PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mei Shan Wu (ranked 4920 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sebastian Heikkinen (ranked 21267 p4p, 0 weight class). Heikkinen has chosen Sigur Rós - Varúð as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Shan Wu
vs
Heikkinen

170 cm
25
130 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

160 cm
23
140 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mei Shan Wu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sebastian Heikkinen!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Heikkinen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Shan Wu is looking to counter the offense by Heikkinen and move into the clinch.

Shan Wu throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Heikkinen tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Shan Wu is in Heikkinen's guard.

Heikkinen pushes Shan Wu off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Heikkinen scores with a head kick. Shan Wu tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

Shan Wu bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Shan Wu tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Heikkinen is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Heikkinen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Shan Wu. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Heikkinen is not content to let Shan Wu control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heikkinen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Shan Wu wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Heikkinen is still trying to improve position.
Heikkinen dodges the ground and pound from Shan Wu.
Shan Wu working away.
Shan Wu is looking to take a break and control but Heikkinen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Shan Wu stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's two 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.
Heikkinen is looking to clinch but Shan Wu is avoiding it.
Shan Wu feinted with a counter takedown.

Shan Wu shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Heikkinen manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Heikkinen misses with a takedown attempt
and Shan Wu counters with a nice low kick that buckles Heikkinen's knee momentarily.
Shan Wu leaves Heikkinen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Mei Shan Wu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sebastian Heikkinen.
Heikkinen with a lazy takedown attempt
and Shan Wu counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Heikkinen looks winded!
Shan Wu misses with a head kick.
Heikkinen with the counter takedown but Shan Wu avoids it easily.

Shan Wu tries to keep at a distance but Heikkinen has taken the fight into the clinch.

Shan Wu breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heikkinen takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A head kick misses from Heikkinen.
Shan Wu throws a head kick that misses.
Sebastian Heikkinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shan Wu is looking to slow Heikkinen down with leg kicks.
Heikkinen darts in looking for a takedown but Shan Wu gets double underhooks and turns Heikkinen into the cage.

Shan Wu bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Shan Wu cracks Heikkinen with a big right hand but Heikkinen just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Heikkinen defending against the ground and pound.
Shan Wu working away.
Heikkinen gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Shan Wu looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Shan Wu connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Shan Wu manages to capitalize on a mistake by Heikkinen to take his back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Heikkinen just trying to survive but Shan Wu is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Will Shan Wu go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

Shan Wu looking to break Heikkinen's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Heikkinen remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Shan Wu will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Heikkinen holding on to Shan Wu's left wrist, preventing the choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mei Shan Wu dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Shan Wu looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Heikkinen is trying to maintain the position but Shan Wu is very close to passing his half guard.
Heikkinen is not content to let Shan Wu control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shan Wu stalling away here and it's allowed Heikkinen to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Shan Wu trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shan Wu won't allow Heikkinen to sweep him here.
Shan Wu slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Heikkinen had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Shan Wu defends it easily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Shan Wu drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Shan Wu looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Heikkinen is avoiding damage well.

Shan Wu decides to stand back up. Shan Wu steps back and let's Heikkinen get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shan Wu stuffs the takedown attempt from Heikkinen. Heikkinen gets slowly back to his feet.

Shan Wu has managed to clinch.
Heikkinen prevents Shan Wu from breaking the clinch.
Heikkinen has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Shan Wu is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Heikkinen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Heikkinen enables Shan Wu to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Heikkinen manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Shan Wu works over Heikkinen with some ground and pound from guard.
Heikkinen pulls Shan Wu in to control the position.
Heikkinen is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Heikkinen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Shan Wu can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shan Wu is pushing down on Heikkinen's leg trying to pass to half guard. Heikkinen is fighting to maintain full guard but Shan Wu has managed to sneak the leg through.
Shan Wu is looking to advance position but Heikkinen won't allow it.
Shan Wu is working hard here to advance position.
Shan Wu is trying to control the action in half guard but Heikkinen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Shan Wu passes to full mount!
Shan Wu lands with some strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shan Wu stands up from mount. Strange move.
Heikkinen swinging wildly here.
Mei Shan Wu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Heikkinen shoots in for a double leg but Shan Wu sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mei Shan Wu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sebastian Heikkinen.
Heikkinen shoots and misses

and Shan Wu counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Shan Wu.

Shan Wu breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Shan Wu closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Heikkinen did well to prevent Shan Wu getting side control.
Shan Wu seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Heikkinen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Shan Wu is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Heikkinen can do to turn this around?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Heikkinen trying to hold on to Shan Wu's head to control him but Shan Wu postures up.

Shan Wu stands up from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mei Shan Wu dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Shan Wu fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Heikkinen sprawls well initially but Shan Wu persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Shan Wu is trying to work for a kimura but Heikkinen is defending well.
Shan Wu takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Heikkinen pushes Shan Wu off and gets back to his feet.
Shan Wu wants to clinch up but Heikkinen keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shan Wu keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Heikkinen misses with a takedown attempt - Shan Wu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Heikkinen decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Heikkinen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heikkinen prevents Shan Wu from standing back up.
Shan Wu trying to control here.

Shan Wu pushes Heikkinen off and gets back to his feet.
Shan Wu showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Heikkinen.
Shan Wu swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Heikkinen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Shan Wu defends it nicely.
Mei Shan Wu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sebastian Heikkinen.
Shan Wu with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heikkinen darts in looking for a takedown but Shan Wu gets double underhooks and turns Heikkinen into the cage.

Shan Wu manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Heikkinen on his heels. He'll look to pass Heikkinen's guard now, I'm sure.
Shan Wu seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Shan Wu distracts Heikkinen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Shan Wu looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Shan Wu decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shan Wu lets loose with a powerful body kick. Heikkinen will feel that in the morning.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Heikkinen.

Shan Wu gets the takedown into side control.
Sebastian Heikkinen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shan Wu trying to control the position but Heikkinen is working away.
Shan Wu passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Heikkinen!

Shan Wu is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Heikkinen to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Heikkinen shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shan Wu is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Heikkinen has managed to escape the submission attempt.
The referee warns Heikkinen that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Heikkinen is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Shan Wu sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Shan Wu is trying to control here but Heikkinen has managed to regain half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Heikkinen is refusing to be controlled, as Shan Wu sits in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mei Shan Wu showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Shan Wu 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mei Shan Wu!