PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Keijo Kerjalainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Saul Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kerjalainen kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is krolithika. The crowd seem to be enjoying Alvarez's choice of entrance music: Survivor - 'Burning Heart'. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kerjalainen
vs
Alvarez

179 cm
34
168 lbs
28 - 15 - 0

175 cm
28
163 lbs
9 - 9 - 2

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Fast

SP Ultimate Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Keijo Kerjalainen!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Saul Alvarez!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kerjalainen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Alvarez, pushing him back against the cage.
Kerjalainen tries to work over Alvarez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Alvarez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've been informed that Alvarez has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Alvarez moves away from the strike by Kerjalainen.
Alvarez swats away the attempt to clinch by Kerjalainen.
Kerjalainen misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Alvarez to counter with a crisp jab.

It looks like Keijo Kerjalainen has been cut.
Alvarez misses with a double jab.
Kerjalainen lands a jab-cross combination.

It looks like Saul Alvarez has been cut.
Kerjalainen throws a head kick but Alvarez moves out of range.
Kerjalainen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Alvarez. Alvarez circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Alvarez is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alvarez moves out of range of the strikes.
Alvarez is still on wobbly legs! Can Kerjalainen finish him?
Alvarez takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
A good leg kick by Kerjalainen.
Alvarez tries to close the distance and clinch but Kerjalainen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kerjalainen lands a slapping body shot.
Kerjalainen uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Alvarez.
Alvarez moves out of range of the strikes.
Alvarez seems to have recovered his senses.
Kerjalainen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Alvarez on the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kerjalainen scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Kerjalainen drops Alvarez with a naaaaasty hook - Alvarez is in real trouble here! Kerjalainen dives in to side control and pounds out his opponent for a TKO victory! The crowd goes nuts!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:11 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Keijo Kerjalainen!
Keijo Kerjalainen retains his lightweight title!
Keijo Kerjalainen decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.