PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marko Makela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leon Kennedy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Makela
vs
Kennedy

166 cm
25
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marko Makela!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Leon Kennedy!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Makela throws a head kick that misses

and Kennedy counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kennedy looking to slow down the pace here.
Makela tries to land knees in the clinch but Kennedy avoids the damage to the body.

Kennedy jumps guard.
Makela being controlled here momentarily.

Kennedy is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Makela defends well.
Kennedy bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Makela's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Makela escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kennedy gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kennedy stopping the sweep attempt from Makela.
Kennedy controlling from the top position.

Kennedy gets to his feet. Makela looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Marko Makela seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Makela gets a clinch.
Kennedy looking to stall.
Kennedy takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Leon Kennedy has been cut.
Makela struggles to land a body shot inside as Kennedy controls his hands.
Makela misses with an elbow strike.
Makela lands a nice elbow.
Kennedy is trying to maintain a safe position but Makela gets an underhook and turns Kennedy into the cage.
Kennedy is trying to pull guard but Makela has him pressed against the cage.
Kennedy tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Makela smiles and moves away.
Makela plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy fails to land the takedown.
Marko Makela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Kennedy.
No luck for Kennedy with that takedown attempt.
Makela wants to clinch up but Kennedy keeps it at a distance.

Makela darts in and clinches Kennedy up against the cage.

Makela's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Makela tries to clinch there but Kennedy circles away.

Kennedy takes the fight into the clinch.

Kennedy decides to pull guard.

Kennedy looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Makela preventing the sweep.
Makela is looking to stand up but Kennedy won't let him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Makela trying to control the position from guard on top but Kennedy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Marko Makela wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Makela lands a big head kick that sends Kennedy tumbling to the mat! Makela takes a step backwards and waves Kennedy back to his feet - he wants the finish!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marko Makela dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Leon Kennedy's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kennedy lands a leg kick that knocks Makela off balance momentarily.
Kennedy blocks a head kick by Makela.
Makela tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Makela misses with a head kick.
Makela tries a head kick but it misses.
Makela leaves Kennedy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kennedy circles away from the clinch attempt.
Makela doesn't manage to clinch there - Kennedy circles away.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kennedy or perhaps it was just good defense by Makela, which made it look bad.

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

Kennedy is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Makela has managed to free his arm - good work.
Kennedy prevents Makela from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kennedy perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Kennedy throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Makela trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Kennedy tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makela tries to hold on but Kennedy postures up.

Kennedy goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Makela is on top in guard.
Makela stopping the sweep attempt from Kennedy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Marko Makela wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Makela throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Marko Makela is winning the standup battle so far.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Makela lands an elbow inside.
Kennedy tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Makela smiles and moves away.
Marko Makela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Kennedy.

Makela fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kennedy, pushing him back against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Kennedy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makela goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Makela pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Makela pushes off an throws an elbow but Kennedy leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Kennedy wants to break free but Makela has control.
Kennedy jumps guard but Makela turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Makela breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kennedy fails with a takedown attempt.

Kennedy takes the fight into the clinch.
Kennedy avoids the elbow strike from Makela, against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Makela breaks the clinch.
Makela tries to clinch there but Kennedy circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Leon Kennedy will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Leon Kennedy's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

A head kick by Makela misses

and Kennedy counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Kennedy is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Makela wants to get back to full guard.
Makela is looking to control Kennedy's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Makela avoid being mounted?
Kennedy passes to full mount!
Kennedy sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kennedy fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kennedy is working for a guillotine from mount but Makela frees his head quite easily.
Kennedy trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Makela bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Kennedy has control of Makela's left arm, preventing Makela from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Marko Makela wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Kennedy shoots for a takedown but Makela saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Makela tries a head kick but it misses.
Makela throws a sloppy head kick
and Kennedy counters with a low kick, right behind Makela 's knee.

Kennedy fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Makela, pushing him back against the cage.
Kennedy has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Makela is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makela misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Makela lands an elbow inside that Kennedy shrugs off.
Makela pushes off an throws an elbow but Kennedy leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Kennedy takes an elbow to the temple.
Makela tries a body shot but Kennedy blocks it.
Kennedy has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Makela avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Marko Makela has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Kennedy.
Kennedy looking to throw knees to the head but Makela is blocking nicely.
Kennedy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Makela gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Kennedy takes an elbow to the forehead.
Kennedy takes an elbow to the forehead.
Kennedy is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Makela is keeping busy.
Makela stalling in the clinch but Kennedy improves position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kennedy breaks the clinch.
Makela is looking to land body kicks.

Kennedy moves into the clinch successfully.
Kennedy tries to pull guard but Makela holds him up against the cage and eventually Kennedy drops back down to his feet.
Kennedy looking for a takedown.
Kennedy tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Makela smiles and moves away.
A head kick misses from Makela.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Makela tries a head kick but it misses.
Makela tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kennedy swats him away and circles back towards the center.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Horrible takedown attempt by Kennedy or perhaps it was just good defense by Makela, which made it look bad.

Makela moves into range and clinches up with Kennedy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leon Kennedy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kennedy has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 for Marko Makela!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Leon Kennedy!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Marko Makela!

Marko Makela wins by split decision!