PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paavo Junttila (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Piotr Baginski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Baginski comes into a darkened arena with his song building. WALECZNE SERCE kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Junttila
vs
Baginski

173 cm
24
165 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

175 cm
38
170 lbs
24 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paavo Junttila!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Piotr Baginski!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baginski with a jab.
Baginski lands a jab to the nose.
Junttila drops his hands momentarily and Baginski takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Baginski connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Junttila momentarily.

Baginski closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Junttila is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Baginski goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Junttila has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Baginski but great work by Junttila.
Junttila is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Baginski's shoulder. That is not cool.
Junttila trying to control the action but Baginski is working from the bottom.
Baginski is trying to get back to half guard.
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.
Junttila wants to control but Baginski is keeping him busy.
Baginski tries to buck Junttila off but Junttila is having none of it.
Baginski managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Junttila.
Junttila throws an elbow but Baginski slips to the side and avoids it well.
Baginski felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Baginski is trying to improve his position.
Junttila working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Baginski tries to buck Junttila off but Junttila is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Junttila wants to lay and pray for a moment but Baginski keeps working.
Junttila remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Junttila throws an elbow but Baginski slips to the side and avoids it well.
Baginski is not content to let Junttila control the position.
Baginski tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baginski can't do much from the bottom here.
Junttila trying to control the action but Baginski is working from the bottom.
Junttila throws an elbow but Baginski slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baginski can't do much from the bottom here.
Baginski tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Junttila wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Junttila tries to advance position but instead Baginski slips a leg back in to half guard.

Junttila is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Baginski has managed to free his arm - good work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Junttila is looking to take a break and control but Baginski is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paavo Junttila will probably get the nod.
That's time! Junttila's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Baginski connects with a looping right hand.
Junttila on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Baginski's jab looks to have found its range, popping Junttila under the eye.
Junttila fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Junttila lands with a shot to the body.
Junttila fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Baginski avoids it really well and circles away.

Baginski has closed the distance and engaged Junttila in a clinch.
Baginski looking to slow down the pace here.
Junttila with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Junttila creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Junttila throws an elbow but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Junttila is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Baginski to keep the fight standing.
Baginski taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Junttila is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Baginski is keeping busy.
Baginski lands with a left to the head.
Baginski misses with a body punch.
A short left from Baginski.
A shot in the inside from Baginski.
Junttila has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Baginski after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paavo Junttila. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baginski pushes Junttila back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A shot in the inside from Junttila.
Baginski has a couple of punches blocked by Junttila.
Baginski on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Junttila blocks an uppercut.
Baginski blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baginski lands an uppercut.
Junttila blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Baginski misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Junttila.
Baginski swings wildly with an uppercut but Junttila uses good head movement to avoid it.
Baginski tries to stall but Junttila uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Junttila is pushing Baginski up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Junttila blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Junttila tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Baginski just stands there and leans against the cage.
Baginski is pressed up against the cage. Junttila has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Baginski down to the mat. Baginski avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Junttila misses with an attempted mid kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A swing and a miss from Baginski.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Junttila bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Junttila stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Junttila drops his hands momentarily and Baginski takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Baginski cracks Junttila with a good jab.
Baginski scores with a shot to the body.
Junttila uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Baginski.

Junttila throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Baginski tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Junttila is in Baginski's guard.
Junttila won't allow Baginski to sweep him here.
Junttila throws a strike but Baginski rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Baginski postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Baginski trying to control but Junttila is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baginski landing some decent shots from guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Baginski landing with the ground and pound.
Baginski throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Baginski wants to control from the top but Junttila keeps moving.
Paavo Junttila overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Junttila is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Baginski postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Junttila had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Baginski defends it easily.
Junttila controls Baginski momentarily but Baginski frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Piotr Baginski showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Baginski punishes Junttila's body with a nice straight punch.
A slow jab from Baginski misses its intended target.
A lazy left from Baginski finds it's target.
Junttila fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Baginski manages to avoid it.
Baginski tries to move into range but Junttila moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Baginski doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Junttila throws a leg kick but Baginski sees it coming and moves out of range.
Baginski throws a big shot that misses.
Junttila tries to land a leg kick but Baginski saw it coming and moves away.
Baginski throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Baginski.
Baginski cracks Junttila with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Junttila on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good exchange - Baginski coming out on top.
Good work by Junttila as he checks the leg kick.
Jab, jab by Baginski - just one landing.
Piotr Baginski seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Baginski misses with a leg kick.
Junttila steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Baginski.
Baginski fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Baginski lands a really nice looking cross but Junttila seems unphased.
Piotr Baginski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baginski waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Junttila.
A left lands for Baginski.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Baginski, as that shot connected.
A jab lands there for Baginski.
A head kick misses from Baginski.
Baginski bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Baginski.
Junttila tries to clinch but Baginski moves out of range.

Baginski closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Junttila tries to roll over but Baginski keeps him under control.
Baginski missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Junttila is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Junttila is staying active underneath Baginski, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Baginski connects with a nice short shot to Junttila's temple.
Baginski wants to free his trapped foot but Junttila is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Junttila slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baginski throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Junttila wants to stand but Baginski is controlling the position.
Baginski trying to control the position from guard on top but Junttila is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Junttila looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Baginski trying to control the position from guard on top but Junttila is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Baginski is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Junttila controlling the position.

Junttila escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Baginski gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Baginski postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Baginski trying to control the position from guard on top but Junttila is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Junttila had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Baginski defends it easily.
Junttila keeping moving, preventing Baginski from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Baginski controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Piotr Baginski comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Baginski 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30

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