PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andrew Figari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jarmo Ek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Figari comes to the cage accompanied by Here comes the boom. Ek is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Pixies - Tame. Jarmo Ek has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Figari
vs
Ek

175 cm
21
206 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
19
215 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andrew Figari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jarmo Ek!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Leandro Rodrigues and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ek tries to close the distance and clinch up but Figari swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Figari circles away from the clinch attempt.
Figari shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ek as he jumps to the side.
Ek tries to clinch there but Figari circles away.
Ek fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ek has his takedown stuffed

and Figari counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ek won't be happy with that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Figari stands up.

Figari 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.
Ek is looking to sweep but instead, Figari has passed into half guard.
Ek gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ek wants to sweep but no luck.
Ek lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Figari!
Ek wants to take Figari's back here but Figari is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Figari is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Ek throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

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.
Figari is looking to get to half guard.
Figari is trying to stand up.
Figari takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Ek goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Figari turns into him and now he's in Ek's guard.
Ek looks gassed!
Figari wants to control from the top but Ek keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ek working for a triangle but Figari defends it easily.
Ek throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Figari pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ek is keeping the position for now.
Ek is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Figari is controlling him.

Ek looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Figari passes into half guard.

Figari decides to return to a standing position.
Nice sprawl there from Ek as Figari shoots in.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Figari dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Figari fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Figari changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ek looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ek is looking for a sweep.
Ek is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Figari has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Ek wants to clinch but Figari slips to the side

and Figari counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Figari is keen to just control but Ek is a slippery customer.

Ek looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ek moves into full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Figari working some strikes from top position.
Ek lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Figari!
Ek has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Figari's face.

Ek stands up from mount. Strange move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ek throws a series of punches but Figari moves out of range.
Ek tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Figari counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Andrew Figari overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ek is looking to escape.
Ek tries to roll over but Figari keeps him under control.
Figari working over Ek with some ground and pound. Ek looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Figari postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Ek to stand up.
Figari swats away the attempt to clinch by Ek.
Figari circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Figari scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Figari decides to stand back up.
Ek slow jab from Figari misses its intended target.
Ek stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Figari shoots in and drives through. Ek sprawls well.
Ek stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andrew Figari. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ek closes the distance but Figari moves to the side

and Figari counters with a single leg into guard. Ek didn't expect that.

Ek looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Figari passes into side control.
Ek is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ek is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Figari is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Ek bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Ek wants to control from the top but Figari keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Figari dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ek tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Figari counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ek's guard now.
Ek looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ek controls Figari momentarily but Figari frees himself.

Ek looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Figari stands up from Ek's guard - Figari perhaps looking for a knockout.
Jarmo Ek seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ek fails with the takedown

and Figari decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ek's guard.
Ek takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Figari throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ek works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Figari stands up from Ek's guard - Figari perhaps looking for a knockout.
Ek shoots and misses

and Figari counters by clinching up.
Figari could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Figari has hold of one of Ek's legs. Ek is fighting the takedown attempt but Figari gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Ek working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Figari doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Figari manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Ek looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Ek looking for a guillotine here but Figari defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ek working for a triangle but Figari defends it easily.

Ek is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Figari prevents a takedown attempt there.
Andrew Figari has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jarmo Ek.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ek connects with a knee to the head.
Ek with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Ek throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Figari blocks it with crossed arms.

Figari breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Figari changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ek looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Figari decides to stand back up. Figari steps back and let's Ek get back to his feet.

Figari shoots in and bounces Ek off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Figari stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Figari looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Figari decides to stand and escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!

Figari drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Figari loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ek pulls Figari in close to his closed guard and prevents Figari from doing any damage or advancing position.
Jarmo Ek has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ek wants to improve his position but instead Figari has moved into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ek misses with some strikes from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrew Figari showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Figari, 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andrew Figari!