PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ooto Laari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lito Tortiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lito Tortiz told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Laari
vs
Tortiz

180 cm
20
200 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ooto Laari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lito Tortiz!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tortiz wants to clinch up but Laari keeps it at a distance.
Laari looks to score with a jab to the body but Tortiz is just out of range.
Tortiz looks for a takedown but Laari sprawls well.

Tortiz decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Laari gets back to full guard.

Tortiz gets to his feet - Laari follows without any prompting.

Laari pushes Tortiz up against the cage in a clinch.

Laari wants the takedown. Tortiz is fighting it off but Laari persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Tortiz's guard against the cage.
Laari working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Tortiz is trying to keep Laari in close.
Laari is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Tortiz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Laari is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laari throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tortiz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Laari trying to control but Tortiz is working from the bottom.

Tortiz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Tortiz looks gassed!
Laari is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Laari slips nicely into half guard.

Laari is looking for a kimura but Tortiz is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Laari to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Laari scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Tortiz wants to control but Laari is keeping busy.
Laari thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Laari tries to pass the half guard into mount. Tortiz knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Laari is thwarting Tortiz's attempts to control the position.

Laari escapes and gets back to his feet.
Laari scores with a jab to the jaw.
Lito Tortiz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Laari misses the shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laari lands a nice leg kick that just misses Tortiz's sensitive parts.
Laari stuffs the takedown attempt from Tortiz. Tortiz gets slowly back to his feet.

Laari shoots in and bounces Tortiz off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Tortiz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tortiz is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Tortiz wants to sweep but no luck.
Laari wants to stand but Tortiz is controlling his posture from full guard.
Tortiz trying to strike off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laari wanted to stand there but Tortiz had control of the position.
Laari postures up.

Tortiz has his foot on Laari's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Laari works his way back into a safe position though.

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

and Laari counters with a nice double leg into side control. Tortiz won't be happy with that.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Laari stands up.
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!
Tortiz tries for a takedown but Laari circles away easily

so Laari counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ooto Laari dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tortiz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Laari counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Laari.
Laari wants to get up but he can't break Tortiz's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Laari looking to pass the guard.
Laari cracks Tortiz with a solid left hand.

Laari stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Laari dodges the punch combination from Tortiz.
Laari swings for the body but Tortiz moves out of range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Laari throws a series of punches but Tortiz avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tortiz ducks right into an uppercut from Laari.
Tortiz fails with the takedown

and Laari counters with a nice double leg into side control. Tortiz won't be happy with that.
Laari advances to mount.
Tortiz is in all sorts of trouble here.

Laari stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
A decent looking cross lands there for Tortiz.
Tortiz swats away the attempt to clinch by Laari.
Laari throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ooto Laari is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tortiz shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tortiz wants to pass the guard but Laari is keeping the position.
Laari looking for a sweep. Not yet Laari, not yet.
Tortiz looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Tortiz slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Laari.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Tortiz seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laari makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Laari.
Tortiz showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Laari pulls Tortiz in to control the position.
Tortiz wants to get up but he can't break Laari's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Laari is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Tortiz is refusing to be controlled, as Laari sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Laari is looking to advance position but Tortiz won't allow it.
Laari trying to control from half guard but Tortiz is working away.
Tortiz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Laari decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Laari takes the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ooto Laari dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Tortiz scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Laari tries to escape but Tortiz is in control.
Laari throws a few strikes from the bottom but Tortiz takes advantage and mounts!
Tortiz landing strikes from the mount.
Tortiz lands a big elbow.
Laari tries to reverse the position but Tortiz maintains control.

Tortiz has hold of Laari's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Laari manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Tortiz trying to control but Laari is having none of it.

Tortiz is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Laari has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laari keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Laari is working hard here to advance position.
Laari on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Laari tries to get out of the position.
Laari is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Laari regains half guard.
Laari regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Laari not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tortiz pushing down on Laari's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Tortiz wants to take a breather but Laari is having none of it.
Tortiz wants to free his trapped foot but Laari is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Tortiz trying to control the action but Laari is working from the bottom.
Tortiz is looking to advance position but Laari won't allow it.

Tortiz postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Laari to stand up.
Laari misses with a takedown attempt
and Tortiz counters with a nice body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tortiz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Laari counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Tortiz fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Laari manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Laari gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Laari trying to control the action but Tortiz is working from the bottom.

Laari escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Laari has Tortiz up against the cage in a clinch.
Tortiz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Laari prevents it.
Ooto Laari has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lito Tortiz.
Laari pushes Tortiz back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Laari gets underhooks to prevent Tortiz's takedown attempt.
Laari has Tortiz pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Tortiz manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Laari changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Tortiz fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Tortiz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Tortiz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Laari's waist but Laari gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Tortiz off to one side.
Laari fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lito Tortiz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tortiz with a poor takedown

and Laari counters with a shoot takedown. Tortiz fights it but they end up in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ooto Laari showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Laari 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ooto Laari!