PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Teamu Klonger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zaki Zaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Teamu Klonger had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 137.0lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Klonger
vs
Zaki

153 cm
25
142 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

150 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Teamu Klonger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Zaki Zaki!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zaki pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Klonger misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zaki doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Klonger counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Zaki misses with a takedown attempt - Klonger sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Klonger throws a quick counter head kick but Zaki was just out of range.
Zaki tries to clinch up
enabling Klonger to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Zaki tries to keep at a distance but Klonger has taken the fight into the clinch.
Klonger could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Klonger manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaki blocks a head kick by Klonger.
Zaki is looking to clinch but Klonger is avoiding it.
Zaki dives in for a single leg takedown but Klonger sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Teamu Klonger has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zaki Zaki.
Horrible takedown attempt by Zaki or perhaps it was just good defense by Klonger, which made it look bad.
Zaki with a poor takedown
and Klonger counters with a stiff right hand.
Zaki throws a body kick that misses.
Klonger throws a head kick that misses.
Klonger is breathing heavily.
Zaki is looking to clinch but Klonger is avoiding it.

Zaki closes the distance and pushes Klonger back into the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Klonger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaki can't break the clinch.

Klonger breaks the clinch.
Klonger tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Zaki swivels and escapes.
Klonger avoids the head kick by Zaki.
Klonger looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Zaki tries to clinch up but Klonger circles away and keeps his distance.
Zaki shoots and misses

and Klonger counters by clinching up.
Zaki jumps guard but Klonger stands there with Zaki around his waist. Zaki gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Klonger's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Klonger fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaki throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Zaki has his takedown stuffed

and Klonger moves into the clinch.
Zaki trying to control the position but instead, Klonger has worked for underhooks and has pushed Zaki into the cage.
Zaki is trying to pull guard but Klonger has him pressed against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Klonger - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Zaki tries for a takedown. No joy.
Klonger creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Zaki's defenses.
Klonger unloads a knee to the mid-section. Zaki lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Klonger breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zaki is looking to clinch.
Klonger shoots in but Zaki avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Zaki shoots in but no luck this time.
Zaki shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Klonger counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zaki shoots in for a takedown but Klonger shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Zaki throws a right and a left that both miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Teamu Klonger dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A low kick from Zaki is predictable there
and Klonger counters with a nice uppercut.
Zaki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Klonger is fending him off so far but Zaki persists. Nope, Klonger circles away and we're back to standing.
Zaki tries to clinch but Klonger is having none of it.
Zaki doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Klonger counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Klonger pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zaki looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Teamu Klonger has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zaki Zaki.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zaki misses with a takedown

and Klonger moves into the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Klonger breaks from the clinch.
Klonger throws a leg kick which misses Zaki's front leg but catches the back leg as Zaki tries to avoid it.

Klonger rushes Zaki and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Klonger utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Klonger creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Zaki's defenses.
Zaki is trying to push Klonger away but Klonger has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Klonger is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Klonger is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zaki can do to turn this around?
Zaki goes for a takedown attempt but Klonger pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Klonger scores with a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaki wants to clinch
and Klonger finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Zaki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zaki takes a kick to the side of the head.
Zaki takes a head kick and keeps coming.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Klonger stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Klonger wants it to stay on the feet.
Klonger stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Klonger wants it to stay on the feet.
Zaki just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromKlonger.
Klonger scores with a jab. Zaki acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Klonger throws a head kick but Zaki moves out of range.
Zaki Zaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zaki shoots for a double leg takedown but Klonger sprawls well. He's pushed Zaki's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Klonger is looking to counter the offense by Zaki and move into the clinch.
Klonger throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Klonger closes the distance and clinches.

Klonger breaks the clinch.

Zaki has managed to clinch.
Zaki working hard to break the clinch.

Klonger drags the fight down to the ground.
Zaki is looking to work some ground and pound but Klonger has wrist control.
Zaki trying to control but Klonger is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zaki decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Zaki throws a head kick but Klonger moves out of range.
Zaki takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Zaki throws a wild body kick that Klonger sees coming a mile off.
Zaki throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Klonger's waist but Klonger gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Zaki off to one side.
Klonger avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A head kick misses from Klonger.
Teamu Klonger is winning the standup battle so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Klonger dodges the punch combination from Zaki.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Teamu Klonger dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Klonger moves into the clinch.
Zaki tries for a takedown but Klonger manages to get underhooks.

Klonger manages to break the clinch.
Zaki on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Klonger's Muay Thai looks sharper than normal. He has obviously been working on it in the gym.
Zaki avoids the head kick by Klonger.
Klonger showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Zaki.
Klonger throws a counter high kick but Zaki was just alert enough to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zaki fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaki shoots and misses

and Klonger moves into the clinch.
Teamu Klonger has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zaki Zaki.
Zaki is looking to control Klonger's arms but Klonger gets an underhook and turns him. Now Zaki has his back to the cage.

Klonger successfully pulls guard.
Klonger is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Klonger is trying to keep Zaki in close.
Zaki trying to control but Klonger is working from the bottom.
Klonger is trying to control the position but Zaki postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Klonger avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Zaki with a flurry of punches that miss.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Klonger keeping moving, preventing Zaki from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Klonger circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Klonger as Zaki shoots in.
Klonger drops down looking for a counter takedown but Zaki sprawls and moves away.
Zaki throws a series of punches but Klonger moves out of range.
Klonger pulls out of a head kick attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zaki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Klonger feinted there with a counter leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Klonger blocks the low kick.
Klonger slips a jab and a cross from Zaki.
Klonger keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Klonger shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Klonger is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Teamu Klonger is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Zaki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zaki looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zaki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Zaki has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Klonger content to stall in guard here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zaki looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
Teamu Klonger showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Klonger has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Teamu Klonger!