PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Spede Jussi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonny Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Jussi
vs
Stevens

170 cm
25
144 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
138 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Good takedowns
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Spede Jussi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jonny Stevens!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jussi shoots in and gets a takedown into Stevens's guard.
Jussi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Jussi creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Stevens sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Jussi cracks Stevens with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Jussi throwing strikes but Stevens manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Stevens wants to control but Jussi is keeping him busy.

Stevens tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Stevens has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Jussi is trying to get back to half guard.
Stevens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jussi keeps working.
Jussi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens controlling the position.
Jussi tries to bench press Stevens off him but Stevens keeps the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevens fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Jussi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Stevens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jussi keeps working.
Jussi tries to bench press Stevens off him but Stevens keeps the position.
Stevens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jussi keeps working.
Jussi being controlled for a moment.
Stevens trying to control the position but Jussi is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Jonny Stevens.

Jussi shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Stevens manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Stevens managing to control the position.
Jussi throws a strike but Stevens rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stevens throws a big elbow that misses.
Jussi wants to sweep here but Stevens controlling him for the moment.
Stevens trying to control but Jussi is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Jussi wants to stand but Stevens is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Jonny Stevens has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Stevens is trying hard to land a takedown here. Jussi sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Jussi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Stevens sprawls well initially but Jussi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Stevens makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Stevens.
Jussi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Jussi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stevens has momentary wrist control but Jussi slips an elbow through the middle.
Jussi looking to sit in guard and control but Stevens gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Jussi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens won't allow Jussi to get back to his feet.
Stevens controls from within his opponent's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Jussi keeping moving, preventing Stevens from controlling successfully.
Stevens slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Stevens passes into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Stevens connects with a nice short shot to Jussi's temple.
Stevens stalling.
Jussi wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Spede Jussi will probably get the nod.
That's time! Jussi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Stevens looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Stevens bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Jussi is looking to reverse the position.
Jussi is trying to escape the position but Stevens is controlling the position.
Stevens gets to mount! Jussi was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Jussi can't escape the position.
Stevens controlling from the full mount.
Stevens is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Stevens cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Jussi is in all sorts of trouble here.
Jussi on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Jussi tries to get out of the position.
Stevens tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Jussi is looking to improve his position but Stevens isn't that keen on the idea.
Jonny Stevens has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stevens landing strikes from the mount and Jussi is in trouble!
Stevens lands a heavy elbow.
Stevens takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Jussi is looking to improve his position but Stevens isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens looking to control but Jussi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Stevens content just to control the position here.
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!
Jussi is trying to escape the mount.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Stevens dominating with strikes here.
Stevens controlling his opponent.
Jussi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Jussi is bucking up trying to escape but Stevens cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Stevens landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens with good strikes from the mount here!
Stevens trying to control but Jussi is having none of it.
Jussi is looking to get to half guard.
Jussi is bucking up trying to escape but Stevens cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Jussi is looking to get to half guard.
Stevens can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Jussi is looking to escape.
Stevens lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Jussi is looking to get to half guard.
Stevens in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jussi is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Stevens tries to control but Jussi wriggling away.
Stevens controlling the position easily from mount.
Stevens landing strikes from the mount and Jussi is in trouble!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stevens controlling the position easily from mount.
Stevens fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Stevens lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Jussi hang on?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jussi is squirming around, avoiding Stevens's attempts to control the action.
Jussi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jonny Stevens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Jussi drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Stevens's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Stevens has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Jussi tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Jussi looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Stevens is avoiding damage well.
Jussi has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Stevens holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Jussi tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Jussi unloading with bombs!
Jussi scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Jussi sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Stevens is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Jussi avoids the attempt from Stevens to control.
Jussi working Stevens over with strikes here.
Jussi throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Jussi with shots to the head and body - Stevens looks very uncomfortable down there.
Stevens tries to hold on but Jussi pushes him away.
Jussi throws a sloppy strike and Stevens uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Stevens has ended up in Jussi's guard.
Stevens trying to control the position from guard on top but Jussi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jussi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Stevens is one step ahead there.
Stevens showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Jonny Stevens has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Jussi scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jussi working the ground and pound.
Stevens regains half guard.
Stevens regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Jussi.
Stevens looking for a sweep. Not yet Stevens, not yet.
Stevens avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Jussi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jussi looking to pass the guard.
Jussi is looking to advance position but Stevens has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stevens working Jussi over with strikes here.
Stevens trying to control but Jussi is having none of it.
Jussi bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Jussi drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Stevens manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Jussi has Stevens in his guard.
Stevens trying to control but Jussi is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jussi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Jussi swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Stevens is now in Jussi's guard. A big mistake from Jussi there, giving up the dominant position!

Jussi looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Stevens passes into half guard.
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!
Stevens seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Jussi does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jussi on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Jussi tries to roll over but Stevens keeps him under control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Spede Jussi showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Jussi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Spede Jussi!
A less than humble Spede Jussi misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.