PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hitokage Hakaisha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niko Nakkeli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nakkeli is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Hakaisha
vs
Nakkeli

175 cm
25
160 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

175 cm
25
180 lbs
8 - 15 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hitokage Hakaisha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niko Nakkeli!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hakaisha looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nakkeli is fending him off so far but Hakaisha persists. Nope, Nakkeli circles away and we're back to standing.
Nakkeli shoots in for a double leg but Hakaisha sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hakaisha tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Nakkeli swivels and escapes.
Hakaisha gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Nakkeli counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hakaisha!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hitokage Hakaisha. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Nakkeli sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Hakaisha is working to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nakkeli controlling from mount.
Nakkeli really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hakaisha. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
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!

Nakkeli jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Hakaisha manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hakaisha tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Nakkeli wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Nakkeli wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hakaisha keeps working.
Nakkeli in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

Nakkeli tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nakkeli has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Nakkeli trying to control the action but Hakaisha is working from the bottom.
Hakaisha regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hakaisha tries to get to full guard but Nakkeli has control of the leg.
Hakaisha is working hard here to advance position.
Nakkeli is trying to control the action in half guard but Hakaisha is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hakaisha is trying to get back to full guard.
Hakaisha manages to get to full guard.
Hakaisha manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nakkeli manages to get himself to full guard.
Nakkeli wants to sweep here but Hakaisha controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hakaisha postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hakaisha throws a big elbow that misses.
Hakaisha working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hakaisha chips away with some ground and pound.
Hakaisha is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Nakkeli keeping moving, preventing Hakaisha from controlling successfully.
Hakaisha sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Hakaisha drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Hakaisha seems to have locked his on tight now - Nakkeli screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Hakaisha, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Hitokage Hakaisha!