PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antti Tuisku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Seppo Hovi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Tuisku
vs
Hovi

185 cm
22
199 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
220 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antti Tuisku!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Seppo Hovi!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donk. Hovi catches Tuisku right on the button with a cross.
Hovi misses with the combination.
Hovi swings for the body but Tuisku moves out of range.
Tuisku lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
A combination from Hovi does no damage.
Tuisku dodges the punch combination from Hovi.
Hovi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Tuisku shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Tuisku missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Tuisku wants to stand up but Hovi is controlling the position.
Hovi taking some punishment here, with Tuisku in his half guard.
Tuisku is thwarting Hovi's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tuisku decides to stand up.
Tuisku closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hovi circles away.

Tuisku scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Tuisku lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Hovi down.
Tuisku remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Tuisku landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Hovi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuisku working the head with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tuisku happy to just control the position for now.
Tuisku wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hovi keeps working.
Tuisku creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Hovi sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Hovi tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuisku fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Tuisku tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Hovi wants to control but Tuisku postures up.

Tuisku tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hovi thows a body shot but no joy.
Tuisku dodges the punch combination from Hovi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Tuisku fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hovi sprawls well initially but Tuisku persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Hovi has hold of Tuisku's hands but Tuisku slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Tuisku stands up and beckons Hovi to join him on the feet.

Tuisku fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hovi sprawls well initially but Tuisku persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Hovi looks gassed!
Hovi is trying to get back to full guard.
Hovi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tuisku thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hovi's head.
Tuisku controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antti Tuisku dominated that round.
That's time! Tuisku's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Tuisku looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Tuisku slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Tuisku working the body and head with strikes.
Tuisku laying and praying for a moment but Hovi takes advantage and regains half guard.
Hovi wants to improve his position but Tuisku is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuisku landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hovi is refusing to be controlled, as Tuisku sits in half guard.
Tuisku throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Hovi looking for submissions off his back.

Tuisku looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Tuisku prevents Hovi from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Tuisku is keen to just control but Hovi is a slippery customer.
Hovi wants to get back to full guard.
Hovi blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tuisku.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Tuisku.
Hovi is trying to control Tuisku's posture but Tuisku avoids it.
Hovi is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Tuisku's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Hovi is breathing heavily.
Tuisku looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Tuisku lands strikes from half guard.
Hovi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Tuisku stands up and beckons Hovi to join him on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tuisku looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Tuisku controlling the pace.
Tuisku prevents Hovi from improving his position.
Tuisku wants to pass to mount but Hovi is defending the position.

Tuisku stands up from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antti Tuisku dominated that second round.
That's time! Tuisku's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Tuisku closes the distance and clinches up with Hovi, looking for a takedown. Tuisku pushes Hovi against the cage but Hovi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hovi scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Tuisku shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hovi as he jumps to the side.
Hovi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hovi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tuisku tests Hovi's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Some bone on bone action there as Hovi checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Tuisku here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Tuisku on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Hovi misses with the combination.

Tuisku bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Tuisku scores with punches from side control.
Hovi is working to avoid the ground and pound but Tuisku connects with a decent elbow.

Tuisku working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tuisku has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tuisku scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Tuisku fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hovi sprawls well initially but Tuisku persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Tuisku seems to be looking for submissions.
Hovi pushes Tuisku off but Tuisku dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuisku lands a few punches from side control.
Tuisku sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Hovi is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Tuisku controls the position from side control.
Tuisku trying to control the position but Hovi is working away.

Tuisku tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hovi manages to get back to half guard.
Tuisku slips a nice elbow through Hovi's hands, connecting with Hovi's forehead.
Still in half guard, Tuisku seems content to control.
Hovi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tuisku is working away from the top position though.
Tuisku missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tuisku works his way into side control.
Tuisku creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Seppo Hovi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Tuisku tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Tuisku cracks Hovi with a big elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antti Tuisku showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tuisku, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antti Tuisku!
Antti Tuisku is the new light heavyweight champion!