PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between James Potkukelkka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Art Vandelay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vandelay has chosen Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man as his entrance music. This should be fireworks!

Potkukelkka
vs
Vandelay

170 cm
27
154 lbs
16 - 10 - 0

173 cm
28
154 lbs
12 - 5 - 1

Great wrestler
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Perkele!
DJs Locker

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 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, James Potkukelkka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 1, fighting out of New York, Art Vandelay!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Robert Twigg and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Potkukelkka looks to score with a jab to the body but Vandelay is just out of range.
Potkukelkka misses with a body shot.
Vandelay wants to land a leg kick but Potkukelkka is out of range.
Potkukelkka takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Vandelay throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Potkukelkka missing with a left hand there. Vandelay was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Vandelay buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Vandelay uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Potkukelkka.

Vandelay gets caught flat footed, as Potkukelkka shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Potkukelkka tries to free his leg and advance position but Vandelay is retaining full guard.
Vandelay is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Vandelay working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Potkukelkka.
Potkukelkka tries to free his leg and advance position but Vandelay is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potkukelkka looking to sit in guard and control but Vandelay gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Vandelay trying to control but Potkukelkka is working from the bottom.
Vandelay postures up.
Potkukelkka looking to hit a scissor sweep but Vandelay is one step ahead there.
Potkukelkka is trying to keep Vandelay in close.
Potkukelkka wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Potkukelkka bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Vandelay's guard.
Potkukelkka won't allow Vandelay to sweep him here.
Vandelay preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Potkukelkka trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Vandelay is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Potkukelkka throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vandelay works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Potkukelkka trying to control but Vandelay is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potkukelkka looking to pass the guard.
Potkukelkka is working hard here to advance position.
Potkukelkka slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of James Potkukelkka.

Vandelay closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Vandelay swings around for an armbar but Potkukelkka sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Vandelay's guard.
Potkukelkka preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Potkukelkka wants to control from the top but Vandelay keeps moving.
Potkukelkka sitting in guard here, content to control.
Vandelay keeping moving, preventing Potkukelkka from controlling successfully.
Potkukelkka missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vandelay seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of James Potkukelkka.
Vandelay fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Potkukelkka dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Vandelay with a nice cross.
Potkukelkka misses with a body shot.
Potkukelkka uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Vandelay.
Vandelay bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Potkukelkka is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Vandelay's half guard.
Potkukelkka trying to advance position but Vandelay counters by regaining guard.
Potkukelkka working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Potkukelkka wants to control from the top but Vandelay keeps moving.
Potkukelkka tries to free his leg and advance position but Vandelay is retaining full guard.
James Potkukelkka overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potkukelkka postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Vandelay lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Potkukelkka!
Vandelay breaks from Potkukelkka's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Potkukelkka tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Vandelay trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Potkukelkka sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Vandelay is thwarting Potkukelkka's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vandelay not doing much here.
Potkukelkka is looking to control Vandelay's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Potkukelkka avoid being mounted?
Vandelay thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Potkukelkka's head.
Vandelay is looking to take a break and control but Potkukelkka is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A solid leg kick lands there for Vandelay.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potkukelkka throws a nice inside leg kick.
Vandelay lands with a kick to the ribs.
Potkukelkka ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Vandelay moves away.
Potkukelkka stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Vandelay.
Potkukelkka swats away the attempt to clinch by Vandelay.
Potkukelkka uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Vandelay.
Vandelay chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Vandelay turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Vandelay throws a low kick but Potkukelkka moves out of range easily.

Potkukelkka feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Potkukelkka trying to control the position from guard on top but Vandelay is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Potkukelkka throws a strike but Vandelay rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Potkukelkka is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vandelay trying to control the position from guard on top but Potkukelkka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vandelay preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Vandelay got a little sloppy there for a moment and Potkukelkka has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Vandelay has managed to get both his arms back between Potkukelkka's legs - danger averted.

Potkukelkka working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Vandelay has passed into half guard!
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 James Potkukelkka will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Vandelay throws a sloppy head kick

and Potkukelkka counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Potkukelkka throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Vandelay keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Vandelay is looking for a sweep. Potkukelkka is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Potkukelkka is keen to just control but Vandelay is a slippery customer.
Potkukelkka works his foot free and advances to mount.
Potkukelkka landing strikes, looking to finish!
Potkukelkka with a couple of short strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potkukelkka controlling the pace for now.
Vandelay avoids a series of strikes thrown by Potkukelkka.
Potkukelkka throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Potkukelkka looking to ground and pound but Vandelay is blocking nicely.
Vandelay gets back to half guard.
Potkukelkka works his way into full mount!
Potkukelkka can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Vandelay is looking to escape.
Art Vandelay has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vandelay is in all sorts of trouble here.
Vandelay regains half guard.
Vandelay keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Potkukelkka wants to pass to mount but Vandelay is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vandelay wants to improve his position but Potkukelkka is controlling well.
Potkukelkka works his foot free and advances to mount.
Vandelay tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Potkukelkka thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Potkukelkka throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
James Potkukelkka is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Potkukelkka controlling the pace for now.
Potkukelkka trying to control but Vandelay is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Potkukelkka looking to control and managing it successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Potkukelkka showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Potkukelkka, 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Potkukelkka!
A relieved looking James Potkukelkka thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.