PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gavin Duff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Peter Hjalpas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Duff
vs
Hjalpas

183 cm
26
200 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

187 cm
26
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gavin Duff!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Peter Hjalpas!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hjalpas lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Gavin Duff has been cut.
Duff looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hjalpas is fending him off so far but Duff persists. Nope, Hjalpas circles away and we're back to standing.
Duff tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hjalpas swivels and escapes.
Hjalpas tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Duff manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Peter Hjalpas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hjalpas fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Duff to the ground. Hjalpas is now in Duff's guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Hjalpas engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Hjalpas stops Duff from standing up.
Hjalpas stands and throws Duff's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Hjalpas decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Hjalpas shoots in and gets a takedown into Duff's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hjalpas sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Duff's guard.
Duff tries to roll over but Hjalpas keeps him under control.
Hjalpas working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hjalpas is looking to advance position but Duff won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hjalpas seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Hjalpas missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hjalpas tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Hjalpas seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Duff does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Duff looking for submissions off his back.
Hjalpas trying to control from half guard but Duff is working away.
Duff tries to roll over but Hjalpas keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hjalpas is just content to waste time from the top position. Duff takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Hjalpas postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hjalpas wants to stand but Duff has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hjalpas trying to control but Duff is working from the bottom.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duff looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Hjalpas puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Duff looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Duff is breathing heavily.
Duff won't allow Hjalpas to pass to mount.
Duff slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hjalpas showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Duff keeping moving, preventing Hjalpas from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Peter Hjalpas dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gavin Duff's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

No luck for Duff with that takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Duff or perhaps it was just good defense by Hjalpas which made him look bad.
Hjalpas has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

Hjalpas closes the distance and clinches.
Duff is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Hjalpas is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gavin Duff. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hjalpas gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Hjalpas is nestled in close to Duff, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Hjalpas content to control rather than advance.
Hjalpas lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hjalpas is trying to work for a kimura but Duff is defending well.
Duff moves into full guard.
Hjalpas controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Duff keeping moving, preventing Hjalpas from controlling successfully.

Hjalpas gets to his feet - Duff follows without any prompting.

Hjalpas closes the distance and clinches.
Hjalpas wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duff has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Hjalpas after a bit of a struggle.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Duff jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hjalpas walks away with a smile on his face. Duff gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Hjalpas shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hjalpas trying to control but Duff is working from the bottom.
Hjalpas slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Duff takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hjalpas decides to stand back up. Hjalpas steps back and let's Duff get back to his feet.

Hjalpas looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hjalpas lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Duff kicks Hjalpas off and gets back to his feet.

Hjalpas closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Duff did well to prevent Hjalpas getting side control.
Well, if Hjalpas is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Duff looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Peter Hjalpas has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hjalpas landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hjalpas stalling.
Hjalpas trying to control from half guard but Duff is working away.
Duff tries to roll over but Hjalpas keeps him under control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Duff is refusing to be controlled, as Hjalpas sits in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Peter Hjalpas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Gavin Duff's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Duff gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hjalpas in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hjalpas is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
We've been hearing good reports from Duff's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Duff keeping moving, preventing Hjalpas from controlling successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Peter Hjalpas was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Duff gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hjalpas with a nice head shot there.
Duff can't keep his opponent in guard - Hjalpas advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hjalpas tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Duff.
Hjalpas is thwarting Duff's attempts to control the position.
Hjalpas trying to control from half guard but Duff is working away.
Hjalpas is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duff trying to control here.
Duff is trying to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Hjalpas decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Hjalpas looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Hjalpas is looking to stall here but Duff recovers full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hjalpas looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Duff has his foot on Hjalpas's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hjalpas works his way back into a safe position though.
Peter Hjalpas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Duff keeping moving, preventing Hjalpas from controlling successfully.
Hjalpas not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Hjalpas stands and steps away. Duff gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Hjalpas doesn't manage to clinch there - Duff circles away.
Hjalpas lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Hjalpas decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hjalpas takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Gavin Duff has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Peter Hjalpas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hjalpas has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Peter Hjalpas!