position but Strange postures up.
Ahokangas looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Ahokangas is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ahokangas is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Strange stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ahokangas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adam Strange dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Ahokangas doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Strange counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Strange seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Strange controlling the pace.

Ahokangas looking for subs from the bottom but Strange mounts him!

Strange looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Ahokangas is trying desperately to improve position.
Ahokangas regains half guard.

Strange is trying to work for a kimura but Ahokangas is defending well.
Ahokangas has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Strange is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Strange is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Strange is working for a kimura but Ahokangas is defending it quite comfortably.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Strange is keen to just control but Ahokangas is a slippery customer.
Ahokangas gets full guard.

Ahokangas is looking for a triangle but Strange pushes his legs off easily.

Strange drops back looking for a leg! Ahokangas is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ahokangas manages to kick Strange off! Strange jumps back into Ahokangas's guard.

Ahokangas is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

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.
Strange passes Ahokangas's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Strange has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Strange lands with some strikes.
Strange takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Strange is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Ahokangas is surviving well by controlling Strange's body position as best he can.
Strange prevents Ahokangas from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strange blocks Ahokangas's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Strange scoring with strikes but Ahokangas is staying in there.
Strange has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Strange working Ahokangas over with strikes here.
Strange controlling the position easily from mount.
Ahokangas can't escape the position.
Ahokangas wants to control but Strange is having none of it.
Ahokangas tries to reverse the position but Strange maintains control.

Strange looking to isolate an arm here. Ahokangas doesn't see it coming and as Strange extends the arm, he's forced to tap out! Nice submission by Strange!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Adam Strange!