PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Heikko Saarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Fuller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saarinen's entrance music is I Walk Alone. A fine choice. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Saarinen
vs
Fuller

170 cm
33
154 lbs
24 - 8 - 1

162 cm
21
150 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Heikko Saarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Eric Fuller!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Phil Schofield and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saarinen feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Fuller's calf.
Fuller blocks a head kick by Saarinen.
Fuller misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nice shot lands for Saarinen.
Saarinen misses with a series of wild punches.
Saarinen lands a lovely overhand right.

Fuller dives in and scores a takedown into Saarinen's guard.
Fuller prevents Saarinen from getting back to his feet.
Fuller wants to control from the top but Saarinen keeps moving.
Saarinen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Fuller wants to control from the top but Saarinen keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuller missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Fuller stopping the sweep attempt from Saarinen.
Saarinen keeping moving, preventing Fuller from controlling successfully.
Fuller tries to free his leg and advance position but Saarinen is retaining full guard.
Fuller looking to sit in guard and control but Saarinen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Fuller throws his legs up looking for a submission but Saarinen uses it to pass to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fuller tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Saarinen wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fuller tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Saarinen presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Fuller can't escape the position.
Saarinen controlling the pace for now.
Fuller tries to reverse the position but Saarinen maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fuller is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Fuller is looking to improve his position but Saarinen isn't that keen on the idea.

Saarinen get's back to his feet.
Saarinen leaves Fuller with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Saarinen.
An inside leg kick lands from Saarinen.
Saarinen bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Fuller's head backwards.

Fuller dives in and scores a takedown into Saarinen's guard.
Saarinen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Fuller controls the pace.
Fuller trying to control but Saarinen is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saarinen is wriggling around but Fuller manages to pass to half guard.
Fuller seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Saarinen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Fuller tries to pass to full mount but Saarinen defends it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Saarinen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Eric Fuller will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Saarinen doesn't manage to clinch there - Fuller circles away.
Saarinen looks to land a combination but Fuller avoids it well.
Eric Fuller is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saarinen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Saarinen lands with a thumping leg kick.
Fuller with a lazy takedown attempt
and Saarinen counters with a nice uppercut.
Heikko Saarinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saarinen fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Saarinen lands with a slapping head kick.
Fuller closes this distance looking for a takedown but Saarinen circles away.
Fuller has his takedown stuffed
and Saarinen counters with a stiff right hand.
Heikko Saarinen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eric Fuller.
A solid body kick from Saarinen.
Fuller fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Saarinen scores with a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarinen is looking to slow Fuller down with leg kicks.
Fuller gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Saarinen swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Fuller.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Fuller is defended easily by Saarinen.
Saarinen lands a leg kick that knocks Fuller off balance momentarily.
Saarinen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Fuller's sensitive parts.
Fuller on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Saarinen connects with a leg kick. Fuller looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Fuller. That did some damage!
Saarinen stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Saarinen throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Fuller tries for a takedown but Saarinen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A nice inside leg kick there by Saarinen. That's going to slow Fuller down.
Heikko Saarinen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Saarinen stalks Fuller and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Fuller's face. Fuller staggers backwards, shaken.
Saarinen jabs at Fuller's body.

Fuller tries to keep at a distance but Saarinen has taken the fight into the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Saarinen as the two fighters clinch.
Fuller is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Saarinen gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Saarinen lands a nice shot to the body.
Fuller is breathing heavily.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Saarinen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Fuller tries for a takedown. No joy.
Fuller drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Saarinen gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen stops a takedown attempt from Fuller.
Fuller drops down looking for an ankle pick but Saarinen pulls his leg out and moves away.
Saarinen throws a head kick that half lands.
Saarinen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Saarinen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Fuller.
Saarinen connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A nice leg kick lands there from Saarinen.
Saarinen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Fuller. Fuller circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Saarinen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen scores with a leg kick.
Saarinen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Fuller shoots in but no luck this time.
Saarinen swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Fuller.
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!
A good leg kick by Saarinen.
Good standup being displayed there by Saarinen as he connects with a hook.
Saarinen throws a head kick that half lands.
Fuller takes a kick to the side of the head.
Saarinen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Saarinen connects with a high kick.

Fuller is rocked!
Saarinen stuffs the takedown attempt from Fuller. Fuller gets slowly back to his feet.
Fuller takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heikko Saarinen dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Fuller takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Saarinen lands a nice shot that snaps Fuller's head back.
Fuller looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Saarinen throws a head kick but Fuller moves out of range.
Fuller takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Saarinen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Saarinen explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Heikko Saarinen is winning the standup battle so far.
Saarinen lands with a slapping head kick.
Nice takedown defense from Saarinen. No joy for Fuller on that attempt.
Fuller's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Saarinen lands a head kick. Fuller smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Fuller on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Saarinen scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuller shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Heikko Saarinen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eric Fuller.
Fuller takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Good leg kick by Saarinen there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Saarinen.
Saarinen feints and then cracks Fuller's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Fuller down.
Fuller fails with the takedown.
Saarinen fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Fuller looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Saarinen scores with a jab to the jaw.
Saarinen throws a quick inside leg kick.
Saarinen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Saarinen is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Fuller takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Fuller drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Saarinen pushes Fuller off and scrambles back to his feet.
Saarinen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Saarinen slaps away a takedown attempt from Fuller, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Saarinen lets loose with a powerful body kick. Fuller will feel that in the morning.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Fuller.
Saarinen lands a nice looking kick to the body. Fuller takes a step back to recover.
Saarinen shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Fuller eats them both and turns towards Saarinen to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Saarinen tenderised Fuller's leg. Fuller is trying to keep his angry face on.
Saarinen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Saarinen.
A slapping body kick lands there for Saarinen.
Fuller takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Saarinen.
Fuller takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Fuller shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Saarinen lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Good leg kick by Saarinen there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Fuller has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Saarinen.
Fuller looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Saarinen is fending him off so far but Fuller persists. Nope, Saarinen circles away and we're back to standing.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Saarinen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fuller shoots for a double leg takedown but Saarinen sprawls well. He's pushed Fuller's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A jab from Saarinen finds it's way through Fuller's defenses.
Saarinen digs a good body shot into Fuller's ribs.
A good leg kick by Saarinen.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saarinen bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Saarinen scores with the left hand. Fuller knows he should have avoided that one.
Saarinen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Fuller can do to turn this around?
Fuller chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Saarinen can pounce on him.
Saarinen connects with a leg kick. Fuller looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Good leg kick by Saarinen there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fuller walks into a stiff left hand from Saarinen.
Fuller shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Fuller throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Saarinen's waist but Saarinen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Fuller off to one side.

And that's the end of the fight!
Heikko Saarinen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Saarinen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Heikko Saarinen!
Heikko Saarinen bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.