PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dab Calharran (ranked 6263 p4p, 601 weight class) and Tuomio Karila (ranked 6409 p4p, 614 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.

Calharran
vs
Karila

188 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Self confident

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Aspire Clothing

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dab Calharran!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tuomio Karila!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Tiny Johnson and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Calharran throws a big shot that misses.
Calharran scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Karila misses with a combination

and Calharran counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Calharran.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Calharran throwing strikes from guard but Karila blocks nicely.
Karila keeping moving, preventing Calharran from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Calharran postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Karila is pulling down on Calharran's head to control his posture.
Calharran loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Karila pulls Calharran in close to his closed guard and prevents Calharran from doing any damage or advancing position.
Calharran wants to control from the top but Karila keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calharran works over Karila with some ground and pound from guard.
Karila seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Calharran loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Karila keeping moving, preventing Calharran from controlling successfully.
Calharran throws a big elbow that misses.
Karila wants to sweep here but Calharran controlling him for the moment.
Karila should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Karila working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Calharran.
Calharran has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Karila has control of Calharran's left arm, preventing Calharran from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Calharran postures up in Karila's guard and throws a big left but Karila blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karila manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Calharran manages to get himself to full guard.

Karila in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Karila throws a big right hand that misses.
Calharran is trying to hold Karila in close to prevent damage but Karila has managed to pass into half guard.
Karila seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Calharran on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Calharran tries to get out of the position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Karila lands a nice short elbow.
Calharran holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Karila working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Karila is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Karila takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karila throwing shots but Calharran is blocking nicely.
Calharran trying to control but Karila postures up.
Calharran controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Calharran trying to control from the bottom.
Karila throws a strike but Calharran avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Karila chips away with some ground and pound.
Calharran can't keep his opponent in guard - Karila advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karila lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Calharran knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Karila on the ground.
Karila looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Calharran with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Calharran is trying to get back to full guard.
Karila lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Calharran on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Karila working the head and body with strikes.
Karila has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Calharran is trying to maintain the position but Karila is very close to passing his half guard.
Calharran keeping hold of Karila's head, controlling as best he can.
Karila is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Calharran keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tuomio Karila will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Karila pivots, looking for a leg kick but Calharran is out of range and Karila settles back down.
Karila swings for the body but Calharran moves out of range.
A lazy left from Karila finds it's target.
Karila throws a shot from downtown. Calharran moves away and avoids it.
Calharran appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
A slow jab from Calharran misses its intended target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Karila closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Karila lands in his opponent's guard.
Karila missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calharran is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Calharran will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Calharran avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Calharran controls Karila momentarily but Karila frees himself.
Calharran is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Calharran working a defensive guard here.
Calharran is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Karila is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Karila accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Karila is looking to work some ground and pound but Calharran has wrist control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Calharran clinches with his opponent.
Calharran misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Calharran keeps control of Karila as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Karila is trying to maintain a safe position but Calharran gets an underhook and turns Karila into the cage.
Karila has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Calharran wants to take the fight to the mat but Karila manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Karila pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Calharran connects with the punch.

Karila manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Calharran on his heels. He'll look to pass Calharran's guard now, I'm sure.
Tuomio Karila has got the better of the ground game so far.
Karila wants to control from the top but Calharran keeps moving.
Karila content to stall in guard here.
Calharran is pulling down on Karila's head to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Calharran is on top in guard.

Calharran is looking to work some ground and pound but Karila has wrist control.
Karila is pulling down on Calharran's head. It's preventing any offense from Calharran, at least for the moment.
Karila preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Calharran throwing strikes but missing.
Calharran with a flurry of punches that miss.
Karila has control of Calharran's left arm, preventing Calharran from doing any damage.
Karila avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Calharran working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Calharran throwing strikes from guard but Karila blocks nicely.
Karila has his hands on Calharran's head, controlling the position.
Karila lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Karila lands a couple of elbows.
Calharran is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Calharran controlling the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Calharran wants to sweep but no luck.
Calharran has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Karila scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tuomio Karila showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Karila looks to land a left hand but Calharran moved out of range nicely.
Dab Calharran has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Karila moves out of range of the strikes.
Karila is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Calharran defending well as Karila loads up on a big left hand.
Karila stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Karila wants it to stay on the feet.
Karila misses with an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karila fails to land with a series of punches.
Calharran feinted with a counter takedown.
Calharran tries to score with a low kick but Karila moves his leg out of the way.
Karila changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Karila walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calharran missing with a left hand there. Karila was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Karila is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Karila throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Calharran tries to clinch there but Karila circles away.
Karila is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Karila misses the shot to the body.
Calharran half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Karila keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Calharran.
Karila throws a hook but Calharran avoids it easily.
Calharran drops down looking for a counter takedown but Karila sprawls and moves away.

Calharran shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Calharran showed some decent athleticism there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Calharran thows a huge punch but Karila dodges it nicely.
Karila gets back to full guard.
Karila 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.
Karila pulls Calharran in close to his closed guard and prevents Calharran from doing any damage or advancing position.
Karila's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Calharran works over Karila with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Calharran scoring with punches to the head and body.
Calharran with a flurry of punches that miss.
Calharran loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Karila working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Calharran.
Karila looking for a sweep. Not yet Karila, not yet.
Karila has control of Calharran's left arm, preventing Calharran from doing any damage.
Karila avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Karila lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Tuomio Karila is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Karila engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Calharran looking to hit a scissor sweep but Karila is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karila sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Calharran looking for a sweep. Not yet Calharran, not yet.
Karila content to stall in guard here.
More stalling from Karila.
Karila with more of the same as he continues to hold on.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Karila passes Calharran's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Dab Calharran.
I think Karila 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Dab Calharran!
During a confident post fight interview, Dab Calharran thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.