PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Safej (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Heikki Hirvonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Safej
vs
Hirvonen

186 cm
25
191 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
219 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kevin Safej!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Heikki Hirvonen!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hirvonen moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

It looks like Kevin Safej has been cut.
Safej looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Hirvonen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Safej misses with a head kick.
Hirvonen throws a big shot that misses.
Hirvonen misses with the combination.
Hirvonen misses with a head kick.
Safej throws a lazy head kick
and Hirvonen counters with a nice kick to the body.
Safej misses with a head kick.
Hirvonen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Hirvonen throws a series of punches but Safej avoids them all with ease.
Hirvonen lands a nice looking body kick.
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!
Hirvonen scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Hirvonen misses with a few strikes there.
Safej slips under a jab from Hirvonen.

Hirvonen dives in and scores a takedown into Safej's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hirvonen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Safej is proving hard to escape from.
Hirvonen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Safej works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hirvonen is looking to stand up but Safej won't let him.
Hirvonen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hirvonen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hirvonen wants to control from the top but Safej keeps moving.
Hirvonen postures up in Safej's guard and throws a big left but Safej blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hirvonen decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Heikki Hirvonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hirvonen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hirvonen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Safej's waist but Safej gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hirvonen off to one side.
Hirvonen shoots in looking for a takedown but Safej manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hirvonen's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Hirvonen has managed to clinch.
Hirvonen is trying to break the clinch but Safej is controlling him.
Hirvonen is trying to push Safej away but Safej has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Hirvonen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Safej tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Hirvonen fails to land.
Hirvonen is trying to break the clinch but Safej has him pressed against the cage.

Hirvonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hirvonen is defended easily by Safej.
Kevin Safej has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Heikki Hirvonen.
Hirvonen scores with a sloppy right hand. Safej should have avoided that one.
Hirvonen blocks a head kick by Safej.
Hirvonen throws a series of punches but Safej moves out of range.
Hirvonen shoots in for a double leg but Safej sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hirvonen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hirvonen misses with a few strikes there.
Hirvonen looks for a takedown but Safej sprawls well.
Safej takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hirvonen closes the distance and clinches up with Safej, looking for a takedown. Hirvonen pushes Safej against the cage but Safej circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A head kick misses from Hirvonen.
Safej scores with a head kick.
Kevin Safej is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Safej blocks a head kick by Hirvonen.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hirvonen misses with a few strikes there.
Hirvonen tries to close the distance and clinch but Safej swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Safej throws a head kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heikki Hirvonen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kevin Safej's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hirvonen throws a series of punches but Safej avoids them all with ease.

Hirvonen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Hirvonen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Safej is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Safej defending against the ground and pound.

Hirvonen tries for a kimura but Safej is defending well.
Safej wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Hirvonen.
Hirvonen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Hirvonen lands a decent elbow from side control.
Safej avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hirvonen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hirvonen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hirvonen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Hirvonen creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Safej sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Hirvonen working the ground and pound.
Hirvonen sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Safej is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Hirvonen throws an elbow but Safej slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hirvonen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Safej has escaped the position, nice work there.
Hirvonen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Hirvonen trying to control the position but Safej is working away.
Hirvonen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Hirvonen postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Safej avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hirvonen.
Hirvonen throws an elbow but Safej slips to the side and avoids it well.
Hirvonen creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Hirvonen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Hirvonen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heikki Hirvonen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kevin Safej's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Safej stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Safej wants it to stay on the feet.
Hirvonen wants to clinch.
No joy there for Hirvonen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hirvonen tries a head kick but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hirvonen rushes Safej and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hirvonen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Safej has him pressed against the cage.
Hirvonen is looking to take this one to the mat.
Hirvonen lands a body punch in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Hirvonen.
Hirvonen is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Kevin Safej has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Heikki Hirvonen.
Hirvonen goes for a takedown in the clinch but Safej prevents it.
Knees to the body from Hirvonen.

Hirvonen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hirvonen throws a series of strikes that have Safej backpedaling.
Hirvonen fails with a takedown attempt.
A head kick by Safej misses
and Hirvonen counters with a left to the body.
Hirvonen scores with a three punch combo!
Safej throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hirvonen darts in looking for a takedown but Safej gets double underhooks and turns Hirvonen into the cage.
Hirvonen is looking to break free of the clinch but Safej has double underhooks.
Hirvonen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Safej has him pressed against the cage.
Hirvonen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hirvonen is looking to break free of the clinch but Safej has double underhooks.
Heikki Hirvonen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Safej prevents Hirvonen from breaking the clinch.
Hirvonen lands a nice knee to the body.
Hirvonen is trying to break the clinch but Safej is controlling him.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safej swats away the attempt to clinch by Hirvonen.
Hirvonen connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Safej's hands.
Hirvonen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hirvonen shoots in for a takedown but Safej shows good takedown defense.
Safej tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hirvonen throws a nice looking combination but Safej bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Safej throws a head kick but Hirvonen moves out of range.
Safej dodges the punch combination from Hirvonen.
Hirvonen tries a head kick but it misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hirvonen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hirvonen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hirvonen misses with a few strikes there.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hirvonen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hirvonen scores with a one two! Safej had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Hirvonen manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Safej on his heels. He'll look to pass Safej's guard now, I'm sure.
Hirvonen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Safej has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Hirvonen is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Safej missing with knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Heikki Hirvonen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hirvonen 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 26:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Heikki Hirvonen!