PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jari Aarnio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Casey Bowman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aarnio's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Ice Cube - Why We Thugs. Bowman has chosen Dropkick Murphys - Warriors Code as his entrance music. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Aarnio
vs
Bowman

198 cm
30
193 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

180 cm
30
202 lbs
16 - 15 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jari Aarnio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 15 - 0, fighting out of New York, Casey Bowman!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Alan Glass and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bowman tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Aarnio was well out of range. Poor timing from Bowman.

Aarnio gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Aarnio working for a triangle but Bowman defends it easily.
Aarnio bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bowman's guard.

Aarnio advances position into side control!
Aarnio looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Bowman is avoiding damage well.
Aarnio has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aarnio creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Bowman sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Bowman takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Bowman tries to escape but Aarnio is in control.
Bowman tries to buck Aarnio off but Aarnio is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowman is being controlled here.
Aarnio grinds an elbow into Bowman's temple.
Aarnio taking a break here but Bowman is having none of it and regains half guard.
Aarnio really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Aarnio throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Aarnio wants to take a breather but Bowman is having none of it.
Aarnio is looking to stall here but Bowman recovers full guard.
Aarnio pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bowman is keeping the position for now.
Aarnio stopping the sweep attempt from Bowman.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aarnio passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Aarnio wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bowman keeps working.
Aarnio scoring with punches and elbows.
Aarnio working the ground and pound.

Aarnio wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Bowman, who protects the arm well.
Bowman tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Aarnio wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bowman is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Aarnio's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bowman kicks off Aarnio and gets to his feet.
Bowman fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A quick step to the side and Aarnio tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
A chopping leg kick lands by Aarnio.
Bowman throws a series of punches but Aarnio moves out of range.
Bowman takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Bowman throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Aarnio seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Bowman tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Aarnio was well out of range. Poor timing from Bowman.
Aarnio tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bowman swivels and escapes.
Aarnio blocks a head kick by Bowman.
Bowman keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
As Aarnio backs off Bowman throws a huge counter combo but Aarnio manages to avoid it all.
Bowman takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Aarnio lunges at Bowman with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Bowman's hand.

It looks like Casey Bowman has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bowman throws a series of punches but Aarnio moves out of range.
Aarnio is looking to chop away at Bowman's legs.
Bowman throws a series of punches but Aarnio avoids them all with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aarnio stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Bowman has taken the fight to the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Aarnio.

Aarnio breaks from the clinch.
Aarnio uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bowman.
Aarnio lands a nice shot that snaps Bowman's head back.
Bowman lands a high kick!
Aarnio connects with a leg kick. Bowman looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Aarnio misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Aarnio dives in and grabs Bowman's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bowman pushes down on Aarnio's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jari Aarnio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bowman throws a lazy head kick
and Aarnio counters with a right hand to the body.
Aarnio's corner calls for a 1-2. Aarnio obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Bowman takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Bowman throws a series of punches but Aarnio moves out of range.
Aarnio swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Aarnio shoots in but no luck this time.

Aarnio tries to sprawl but Bowman drives through with a takedown into half guard.
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 Jari Aarnio will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Casey Bowman's cut.
That's time! Aarnio's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bowman gets a takedown into half guard.

Aarnio is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bowman pulls his head out easily.
Aarnio regains full guard. Nicely done.
Aarnio looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bowman is one step ahead there.
Aarnio keeping full guard, as Bowman tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aarnio keeping moving, preventing Bowman from controlling successfully.
Bowman keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Aarnio's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowman throwing strikes but missing.
Aarnio will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Aarnio wants to sweep here but Bowman controlling him for the moment.
Aarnio is working hard here to advance position.
My spies in Abobomination Training inform me that Bowman has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Bowman tries to free his leg and advance position but Aarnio is retaining full guard.
Aarnio is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Bowman is looking to improve his position.
Aarnio seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bowman does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Aarnio sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bowman defending well though.
Bowman wants to control but Aarnio is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aarnio throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Aarnio looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Aarnio is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Aarnio lands a nice short elbow.
Aarnio not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Bowman wants to get back to full guard.

Bowman looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Jari Aarnio overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Aarnio moves nicely into side control.
Aarnio with the ground and pound but Bowman regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowman tries to get to full guard but Aarnio has control of the leg.
Bowman is trying to maintain the position but Aarnio is very close to passing his half guard.
Aarnio is pressing down on Bowman's thigh, looking to free his foot. Bowman is holding on for now.
Bowman is trying to stand back up but Aarnio is controlling him

Aarnio is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Bowman has managed to free his arm - good work.
Aarnio is nestled in close to Bowman, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bowman is trying to control but can't.
Aarnio wants to take a breather but Bowman is having none of it.
Aarnio thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bowman's head.
Aarnio wants to control but Bowman is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bowman gets full guard.
Aarnio trying to control but Bowman is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bowman can't keep his opponent in guard - Aarnio advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Aarnio lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jari Aarnio dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Casey Bowman's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Aarnio tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Aarnio moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Bowman misses with a wild body shot.
Aarnio ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bowman moves away.
Aarnio lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Bowman falls off balance throwing a combination
and Aarnio counters with a three punch combo that has Bowman backing up. Bowman nods at Aarnio to acknowledge the strikes.
Donk. Aarnio catches Bowman right on the button with a cross.
Casey Bowman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aarnio smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Bowman is rocked!
Aarnio moves out of range of the body kick.
Bowman is still on wobbly legs! Can Aarnio finish him?
Aarnio with a jab.
Bowman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Aarnio paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Aarnio lands an uppercut out of nowhere! Bowman falls backwards - clearly groggy! Aarnio dives in and finishes the fight with more strikes for a TKO finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jari Aarnio!
Jari Aarnio bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.
Casey Bowman spoke after the fight, saying 'I want to thank my team, my sponsor and of course my opponent for this fight. Today he was the better fighter...'.