PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ville Kuukkeli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Clarke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kuukkeli's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, a-ha - Take On Me. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kuukkeli
vs
Clarke

187 cm
28
224 lbs
20 - 14 - 0

185 cm
27
223 lbs
17 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

160! - Sale!
Revolution Fatigues

Revolution Fatigues
Revolution Fatigues

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ville Kuukkeli!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Leo Clarke!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Alec Ball and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kuukkeli throws a head kick that misses.
Kuukkeli connects with a looping right hand.
Clarke fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Kuukkeli checks it well.
Kuukkeli tries to clinch up but Clarke circles away and keeps his distance.
Clarke tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kuukkeli was well out of range. Poor timing from Clarke.
A bone on bone clash there as Kuukkeli blocks the leg kick.
A slow jab from Kuukkeli misses its intended target.
Kuukkeli throws a sloppy head kick and Clarke moves out of range easily.
Clarke shoots for a takedown but Kuukkeli saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kuukkeli jabs at Clarke's body.
Kuukkeli throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Clarke avoids the body shot from Kuukkeli.

Clarke closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Clarke is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Kuukkeli tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Clarke wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Clarke creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Clarke holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Kuukkeli is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Kuukkeli wants a takedown but no success here.
Clarke has a couple of punches blocked by Kuukkeli.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuukkeli manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Clarke is trying to break free.
Clarke is trying to pull guard but Kuukkeli has him pressed against the cage.
Clarke working aggressively here.
Kuukkeli stalling in the clinch.
Clarke wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuukkeli is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Clarke gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ville Kuukkeli. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Clarke slows down the pace here.
Kuukkeli tries to pull guard but Clarke holds him up against the cage and eventually Kuukkeli drops back down to his feet.
Kuukkeli is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Clarke to keep the fight standing.
Clarke working aggressively here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke misses with a short punch on the inside.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Kuukkeli fails to land.
Kuukkeli is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Clarke is defending well.
Kuukkeli drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Clarke prevents the takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ville Kuukkeli 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.

Kuukkeli fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kuukkeli goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Clarke changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kuukkeli looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Clarke in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Kuukkeli is not content to let Clarke control the position.

Clarke thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Clarke lands a nice forearm strike.
Clarke working away.
Clarke wants to control but Kuukkeli is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Clarke.
Clarke throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Clarke tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Kuukkeli is looking for a sweep.
Kuukkeli sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Kuukkeli keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Clarke is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Kuukkeli is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Clarke's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Clarke's back!
Clarke manages to reverse the position and now he's in Kuukkeli's guard. Nice work there by Clarke.
Clarke throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kuukkeli works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuukkeli looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kuukkeli bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Clarke's guard.

Clarke looking for a guillotine here but Kuukkeli defends easily.
Clarke is breathing heavily.
Kuukkeli trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kuukkeli accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Clarke wants to stand and escape but Kuukkeli is having none of it.
Clarke keeping moving, preventing Kuukkeli from controlling successfully.
Kuukkeli looking to sit in guard and control but Clarke gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuukkeli working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Clarke.
Kuukkeli is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Kuukkeli 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kuukkeli misses with a head shot. Clarke uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke pulls Kuukkeli in to control the position.
Clarke is trying to control the position but Kuukkeli postures up.
Kuukkeli wants to control from the top but Clarke keeps moving.
Kuukkeli postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Clarke is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Kuukkeli is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Clarke shoots in looking for a takedown but Kuukkeli manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Clarke's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Clarke 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!

Clarke swats away the attempt to clinch by Kuukkeli.
Kuukkeli thumps Clarke with a low kick.
Kuukkeli moves out of range of the strikes.
Kuukkeli cracks Clarke with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Clarke tries to clinch up.
Clarke cracks Kuukkeli with an open hand slap.
Kuukkeli throws a head kick that misses.
Decent striking displayed by Kuukkeli there.

Clarke gets a takedown into half guard.
Kuukkeli is trying to control but can't.
Kuukkeli is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuukkeli makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Kuukkeli.
Clarke trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuukkeli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Clarke won't allow Kuukkeli to sweep him here.
Clarke passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Leo Clarke has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kuukkeli takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kuukkeli takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Kuukkeli is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Clarke's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Clarke takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Clarke is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kuukkeli looking for submissions off his back.
Clarke winds up and cracks Kuukkeli with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Clarke is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Kuukkeli still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Kuukkeli has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Kuukkeli in side control, throwing shots but Clarke defends.
You can see the frustration on Clarke's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Clarke is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuukkeli wants to lay and pray for a moment but Clarke keeps working.
Clarke is working to avoid the ground and pound but Kuukkeli connects with a decent elbow.
Clarke is looking for a sweep.
Clarke manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Kuukkeli tries to get to full guard but Clarke has control of the leg.
Clarke 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.
Kuukkeli moves into full guard.
Kuukkeli utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Clarke is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarke throwing strikes from guard but Kuukkeli blocks nicely.
Clarke trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuukkeli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Clarke in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kuukkeli working a defensive guard here.
Clarke postures up and lands a big shot to Kuukkeli's brow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Kuukkeli looking for a guillotine here but Clarke defends easily.
Clarke working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leo Clarke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Clarke has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leo Clarke!
Leo Clarke is the new light heavyweight champion!
Leo Clarke thanked the fans post fight for their support.