PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mikko Sakkinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bettar Thanu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sakkinen comes to the ring accompanied by Rotten Sound - Burden. Mikko Sakkinen could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Bettar Thanu's chin.

Sakkinen
vs
Thanu

185 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

191 cm
20
179 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Powerful

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikko Sakkinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bettar Thanu!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thanu wants to clinch but Sakkinen slips to the side

and Sakkinen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Sakkinen tries to free his leg and advance position but Thanu is retaining full guard.
Sakkinen passes Thanu's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Sakkinen tries to pass the half guard into mount. Thanu knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Sakkinen seems to be looking for submissions.
Sakkinen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Thanu does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Thanu really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sakkinen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sakkinen controlling the action here.
Sakkinen wants to take a breather but Thanu is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thanu scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Sakkinen manages to mount him!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Thanu is trying to stand.
Sakkinen unloading with bombs!
Sakkinen scoring with strikes but Thanu is staying in there.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Sakkinen cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Thanu is squirming around, avoiding Sakkinen's attempts to control the action.
Thanu wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sakkinen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thanu is looking to escape.

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

Sakkinen tries for a kimura but Thanu is defending well.
Thanu is pushing Sakkinen's head away, looking to escape. Sakkinen manages to hold on to the position though.
Sakkinen trying to control the action but Thanu is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thanu is pushing Sakkinen's head away, looking to escape. Sakkinen manages to hold on to the position though.
Sakkinen taking a breather here.

Sakkinen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sakkinen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Sakkinen taking a break here but Thanu is having none of it and regains half guard.
Sakkinen perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sakkinen decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Thanu closes the distance but Sakkinen moves to the side

and Sakkinen moves into the clinch.
Thanu using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sakkinen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Thanu lands a nice elbow.
Thanu throws an elbow but it's blocked.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakkinen is working for takedown but Thanu is calmly controlling the position for now.

Sakkinen gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sakkinen looks to land a strike but Thanu avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikko Sakkinen dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Thanu clinches.
Thanu tries to land a knee to the head but Sakkinen blocks with his arms.
Thanu using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sakkinen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Thanu creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Sakkinen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Thanu tries to land knees in the clinch but Sakkinen avoids the damage to the body.

Sakkinen has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Thanu regains guard immediately.
Thanu wants to stand but Sakkinen is controlling the position.
Sakkinen forces his way into half guard.
Sakkinen looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Sakkinen drops an elbow to the side of Thanu's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thanu is looking to escape.

Sakkinen decides to stand and escape the position.

Thanu tries to sprawl but Sakkinen drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Sakkinen is controlling the pace.

Sakkinen is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Sakkinen is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sakkinen is looking for a kimura but Thanu is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sakkinen to get the leverage.
Thanu pushes Sakkinen off looking to stand but Sakkinen dives back in and keeps control.
Sakkinen 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.
Sakkinen controlling the pace.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thanu wants to get back to his feet.
Sakkinen is controlling the pace.
Sakkinen trying to control from half guard but Thanu is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mikko Sakkinen wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Sakkinen lands with a straight right. Thanu didn't see that one coming.
Thanu tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Sakkinen counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Thanu!
The referee warns Thanu that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Thanu trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sakkinen goes for an armbar but Thanu turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Thanu.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Sakkinen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Thanu can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sakkinen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Sakkinen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Thanu doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Thanu manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sakkinen looking for a sweep. Not yet Sakkinen, not yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sakkinen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikko Sakkinen dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Sakkinen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Thanu looks to clinch

and Sakkinen counters by clinching up.
Sakkinen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Sakkinen blocks the elbow strike.
Sakkinen has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Thanu avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sakkinen wants a takedown but no success here.

Sakkinen has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Thanu regains guard immediately.
Thanu wants to stand but Sakkinen is controlling the position.
Sakkinen content to stall in guard here.
Sakkinen forces his way into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thanu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Mikko Sakkinen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Thanu tries to kick Sakkinen off but Sakkinen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sakkinen tries to pass to full mount but Thanu defends it.
Sakkinen stops Thanu from getting back to his feet.
Sakkinen thows a huge punch but Thanu dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sakkinen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Thanu sees it coming and defends easily.

Sakkinen is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Thanu tries to kick Sakkinen off but Sakkinen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sakkinen trying to control from half guard but Thanu is working away.

Sakkinen is looking for a kimura but Thanu is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sakkinen to get the leverage.
Thanu looks like he's trying to stand up.
Thanu is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Sakkinen wants to free his trapped foot but Thanu is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakkinen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sakkinen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Sakkinen is looking for a kimura but Thanu is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sakkinen to get the leverage.
Sakkinen is looking to take a break and control but Thanu is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Sakkinen is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Thanu is trying to stand up here but Sakkinen is controlling him well.

Sakkinen decides to stand up.
Sakkinen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Thanu can do to turn this around?
Sakkinen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thanu was well out of range. Poor timing from Sakkinen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thanu moves to clinch but Sakkinen breaks away
and Thanu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Thanu gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Sakkinen to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Sakkinen is stalling in the full guard.
Bettar Thanu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mikko Sakkinen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thanu wants to get back to his feet but Sakkinen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikko Sakkinen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sakkinen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikko Sakkinen!
During a confident post fight interview, Mikko Sakkinen thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.