PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Stan Marsh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Keough Ethaylin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Marsh
vs
Ethaylin

218 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
21
159 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Stan Marsh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Keough Ethaylin!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Marsh drives through with a takedown into guard.
Marsh will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Ethaylin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Marsh gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Marsh is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marsh has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marsh gets to his feet - Ethaylin follows without any prompting.
Ethaylin looks winded!
Marsh tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ethaylin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Marsh somewhat.
Good shot there by Ethaylin.

Ethaylin shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Marsh napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Marsh sneaks out the side door and pushes Ethaylin away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Marsh gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ethaylin is trying to break free.
Ethaylin can't break the clinch.

Ethaylin wants the takedown. Marsh is fighting it off but Ethaylin persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Marsh's guard against the cage.
Marsh is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ethaylin is controlling him.
Marsh looking for a sweep. Not yet Marsh, not yet.

Marsh escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ethaylin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Marsh manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marsh softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Marsh pulls guard successfully.
Marsh trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Marsh has his foot on Ethaylin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ethaylin works his way back into a safe position though.
Marsh bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ethaylin's guard.

Marsh gets to his feet - Ethaylin follows without any prompting.
Ethaylin throws a head kick that misses
and Marsh counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Marsh tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ethaylin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Marsh somewhat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marsh changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ethaylin tries to avoid it but Marsh manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ethaylin to the ground. Ethaylin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ethaylin throws a counter combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stan Marsh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marsh fails with a takedown attempt.
As Marsh backs off Ethaylin throws a huge counter combo but Marsh manages to avoid it all.
We've been informed that Ethaylin has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Ethaylin throws a head kick but Marsh moves out of range.

Marsh has Ethaylin up against the cage in a clinch.
Ethaylin has had enough of the clinch but Marsh keeps him there for the moment.
Ethaylin lands a hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stan Marsh dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A head kick by Ethaylin misses
and Marsh cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Marsh goes for a double leg but Ethaylin avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ethaylin continues to drive forward.
Ethaylin is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Marsh shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ethaylin sprawls well. Ethaylin wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Marsh gets slowly back to his feet.

Ethaylin clinches up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marsh tries to land a knee to the head but Ethaylin blocks with his arms.
Ethaylin is breathing heavily.
Marsh tries to pull guard but Ethaylin forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stan Marsh. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marsh tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Ethaylin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Marsh rushes Ethaylin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Marsh manages to pull guard.
Ethaylin slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Stan Marsh overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ethaylin postures up.

Ethaylin stands up and waves to Marsh to follow him.
Marsh blocks a head kick by Ethaylin.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Marsh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ethaylin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Marsh appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Marsh fails with a takedown attempt.
Ethaylin lands a high kick!
Marsh fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ethaylin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Marsh.
Ethaylin unleashes a big counter combination but Marsh bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Marsh will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ethaylin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Ethaylin bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Marsh is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ethaylin decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Marsh shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Ethaylin is trying to defend but Marsh finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Marsh performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ethaylin is trying is best to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keough Ethaylin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Marsh fails to land the takedown.
Ethaylin looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Marsh shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ethaylin manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Ethaylin manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Ethaylin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ethaylin wants it to stay on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marsh has a takedown stuffed.
Ethaylin steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stan Marsh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ethaylin throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marsh will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Keough Ethaylin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ethaylin throws a right and a left that Marsh avoids nicely.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Marsh.
Ethaylin looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Marsh misses with a takedown attempt - Ethaylin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ethaylin tries a head kick but it misses.

Marsh closes the distance and pushes Ethaylin back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Marsh decides to pull guard.

Ethaylin gets to his feet - Marsh follows without any prompting.
Ethaylin misses with a head kick.
Marsh really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Marsh is defended easily by Ethaylin.
Ethaylin stuffs the takedown.
Ethaylin is looking for the big counter here.
Marsh shoots and misses
and Ethaylin counters with a two punch combo.
Marsh misses with a takedown
and Marsh takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marsh shoots in looking for a takedown but Ethaylin manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Marsh's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Ethaylin throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Ethaylin swinging wildly here.
A quick step to the side and Marsh tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Marsh.
Ethaylin unleashes a big counter combination but Marsh bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Ethaylin tries a head kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ethaylin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Marsh manages to avoid it.

Marsh closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Marsh stands up and beckons Ethaylin to his feet.
Marsh shoots in and drives through. Ethaylin sprawls well.
Marsh doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ethaylin counters with a two punch combo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Ethaylin changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Marsh looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Marsh sneaks out the side door and pushes Ethaylin away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Marsh has his takedown stuffed
and Ethaylin counters with a head kick. That will keep Marsh thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

And that's the end of the fight!
Keough Ethaylin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ethaylin 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keough Ethaylin!