PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kalle Kuusivirta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hillman Schaub (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Hillman Schaub enters the cage!

Kuusivirta
vs
Schaub

187 cm
25
240 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

191 cm
25
255 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kalle Kuusivirta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hillman Schaub!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kuusivirta feints and as Schaub raises his hands in defense, Kuusivirta changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Schaub keeping full guard, as Kuusivirta tries to pass.
Kuusivirta trying to control but Schaub is working from the bottom.
Schaub lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kuusivirta!
Schaub looking to finish with strikes here!
Schaub misses with a head shot.
Schaub breaks from Kuusivirta's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Schaub breaks from Kuusivirta's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Kuusivirta regains half guard.
Kuusivirta is trying to stand back up but Schaub is controlling him
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Schaub thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuusivirta moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Kuusivirta looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Schaub throwing strikes from guard but Kuusivirta blocks nicely.
Kuusivirta is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Schaub throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Schaub accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kuusivirta trying to keep a closed guard but Schaub is proving a slippery customer.
Kuusivirta wants to sweep but no luck.
Kuusivirta utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Schaub stopping the sweep attempt from Kuusivirta.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schaub lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Schaub advances position into side control!
Schaub scores with punches from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Schaub working away.
Kuusivirta is looking for a sweep.
Kuusivirta is breathing heavily.
Kuusivirta gets back to half guard.
Schaub thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Schaub sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kuusivirta defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Schaub is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Kuusivirta keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kuusivirta controlling the position for now.
Schaub sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kuusivirta defending well though.
Kuusivirta is looking to improve his position.
Schaub is nestled in close to Kuusivirta, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Kuusivirta looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Kuusivirta keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schaub throws a strike but Kuusivirta avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Schaub trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Schaub trying to move into half guard but instead Kuusivirta has managed to sweep!
Kuusivirta pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Schaub is keeping the position for now.
Kuusivirta preventing the sweep.
Schaub lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kuusivirta!
Kuusivirta really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kuusivirta is bucking up trying to escape but Schaub cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hillman Schaub dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Schaub lands with a kick to the temple. Kuusivirta shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Kuusivirta shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Schaub sprawls well. Schaub wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kuusivirta gets slowly back to his feet.
Kuusivirta doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Schaub counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Kuusivirta's guard now.
Schaub throwing strikes but missing.
Schaub sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kuusivirta's guard.
Schaub has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Schaub working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kuusivirta is trying to control but can't.
Schaub is nestled in close to Kuusivirta, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Schaub not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Schaub winds up and cracks Kuusivirta with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Schaub seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Kuusivirta is trying to get back to full guard.
Schaub misses with a head shot. Kuusivirta uses the momentum to regain guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuusivirta is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Schaub throws a big elbow that misses.
Hillman Schaub has got the better of the ground game so far.

Schaub drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kuusivirta dives on top into guard.
Kuusivirta wants to control from the top but Schaub keeps moving.

Schaub working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kuusivirta doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kuusivirta manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuusivirta looking to sit in guard and control but Schaub gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Schaub trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kuusivirta bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Schaub's guard.
Kuusivirta loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Schaub trying to keep a closed guard but Kuusivirta is proving a slippery customer.

Kuusivirta is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Kuusivirta pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Schaub is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schaub trying to keep a closed guard but Kuusivirta is proving a slippery customer.
Schaub looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kuusivirta trying to control the position from guard on top but Schaub is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Schaub keeping full guard, as Kuusivirta tries to pass.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Schaub keeping moving, preventing Kuusivirta from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kalle Kuusivirta has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Schaub displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kuusivirta.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kalle Kuusivirta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick from Schaub lands but Kuusivirta takes it in his stride.
Kuusivirta closes this distance looking for a takedown but Schaub circles away.

Kuusivirta tries to sprawl but Schaub drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Kuusivirta trying to control from the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kuusivirta wants to get back to his feet.
Kuusivirta trying to control from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kuusivirta taking some punishment here, with Schaub in his half guard.
Schaub is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Schaub seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hillman Schaub showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Schaub shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kuusivirta as he avoids it easily.
Schaub fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kuusivirta avoids it really well and circles away.
Schaub stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Schaub wants it to stay on the feet.
Schaub fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Kalle Kuusivirta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hillman Schaub.

Kuusivirta clinches up with Schaub and pushes him back against the cage.
Kuusivirta can't get the takedown.
Kuusivirta prevents the takedown attempt.

Schaub is fighting off a takedown attempt but Kuusivirta is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Schaub to the mat. Schaub regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Schaub thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Schaub is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kuusivirta is pushing down on Schaub's leg trying to pass to half guard. Schaub is fighting to maintain full guard but Kuusivirta has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuusivirta takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Kuusivirta is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Schaub is looking to improve his position.
Schaub has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kuusivirta is working away from the top position though.
Kuusivirta tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Schaub.

Schaub is defending against the submission attempts here by Kuusivirta.
Kalle Kuusivirta has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schaub keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Kuusivirta is working for a submission of some sort.
Schaub gets back to full guard.
Kuusivirta would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Kuusivirta stopping the sweep attempt from Schaub.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hillman Schaub is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Kuusivirta trying to control but Schaub is working from the bottom.
Schaub pulls Kuusivirta in close to prevent any damage.

Kuusivirta drops back looking for a leg! Schaub is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Schaub manages to kick Kuusivirta off! Kuusivirta jumps back into Schaub's guard.
Schaub looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuusivirta wanted to stand there but Schaub had control of the position.
Schaub pulls Kuusivirta in to control the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Schaub looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Hillman Schaub hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Schaub displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kuusivirta.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Schaub shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Schaub was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Kuusivirta is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kalle Kuusivirta.
I think Schaub 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hillman Schaub!
After the fight, Hillman Schaub was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.