PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jose Bittbull (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bic Pohjonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bic Pohjonen struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 267.3lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bittbull
vs
Pohjonen

189 cm
20
227 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

198 cm
22
280 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jose Bittbull!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bic Pohjonen!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Left hook, right uppercut from Bittbull.

It looks like Bic Pohjonen has been cut.
Pohjonen tries to clinch up but Bittbull circles away and keeps his distance.
Bittbull shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pohjonen but Pohjonen pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Pohjonen scores with a takedown into Bittbull's guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Bittbull holds on and takes a little breather.
Bittbull wants to get back to his feet but Pohjonen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Pohjonen wants to get up but he can't break Bittbull's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Pohjonen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Bittbull has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Pohjonen off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Jose Bittbull seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pohjonen looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bittbull is looking to score with low kicks.
Bittbull wants to clinch but Pohjonen slips to the side

and Pohjonen counters with a takedown into side control.

Pohjonen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bittbull has escaped the position, nice work there.
Bittbull is trying to improve his position.
Bittbull is trying to get back to his feet.
Bittbull is looking to reverse the position.
Bittbull is pushing Pohjonen's head away, looking to escape. Pohjonen manages to hold on to the position though.
You can see the frustration on Bittbull's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pohjonen taking a breather here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Bittbull jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Pohjonen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Pohjonen lands in his opponent's guard.
Pohjonen seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Pohjonen passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bittbull is looking to regain half guard here but Pohjonen keeps moving and retains side control.

Pohjonen tries for a kimura but Bittbull is defending well.

Bittbull explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Pohjonen tries to score with a low kick but Bittbull moves his leg out of the way.
Pohjonen wants to clinch.
Bittbull throws a sloppy head kick and Pohjonen moves out of range easily.

That's four 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.
Pohjonen throws a sloppy head kick
letting Bittbull counter with a right hand.

Pohjonen shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bittbull's guard.
Bittbull is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pohjonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Bittbull is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bittbull wants to stand but Pohjonen is controlling the position.

Pohjonen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Bittbull, up you get!
Pohjonen should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Bittbull looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Pohjonen manages to get to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bic Pohjonen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bic Pohjonen'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.

Pohjonen with a lazy takedown attempt

and Bittbull counters with a shoot takedown. Pohjonen fights it but they end up in guard.
Bittbull wants to get up but he can't break Pohjonen's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Pohjonen keeping moving, preventing Bittbull from controlling successfully.
Pohjonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Bittbull drops back looking for a leg! Pohjonen is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Pohjonen manages to kick Bittbull off! Bittbull jumps back into Pohjonen's guard.

Bittbull avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Bittbull decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pohjonen closes the distance and clinches.
Pohjonen has Bittbull pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bittbull manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Bittbull tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Pohjonen smiles and moves away.
A punch combination from Bittbull misses.
Pohjonen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Bittbull scores a takedown into full mount!
Pohjonen is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pohjonen tries to lock up and control but Bittbull gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Bittbull stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Jose Bittbull is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bittbull has his takedown stuffed

and Pohjonen counters with a shoot takedown. Bittbull fights it but they end up in guard.
Pohjonen thows a big elbow that misses.

Bittbull is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pohjonen looking to pass the guard.
Pohjonen wants to control from the top but Bittbull keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bittbull throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Pohjonen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bittbull is keeping the position for now.

Bittbull had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Pohjonen is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Bittbull Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Pohjonen's back instead.

Bittbull looking for the choke from the back.
Bittbull wants to control but Pohjonen manages to buck him off and is now in Bittbull's guard! Nice work there by Pohjonen!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Pohjonen closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Pohjonen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pohjonen throws a series of punches but Bittbull avoids them all with ease.
Pohjonen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Jose Bittbull has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bic Pohjonen.
Bittbull shoots in and drives through. Pohjonen sprawls well.
Bittbull tries to clinch up but Pohjonen circles away and keeps his distance.

Bittbull tries to keep at a distance but Pohjonen has taken the fight into the clinch.
Pohjonen keeps control of Bittbull as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Pohjonen looking for a takedown.
Pohjonen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Bittbull.
Bittbull is looking to break free of the clinch but Pohjonen has double underhooks.
Bittbull wants to break the clinch but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jose Bittbull will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bic Pohjonen's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Pohjonen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Pohjonen stalling in the clinch but Bittbull improves position.
Stalling in the clinch from Pohjonen.
Bittbull prevents a takedown attempt there.

Bittbull breaks from the clinch.
Bittbull looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Bittbull lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Bittbull throws a right and a left that Pohjonen avoids nicely.

Pohjonen gets the takedown into side control.
Pohjonen passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Bittbull!
Pohjonen tries to control but Bittbull wriggling away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bittbull tries to buck Pohjonen off but he can't manage it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bittbull really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pohjonen is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Bittbull can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Bittbull tries to reverse the position but Pohjonen maintains control.
Bic Pohjonen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bittbull is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pohjonen controlling the position easily from mount.
Bittbull is in all sorts of trouble here.
Pohjonen trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Bittbull is looking to get to half guard.
Pohjonen controlling from the full mount.
Bittbull tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pohjonen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Bittbull gets back to half guard.
Bittbull trying to control from the bottom.
Bittbull looks like he's trying to stand up.

Pohjonen stands up from half guard.
Bittbull fails to land with a series of punches.

Pohjonen has closed the distance and engaged Bittbull in a clinch.
Pohjonen unloads a knee to the mid-section. Bittbull lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pohjonen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bittbull misses with a double jab.

Pohjonen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Bittbull wants to get back to full guard.

Bittbull looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Bittbull has one foot on Pohjonen's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Bittbull stuffs the takedown attempt from Pohjonen. Pohjonen gets slowly back to his feet.
Pohjonen fails with the takedown
and Bittbull connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bic Pohjonen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pohjonen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bic Pohjonen!