PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Antti Hammer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Shields (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hammer comes into the arena with Bolt Thrower - IV Crusade blaring out of the sound system. The crowd seem to be enjoying Shields's choice of entrance music: Last Resort - Papa Roach. Michael Shields has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hammer
vs
Shields

155 cm
27
134 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

172 cm
22
136 lbs
7 - 3 - 1

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

{xXx} iFight Nut. Energy Recovery 160 $55

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antti Hammer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Michael Shields!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hammer avoids the body shot from Shields.
Hammer avoids the body shot from Shields.
Shields throws an overhand right that lands on Hammer's shoulder, as Hammer tries to avoid the shot.
Shields on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Hammer. Hammer obviously looking to wear him down.
Hammer wants to clinch.
Hammer avoids the head kick by Shields.
Hammer lands a front kick.
Hammer shoots for a takedown but Shields saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Shields keeps the fight on the outside.
Hammer throws a low kick but Shields avoids it.

Hammer shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammer throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hammer seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Shields does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hammer is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Hammer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shields keeps working.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hammer in particular looking to stall.
Nice strikes from Hammer there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shields on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Hammer seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Shields blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hammer.
Hammer thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Shields's head.
Hammer thows a huge punch but Shields dodges it nicely.
Shields is in trouble now - Hammer has advanced to mount!
Hammer has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hammer scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammer wants to control the pace but Shields is squirming around nicely.
Shields is in a horrible position here. Hammer smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hammer putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Hammer throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Hammer thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Hammer thowing shots but they're missing.
Shields blocking the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hammer looking to control but Shields is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hammer landing strikes from the mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hammer tries to control but Shields wriggling away.
Hammer throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Hammer putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Hammer lands a heavy elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hammer lands with some strikes.
Hammer is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Shields is rocked!
Hammer cracks Shields with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antti Hammer dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hammer moves into the clinch.
Shields scores with a shot to the side of Hammer's head.
Hammer looking to throw knees to the head but Shields is blocking nicely.
Hammer is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shields can do to turn this around?
Hammer pushes off an throws an elbow but Shields leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hammer throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Shields misses with the head strike.
Hammer comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hammer blocks a body shot from Shields.
Shields blocks an elbow strike from Hammer.
Hammer is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Shields avoids the elbow strike from Hammer, against the cage.
Hammer tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Shields avoids it.
Hammer creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Shields's defenses.

It looks like Michael Shields has been cut.
Shields digs a right hand underneath Hammer's ribcage. Hammer let out a lung full of air as it connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammer lands a damaging elbow.
Shields lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Hammer looking to stall.
Shields misses with a hook to the ribs.
Shields is leaning against Hammer and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
A knee to the head by Hammer.
Knees in the clinch landing for Hammer.
Hammer looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Hammer tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Shields avoids it.
Good body shot from Hammer.
Hammer lands an elbow that stopped Shields in his tracks for a moment.
Shields working aggressively here.
A short uppercut from Shields.
Shields misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammer is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Shields is defending well for now.
Hammer lands a knee to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hammer.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hammer with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hammer with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hammer prevents a body shot from Shields.
Hammer unloads a knee to the mid-section. Shields lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Shields fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shields doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hammer misses with an elbow over the top.
Shields misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Shields misses with a short punch on the inside.
Hammer tries to land knees in the clinch but Shields avoids the damage to the body.
Hammer is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shields blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Shields fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shields avoids a wild elbow strike from Hammer.
Shields on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shields avoiding damage as Hammer throws knees to the body.
Still in the clinch, Shields scores with a nice short uppercut.
Hammer blocks a body shot from Shields.
Hammer pressing his opponent against the cage.
Shields misses with a hook from the clinch.
Shields tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hammer displaying some good clinch control by pressing Shields up against the cage.
Hammer looking to slow down the pace here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hammer with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hammer using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shields has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hammer utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Shields misses with some punches.
Hammer looking to throw knees to the head but Shields is blocking nicely.
Hammer tries a knee to the head but Shields blocks it.
Hammer tries to land a knee to the head but Shields blocks with his arms.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shields working aggressively here.
Shields swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Shields tries to work over Hammer's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antti Hammer dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Michael Shields's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A low kick from Hammer is predictable there
and Shields counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Michael Shields has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hammer tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Hammer scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Hammer trying to control the action but Shields is working from the bottom.
Hammer scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Hammer missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hammer 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.
Hammer has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Hammer trying to control but Shields is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammer throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Shields in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Hammer lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hammer trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammer putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Shields avoids a series of strikes thrown by Hammer.
Antti Hammer overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hammer prevents Shields from getting the reversal.
Hammer working Shields over with strikes here.
Shields is working to get back to 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!
Hammer looking to ground and pound but Shields is blocking nicely.
Hammer can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Shields is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammer thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Shields wants to control but Hammer is having none of it.
Hammer landing strikes from the mount and Shields is in trouble!
Hammer lands with some strikes.
Shields really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hammer. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hammer with shots to the head and body - Shields looks very uncomfortable down there.
Shields is still in real trouble! Can Hammer finish him?
Hammer lands a big elbow - Shields is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Shields is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Antti Hammer!
After winning the bout, Antti Hammer thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.