PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kustaa Pohjanala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bong Pak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Pohjanala
vs
Pak

168 cm
22
142 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

169 cm
21
143 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Solid 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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kustaa Pohjanala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bong Pak!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pohjanala rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pak moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Pak shoots for a double leg takedown but Pohjanala sprawls well. He's pushed Pak's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Pohjanala tries to clinch up.
Pohjanala shoots in for a takedown but Pak shows good takedown defense.

Pohjanala instigates a clinch.
Nice elbow from Pohjanala.
Pak tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Pak looking to throw knees to the head but Pohjanala is blocking nicely.
Knees in the clinch landing for Pak.

Pak is fighting off a takedown attempt but Pohjanala is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Pak to the mat. Pak regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Pohjanala drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Pohjanala jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Pak wants to sweep here but Pohjanala controlling him for the moment.
Pak being controlled here, momentarily.
Pohjanala tries to free his leg and advance position but Pak is retaining full guard.

Pohjanala gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pak gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Pak avoiding damage as Pohjanala throws knees to the body.
Pohjanala with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Pak tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Pak tries to land a knee to the head but Pohjanala blocks with his arms.
Pohjanala on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Pohjanala tries a knee to the head but Pak blocks it.
Pak gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Pohjanala.
Pohjanala is breathing heavily.
Pak scores with a knee to the head.
Pak landing knees to the body.

Pohjanala breaks from the clinch.
Pak tries to clinch

and Pohjanala counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pak won't be happy with that.
Pak avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Pohjanala.

Pak bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Pak avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pak misses with a head kick.
Pak darts in trying to clinch

and Pohjanala counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pohjanala manages to break the clinch.
Pak does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Pohjanala clinches up with Pak and pushes him back against the cage.
Pohjanala tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kustaa Pohjanala. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pohjanala looking to stall.
Pak on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Pak tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Pohjanala can't break the clinch.
Pohjanala misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pak.
Pak throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pohjanala blocks it with crossed arms.
Pak with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Pak scores a nice knee to the body.

Pohjanala breaks the clinch.
Pak uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pohjanala.
Pohjanala throws a push kick but Pak slaps the foot to one side.
Pak looks to clinch

and Pohjanala counters by clinching up.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Pohjanala has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Pak is trying to keep an underhook but Pohjanala manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Pak pushes Pohjanala off looking to stand but Pohjanala dives back in and keeps control.
Pohjanala stalling.
Pak tries to kick Pohjanala off but Pohjanala keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pohjanala trying to control the action but Pak is working from the bottom.

Pohjanala looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Pak is trying to stand.
Pak is not content to let Pohjanala control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pak clinches but Pohjanala breaks the clinch

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
and Pohjanala counters by moving into the clinch.
Pak using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pohjanala has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Pohjanala misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pak.

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

Pohjanala drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Pohjanala remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Pak tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pohjanala wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Pak bucks up and tries to throw Pohjanala off but instead Pohjanala has got his back!
Pak really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pohjanala. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pak is trying to get back to his feet but Pohjanala has full control of the position and if anything, Pak has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Pohjanala is hanging on to Pak's back as he tries to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pohjanala lands punches and elbows.

Pak defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Pohjanala looking for the choke from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kustaa Pohjanala dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pohjanala moves in looking to clinch but Pak pushes him off.

Pohjanala 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.
Pak looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Pak wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Pohjanala manages to pass to side control.
Pohjanala is looking to take a break and control but Pak is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pak wants to get back to full guard.
Pohjanala not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Pak preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Pohjanala is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pohjanala is pressing down on Pak's thigh, looking to free his foot. Pak is holding on for now.
Pak gets full guard.
Pak can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pohjanala controls the pace.
Pohjanala wants to pass the guard but Pak is keeping the position.
Pohjanala wants to control from the top but Pak keeps moving.
Pak wants to stand up but Pohjanala is controlling him.
Pohjanala postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Pak is pulling down on Pohjanala's head to control his posture.
Pak is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pak fails with the takedown

and Pohjanala counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Pak pushes Pohjanala off looking to stand but Pohjanala dives back in and keeps control.
Pohjanala prevents Pak from improving his position.
Pak trying to hold on to Pohjanala's head to control him but Pohjanala postures up.

Pohjanala is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Pohjanala is pressing down on Pak's thigh, looking to free his foot. Pak is holding on for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pak is looking to escape.
Pohjanala trying to control the action but Pak is working from the bottom.
Pak is looking to get back to is feet but Pohjanala passes into side control.
Pak prevents Pohjanala from moving into mount.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pak pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pak pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Pohjanala pushes Pak up against the cage in a clinch.
Pak tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Pak tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Pohjanala tries to stall but Pak uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
The referee calls for Pohjanala to work.
Pohjanala lands an elbow inside that Pak shrugs off.

Pohjanala breaks from the clinch.
Pak stuffs the takedown attempt from Pohjanala. Pohjanala gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Pohjanala throws a head kick that misses.
Pak clinches but Pohjanala breaks the clinch

and Pohjanala counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pohjanala slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Pohjanala is looking to take a break and control but Pak is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pak avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Pohjanala.
Pak is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Pohjanala wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Pak, who protects the arm well.
You can see the frustration on Pak's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kustaa Pohjanala dominated that second 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!

A good leg kick by Pak.
Pak tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Pohjanala counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Pak wants to get back to his feet.
Pohjanala works his way into full mount!
Pohjanala wants to take Pak's back but he can't do it this time.
Pak is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pak tries to hold on but Pohjanala postures up.

Pak somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Pak lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Pohjanala has taken the fight to the clinch.
Pak avoiding damage as Pohjanala throws knees to the body.
Pohjanala taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Pohjanala lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Pohjanala uses his free foot to push down on Pak's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Pak.

Pohjanala looking to secure an arm triangle but Pak defends it well.
Pohjanala trying to control but Pak is having none of it.
Pak tries to control the position but Pohjanala now has his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala punches the canvas rather than the man.
Pak is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Pak looking to control the position.

Pohjanala is persistently looking for the submission but Pak is defending it well.
Pak is in bad spot here.

Pak defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Pohjanala doesn't have the hooks in and Pak manages to turn into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pohjanala is looking to sweep but instead, Pak has passed into half guard.
Pohjanala tries to roll over but Pak keeps him under control.
Pohjanala trying to control here.
Pohjanala moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Pohjanala trying to control the position.
Pohjanala wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Pohjanala is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Pohjanala is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Pak trying to control here.
Bong Pak has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pohjanala uses his free foot to push down on Pak's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Pak.
Pohjanala connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Pohjanala tries to control but Pak wriggling away.
Pak tries to lock up and control but Pohjanala gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kustaa Pohjanala showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pohjanala, 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 Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kustaa Pohjanala!