PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mickey Mouse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matti Nykanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Mouse
vs
Nykanen

190 cm
24
147 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

165 cm
26
133 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mickey Mouse!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matti Nykanen!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nykanen closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Mouse quickly recovers to half guard.
Mouse regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Nykanen.
Nykanen throws a strike but Mouse rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Nykanen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Nykanen keeping moving, preventing Mouse from controlling successfully.

Nykanen has his feet on Mouse's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Mouse throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Nykanen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nykanen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mouse does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nykanen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mouse really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mouse blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nykanen.
Nykanen is looking to pass Mouse's guard but actually Mouse recovers to full guard.
Nykanen looking to pass the guard.
Mouse keeping moving, preventing Nykanen from controlling successfully.
Nykanen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mouse is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mouse preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Mouse wriggles free and stands up.
Mouse blocks a jab.
Nykanen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nykanen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mouse throws out the jab.

Nykanen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Nykanen lands in his opponent's guard.
Mouse will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Nykanen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nykanen slips nicely into half guard.
Nykanen is looking to take a break and control but Mouse is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mouse blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nykanen.
Nykanen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mouse keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nykanen wants to control but Mouse is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen looks to land a strike but Mouse avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nykanen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Nykanen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mouse is breathing heavily.
Mouse avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nykanen throws an elbow that misses. Mouse uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Nykanen's guard. Nice move by Mouse!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nykanen uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Nykanen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mouse uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nykanen.
Nykanen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nykanen dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Mouse takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nykanen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mouse moves away.
Mouse throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nykanen takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Nykanen takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Nykanen digs a good hook to Mouse's body.
Nykanen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Nykanen throws a low kick, looking for Mouse's leg but Mouse calmly moves out of range.
Mouse throws a series of punches but Nykanen moves out of range.
Mouse keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mouse cracks Nykanen with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Mouse looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nykanen takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
No luck for Nykanen with that takedown attempt.
Mouse uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Nykanen.
Nykanen sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Nykanen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mouse was well out of range. Poor timing from Nykanen.

Mouse clinches up with Nykanen and pushes him back against the cage.

Mouse's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen walks into a jab.
Mouse looks to land a right hand but Nykanen moved out of range.

Nykanen gets a double leg takedown into Mouse's guard.
Nykanen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Nykanen prevents Mouse from getting back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nykanen trying to control but Mouse is working from the bottom.
Nykanen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nykanen's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Nykanen stands and throws Mouse's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Nykanen lands some shots froms side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mouse avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Nykanen.
Mouse taking a bit of punishment here - Nykanen scoring with strikes.
Nykanen postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
An elbow from Nykanen crashes against the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nykanen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Nykanen tries to move into full mount but can't pass Mouse's legs.
Nykanen throws a strike aimed at the side of Mouse's head but Mouse avoids it well.
Nykanen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Nykanen in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen with the ground and pound but Mouse regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Mouse keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nykanen working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Mouse keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mouse blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nykanen.
Nykanen trying to mount his opponent but Mouse defends it.
Nykanen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mouse keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mouse on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nykanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nykanen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Mouse to the mat! Mouse manages to get full guard.
Nykanen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mouse swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nykanen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nykanen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nykanen looking to sit in guard and control but Mouse gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Nykanen is looking to stand up but Mouse isn't so interested in that idea.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Nykanen pushes Mouse off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nykanen shoots in for a double leg but Mouse sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mouse misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Mouse bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Mouse scores with a nice right hand.
Mouse fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mouse tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mickey Mouse is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nykanen misses with a takedown attempt - Mouse sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nykanen looks to land a right hand but Mouse moved out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mouse lands a jab to Nykanen's midsection.
Mouse looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Nykanen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mickey Mouse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matti Nykanen.
Mouse throws a nice head kick!
No luck for Nykanen with that takedown attempt.
Mouse is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mouse connects with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen shoots in but Mouse avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Mouse lands a front kick.
Mouse slips a straight right by Nykanen.
Nykanen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mouse.
Nykanen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mouse.
Mouse throws the kick towards the body but Nykanen avoids it.
Nykanen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mouse was well out of range. Poor timing from Nykanen.

Nykanen gets the takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mouse is letting Nykanen control him for a moment.
Mouse parries the strikes from Nykanen easily there. Nykanen is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Mouse to escape.
Nykanen scores with a couple of short elbows.
Sloppy strikes there by Nykanen.
Nykanen scores with punches from side control.
Nykanen in side control lands a decent elbow.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mouse stops Nykanen from passing to mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nykanen 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.
Nykanen tries to score with some ground and pound. Mouse controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nykanen really dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Mouse misses with a hook. Nykanen ducked under it nicely.
Nykanen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mouse swivels and escapes.
Mouse throws a poor cross that misses
and Nykanen counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mouse thinking.
Mickey Mouse is winning the standup battle so far.
Nykanen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mouse was well out of range. Poor timing from Nykanen.
Nykanen slips a jab and a cross from Mouse.
Mouse is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Nykanen misses with a wild body shot.
A punch combination from Mouse misses.
Nykanen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mouse looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mouse throws a leg kick but Nykanen sees it coming and checks it nicely.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nykanen moves out of range as Mouse throws a body kick.
Nykanen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mouse.
Nykanen is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nykanen.
Mickey Mouse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matti Nykanen.
Mouse misses with a straight right.

Nykanen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Mouse to the mat! Mouse manages to get full guard.
Mouse wants to get back to his feet but Nykanen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Mouse utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nykanen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mouse's head.
Nykanen seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Matti Nykanen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nykanen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Nykanen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mouse's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mouse defending well though.
Nykanen stops Mouse from getting back to his feet.
Mouse is refusing to be controlled, as Nykanen sits in half guard.
Nykanen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Nykanen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nykanen trying to pass the guard but Mouse defending well.
Nykanen winds up and cracks Mouse with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nykanen is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Nykanen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nykanen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nykanen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Nykanen in particular looking to stall.
Nykanen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nykanen is trying to control. Mouse wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Nykanen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Nykanen content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nykanen dominated that fourth round.
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!

Nykanen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mouse was well out of range. Poor timing from Nykanen.
Mouse throws a right hand that Nykanen ducks under and follows up with a left that Nykanen also avoids with ease.
Mouse uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nykanen.
A slapping body kick lands there for Mouse.
Nykanen blocks a jab.
Mouse fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nykanen swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Mouse counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Nykanen misses with a leg kick
and Mouse counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mouse thows a body shot but no joy.
Mouse swings and misses with a hook to the body.
The fighters circle momentarily. Nykanen darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Good leg kick by Mouse there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Mouse tries to clinch there but Nykanen circles away.
Nykanen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Mouse.
Nykanen blocks a head kick by Mouse.
Mouse avoids the body shot from Nykanen.
Nykanen shoots in for a takedown but Mouse shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mouse scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Mickey Mouse has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen takes a swing at Mouse's ribcage but misses.
Mouse misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nykanen is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Mouse rather than just go for the knockout.
Nykanen shoots for a takedown but Mouse saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nykanen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Mouse avoids it really well and circles away.
Mickey Mouse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matti Nykanen.

Nykanen fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mouse sprawls well initially but Nykanen persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Nykanen misses with a head shot. Mouse uses the momentum to regain guard.
Nykanen working some strikes from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nykanen throwing strikes but missing.
Mouse preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nykanen controls from within his opponent's guard.
Mouse avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nykanen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nykanen throwing strikes from guard but Mouse blocks nicely.
Nykanen with a nice head shot there.
Nykanen tries to free his leg and advance position but Mouse is retaining full guard.
Nykanen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Nykanen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Nykanen trying to control but Mouse is working from the bottom.
Matti Nykanen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nykanen throwing strikes but missing.
Mouse has momentary wrist control but Nykanen slips an elbow through the middle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matti Nykanen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Nykanen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 45:50
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 45:50
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matti Nykanen!
Matti Nykanen is the new bantamweight champion!