PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Zeke Valentino (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Black Label (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Label has chosen Godsmak, I stand alone as his entrance music. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Valentino
vs
Label

189 cm
20
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

187 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zeke Valentino!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Black Label!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Valentino moves into the clinch.
Label takes a knee to the side of the body.
Valentino working Label over with knees to the body.
Valentino throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Label blocks it with crossed arms.

Valentino breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Valentino clinches with his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Label on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Valentino pulls guard effortlessly.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Valentino looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Label trying to control the position from guard on top but Valentino is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Valentino clinches up with Label and pushes him back against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Label just misses with a elbow thrown towards Valentino's brow.
Valentino looking to throw knees to the head but Label is blocking nicely.

Valentino's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Label closes the distance and clinches.
Label just leaning against Valentino, taking a breather.
Valentino tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Label is trying to break the clinch but Valentino is controlling him.
Knees to the body from Valentino.

Valentino pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jab from Label.
Label avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Label scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Label has closed the distance and engaged Valentino in a clinch.
Valentino displaying some good clinch control by pressing Label up against the cage.
Label is trying to break free.
Valentino misses with an elbow strike.
Valentino working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Label tries to circle away but Valentino has him pinned against the cage.
Label blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Valentino is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Label struggles to land a body shot inside as Valentino controls his hands.

Valentino breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Label clinches up against the cage.
Label tries to pull guard but Valentino holds him up against the cage and eventually Label drops back down to his feet.

Valentino manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Label keeps the fight on the outside.

Label takes the fight into the clinch.
Label wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Label tries to pull guard but Valentino won't allow it.
Valentino misses with an elbow over the top.
Valentino is struggling to control the position.
Label tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Label tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Zeke Valentino has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Black Label.
A head punch on the inside from Label fails to land.
Label has had enough of the clinch but Valentino keeps him there for the moment.

Valentino escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Label clinches.
Label using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Valentino has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valentino misses with a knee strike.
Valentino looking to throw knees to the head but Label is blocking nicely.
Valentino is breathing heavily.
Label tries for a takedown. No joy.

Valentino escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Valentino has taken the fight to the clinch.

Label breaks the clinch.
A nice combination there by Label.

It looks like Zeke Valentino has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Label fails with a takedown attempt.
Label throws a head kick but Valentino moves out of range.

Label closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Label being controlled against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Valentino tries to circle away but Label has him pinned against the cage.
Label tries to pull guard but Valentino holds him up against the cage and eventually Label drops back down to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Zeke Valentino will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Zeke Valentino's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Label rushes Valentino and presses him up against the cage.

Valentino escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Valentino fails with an attempt to clinch.
Label feints and then cracks Valentino's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Valentino down.

Valentino clinches.
Knees to the body from Valentino.
Label tries to break the clinch but Valentino is controlling the position.
Valentino scores with a knee to the head.
Valentino lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Label tries to break the clinch but Valentino is controlling the position.
Label tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Valentino takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Label is trying to pull guard but Valentino turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Label is trying to push Valentino away but Valentino has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Valentino tries to land knees in the clinch but Label avoids the damage to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valentino is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Label is defending well for now.

Valentino escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Label rushes Valentino and presses him up against the cage.
Valentino on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Label tries to pull guard but Valentino won't allow it.
Zeke Valentino has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Black Label.

Valentino breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Valentino is looking to clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Valentino tries to keep at a distance but Label has taken the fight into the clinch.
Valentino tries to land knees in the clinch but Label avoids the damage to the body.

Valentino's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Label forces Valentino back against the cage and clinches.
Label is trying to break the clinch but Valentino is controlling him.
Label wants to break the clinch but can't.
Valentino is pushing Label up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Label tries to circle away but Valentino has him pinned against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Label changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Valentino fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Label gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Valentino holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Valentino breaks from the clinch.
Label turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Zeke Valentino is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Label clinches up with Valentino and pushes him back against the cage.
Label creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Come on Valentino - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Valentino avoiding damage as Label throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentino wants to break free but Label has control.
Valentino looking to throw knees to the head but Label is blocking nicely.
Label has Valentino pressed against the cage, preventing Valentino from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Label tries to pull guard but Valentino forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Label wants to take the fight to the mat but Valentino manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Valentino manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Valentino working hard to break the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Label pulls Valentino into guard.
Label utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Valentino throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Label works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Label is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Valentino defends well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Valentino got a little sloppy there for a moment and Label has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Valentino has managed to get both his arms back between Label's legs - danger averted.
Label striking off his back but it's not causing Valentino any problems.
Label avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Label is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Label controls Valentino momentarily but Valentino frees himself.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Label preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Valentino trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Black Label showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Zeke Valentino's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Valentino takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
A cross from Label lands.
Label shoots in for a takedown but Valentino shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Label throws a head kick that misses.

Label gets tackled into the cage by Valentino. Valentino maintains the clinch.
Label looking to throw knees to the head but Valentino is blocking nicely.
Valentino will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Label up against the cage.
Label wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Valentino has him pressed against the cage.

Valentino breaks the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Valentino. No joy for Label on that attempt.
Valentino tries to clinch there but Label circles away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Label tries to land a leg kick but Valentino saw it coming and moves away.
Nice sprawl there from Valentino as Label shoots in.
Zeke Valentino has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Black Label.
Label takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A head kick by Valentino misses
and Label counters with an outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Label. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Label.
Valentino is looking to clinch but Label is avoiding it.

Valentino closes the distance and pushes Label back into the cage.

Valentino breaks from the clinch.
Label misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Valentino fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Label, pushing him back against the cage.
Valentino missing with knees to the body.

Valentino breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Label lands a high kick!

Label moves into the clinch successfully.
Valentino content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Valentino prevents Label from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentino fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Valentino misses with a knee strike.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Label has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Valentino is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Label drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Valentino gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Valentino turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Label manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Label throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Valentino not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Valentino throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Label actively working from the bottom here.

Label looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentino throwing shots but Label is blocking nicely.

Label is working on a guillotine. He's managed to get to full guard and he's really squeezing tight! Valentino is tapping! Great win for Label!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Black Label!
A relieved looking Black Label thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.