PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Seppo Karkkola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven Stone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steven Stone has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Karkkola
vs
Stone

190 cm
21
140 lbs
1 - 7 - 0

178 cm
19
145 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Seppo Karkkola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Steven Stone!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karkkola throws a nice looking combination but Stone bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Karkkola will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Karkkola swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Stone counters with a takedown into side control.
Stone in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Karkkola avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Stone.
Stone cracks Karkkola with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Stone working the ground and pound but Karkkola is defending the strikes.
Karkkola parries the strikes from Stone easily there. Stone is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Karkkola to escape.
Stone working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone scores with punches from side control.
Karkkola wants to get back to his feet.
Stone landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Stone tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Stone tries to score with some ground and pound. Karkkola controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Stone misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Stone landing a few strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stone stands up.
Karkkola is breathing heavily.
Karkkola falls off balance throwing a combination

and Stone counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Stone thows a big elbow that misses.
Karkkola really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Stone throwing strikes but missing.

Stone gets to his feet. Karkkola looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Karkkola gets caught napping as Stone dives in and scores a takedown. Karkkola manages to retain guard.
Stone thows a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Stone trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Stone with a nice head shot there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stone postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stone postures up in Karkkola's guard and throws a big left but Karkkola blocks it.

Stone gets to his feet. Karkkola looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Stone closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Stone lands in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karkkola preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Stone is working Karkkola over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Karkkola avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stone lands a couple of digs.
Stone is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Stone dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Stone looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Stone throws a strike but Karkkola avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Stone landing some decent shots from guard.
Karkkola knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Stone on the ground.
Stone throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stone postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Karkkola working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stone.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karkkola is wriggling around but Stone manages to pass to half guard.
Stone looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Karkkola with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Stone connects with a nice short shot to Karkkola's temple.
Stone landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Stone landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Stone has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Karkkola keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone works his way into full mount!
Stone unloading with bombs!
Stone punishing his opponent with strikes.
Stone raining down shots from the mount!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Stone cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Karkkola hang on?
Stone working the ground and pound effectively.
Karkkola is bucking up trying to escape but Stone cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Stone with shots to the head and body - Karkkola looks very uncomfortable down there.
Stone has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Stone postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Karkkola looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stone lands with some strikes.

Karkkola is rocked!
Stone landing shots from mount.
Stone breaks from Karkkola's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Oh Karkkola is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Steven Stone has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stone misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Karkkola seems to have got his legs back now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stone working the ground and pound effectively.
Stone with the ground and pound from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Stone showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Stone throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Karkkola was covering up waiting for the punch and Stone finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Stone throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Karkkola works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Stone throws a strike but Karkkola rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Stone holds on and takes a little breather.
Stone throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Stone is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karkkola blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stone.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stone lands strikes from half guard.
Stone missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stone sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Karkkola defending well though.
Stone lands strikes from half guard.
Karkkola taking some punishment here, with Stone in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stone escapes and gets back to his feet.

Stone dives in and scores a takedown into Karkkola's guard.
Karkkola on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Karkkola tries to get out of the position.
Karkkola preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Stone throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Karkkola utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Stone postures up in Karkkola's guard and throws a big left but Karkkola blocks it.

Stone stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stone throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Karkkola was covering up waiting for the punch and Stone finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Stone postures up in Karkkola's guard and throws a big left but Karkkola blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stone accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Karkkola preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Stone postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone scoring with some ground and pound.
Stone forces his way into half guard.
Stone lands strikes from half guard.
Karkkola avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Stone.
Stone slips a nice elbow through Karkkola's hands, connecting with Karkkola's forehead.
Seppo Karkkola has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steven Stone is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Stone scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Stone comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stone has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 25:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 25:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Stone!