PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jussi Murikka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stefan Pozsgai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Murikka's entrance music is Rock'n'Rolla. A fine choice. Pozsgai has chosen Face in the Sand as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Murikka
vs
Pozsgai

170 cm
27
164 lbs
21 - 8 - 0

183 cm
27
159 lbs
16 - 9 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jussi Murikka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 2, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stefan Pozsgai!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Sergei Dronov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pozsgai goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Pozsgai listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Pozsgai lands a glancing blow to the side of Murikka's head.
Good standup being displayed there by Pozsgai as he connects with a hook.

Murikka forces Pozsgai back against the cage and clinches.
Murikka is struggling to control the position.
Pozsgai throws a head punch that misses.
Pozsgai working aggressively here.
Murikka makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Pozsgai content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Pozsgai lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Murikka slows down the pace here.
Pozsgai pushes Murikka back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pozsgai struggles to land a body shot inside as Murikka controls his hands.
Pozsgai doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Pozsgai swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Murikka stalls.
Murikka has a couple of punches blocked by Pozsgai.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Murikka.
Pozsgai prevents a body shot from Murikka.
Murikka is stalling here.
Pozsgai tries a body shot but Murikka blocks it.
Murikka displaying some good clinch control by pressing Pozsgai up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Pozsgai.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Murikka as Pozsgai tries to tie him up.
Pozsgai blocks the elbow strike.
Pozsgai is struggling to control the position.
Pozsgai misses with a body punch.
A short uppercut from Pozsgai.
Murikka blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Murikka lands a left hand.
Pozsgai scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Pozsgai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Murikka pulls guard successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pozsgai stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Murikka swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pozsgai stopping the sweep attempt from Murikka.
Murikka controls Pozsgai momentarily but Pozsgai frees himself.
Pozsgai trying to control but Murikka is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Stefan Pozsgai.
A bone on bone clash there as Pozsgai blocks the leg kick.
Pozsgai misses with a few strikes there.
Murikka tries to clinch there but Pozsgai circles away.
Pozsgai is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Pozsgai throws a body kick that misses.
Murikka steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Pozsgai.
Murikka tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pozsgai manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pozsgai misses with a straight left.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Murikka pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Murikka swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Murikka throws a nice outside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stefan Pozsgai 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.

Murikka fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pozsgai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Murikka throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Pozsgai looks to land a right hand but Murikka moved out of range.
Pozsgai moves into range and connects with a jab.
Murikka tries to clinch up.
Pozsgai avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Pozsgai thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Murikka if he has to take too many more of those.
Pozsgai throws a looping overhand right but Murikka ducks down to avoid it.
Murikka misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Pozsgai throws a shot from downtown. Murikka moves away and avoids it.
Murikka throws an overhand right that lands on Pozsgai's shoulder, as Pozsgai tries to avoid the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murikka tries a head kick but it misses.
Murikka loads up on a big right hand but Pozsgai slips the punch.
Pozsgai closes the distance and clinches up with Murikka, looking for a takedown. Pozsgai pushes Murikka against the cage but Murikka circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Murikka throws a front kick aimed at Pozsgai's knee but Pozsgai avoids it well.
Murikka slips a straight right by Pozsgai.
Murikka dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Pozsgai. That did some damage!
Murikka tries a head kick but it misses.
Murikka fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Pozsgai.
Murikka pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pozsgai misses with an uppercut. Murikka saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murikka bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Murikka finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Pozsgai with a jab.
Pozsgai blocks a low kick nicely.
Pozsgai looks to throw the jab but Murikka is out of range.
Murikka looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Pozsgai goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Murikka throws a sloppy head kick and Pozsgai moves out of range easily.
Murikka shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pozsgai sprawls well. Pozsgai wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Murikka gets slowly back to his feet.
Murikka ducks under a wild hook from Pozsgai.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pozsgai changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Pozsgai blocks a head kick by Murikka.
Murikka throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murikka shoots in looking for a takedown. Pozsgai tries to sprawl out of it but Murikka keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pozsgai manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pozsgai lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Pozsgai takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Murikka loads up on a big right hand but Pozsgai slips the punch.
Pozsgai bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Murikka's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murikka walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Pozsgai with a nice cross.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Murikka uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Pozsgai.
Pozsgai has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Murikka.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Murikka.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jussi Murikka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murikka misses with a looping right.
Pozsgai throws a leg kick that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Murikka throws a head kick but Pozsgai moves out of range.
Murikka throws a looping overhand right but Pozsgai ducks down to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stefan Pozsgai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Murikka throws out a powerful jab.
Murikka wants to slow Pozsgai down by chopping away at his legs.
Jussi Murikka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pozsgai lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
A decent looking cross lands there for Pozsgai.
Murikka keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Pozsgai.
Murikka throws a leg kick that misses.
Murikka misses with a few strikes there.
Murikka throws a leg kick but Pozsgai sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Pozsgai keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Murikka is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Pozsgai's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Murikka looks to score with a jab to the body but Pozsgai is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Murikka.
Pozsgai steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Murikka.
Murikka throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Stefan Pozsgai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Murikka misses with a leg kick
and Pozsgai counters with an outside leg kick.
Pozsgai moves away from the strike by Murikka.
Murikka tries to clinch there but Pozsgai circles away.
Pozsgai moves out of range of the strikes.
Pozsgai delivers a nice body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Pozsgai, as that shot connected.
Pozsgai misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Murikka counters with a head kick.
Pozsgai shoots for a takedown but Murikka saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murikka wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Crunch! Pozsgai slams his shin into Murikka's torso.
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!
Murikka bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Murikka throws a half hearted mid kick.
Pozsgai is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Murikka.
Murikka throws a low kick but it's checked well by Pozsgai.
Murikka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pozsgai paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pozsgai missing with a left hand there. Murikka was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Murikka misses with a low kick.
Murikka avoids a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pozsgai lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Pozsgai looks for the body kick but Murikka saw that one coming.
Pozsgai clobbers Murikka with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Pozsgai looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Pozsgai looks for the body kick but Murikka saw that one coming.
Murikka throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Pozsgai sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Murikka throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Pozsgai's head.

Murikka shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Murikka showed some decent athleticism there.
Pozsgai is trying to control but can't.
Jussi Murikka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murikka seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Pozsgai is trying to control but can't.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Murikka prevents Pozsgai from improving his position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pozsgai regains full guard. Nicely done.
Murikka throws an elbow that misses. Pozsgai uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Murikka's guard. Nice move by Pozsgai!

And that's the end of the fight!
Stefan Pozsgai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Pozsgai 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stefan Pozsgai!
Stefan Pozsgai took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'Over 9000'.