PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Finnish Experiment Il (ranked 2039 p4p, 212 weight class) and Sammy Gravano (ranked 7159 p4p, 450 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Experiment Il
vs
Gravano

175 cm
23
148 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

176 cm
31
155 lbs
5 - 10 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Finnish Experiment Il!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sammy Gravano!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gravano throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Experiment Il moves into the clinch.
Experiment Il lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Experiment Il taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Gravano stalling in the clinch but Experiment Il improves position.
Gravano pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Gravano fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Experiment Il putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Gravano in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Gravano is trying to break the clinch but Experiment Il has him pressed against the cage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Experiment Il obliges.
Gravano looks winded!

Experiment Il breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Experiment Il scores with a jab to the jaw.
Gravano's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Experiment Il connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gravano scrambles back to his feet.
Experiment Il wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Experiment Il feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Gravanos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Experiment Il tries to bum rush Gravano with a series of wild strikes but Gravano uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Experiment Il sets himself, and Gravano steps forward looking for the clinch! Experiment Il avoids it this time.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Experiment Il, right into the meat.
Experiment Il turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gravano smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Gravano throws a head kick that misses
and Experiment Il counters with a left to the body.
Experiment Il lands a jab to the head.
Gravano tries to clinch but Experiment Il moves out of range.
Experiment Il scores with a push kick.
Gravano drops his hands momentarily and Experiment Il takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Gravano tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Experiment Il manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Experiment Il seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
A good leg kick by Experiment Il.
Gravano tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Experiment Il paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Experiment Il avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Experiment Il knocks Gravano to the floor with a head kick! Can he finish him!?

Gravano is rocked!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Experiment Il content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Gravano is still in real trouble! Can Experiment Il finish him?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Experiment Il is putting a hurting on Gravano here, landing some big shots from side control.
Gravano seems to have recovered his senses.
Experiment Il staying calm.
Gravano is pushing Experiment Il's head away, looking to escape. Experiment Il manages to hold on to the position though.
Experiment Il throws a strike aimed at the side of Gravano's head but Gravano avoids it well.
Experiment Il throws a strike aimed at the side of Gravano's head but Gravano avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Experiment Il is staying tight to Gravano's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Experiment Il 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.
Experiment Il continues to stall.
Experiment Il's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gravano pushes Experiment Il away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Experiment Il gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Gravano tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Experiment Il lands a lovely overhand right.
Gravano throws a front kick aimed at Experiment Il's knee but Experiment Il avoids it well.
Experiment Il fires out a quick counter leg kick but Gravano just manages to avoid it.
Experiment Il lands a lovely overhand right.
Experiment Il throws a nice head kick!
Gravano takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Gravano misses with a combination

and Experiment Il counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Experiment Il landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Experiment Il holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Experiment Il taking a breather.
Experiment Il lands with a left to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Finnish Experiment Il dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Experiment Il feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Gravano's calf.
Gravano is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Experiment Il feinted there with a counter leg kick.

Gravano has closed the distance and engaged Experiment Il in a clinch.

Gravano escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A telegraphed right hand from Gravano misses the target.
Gravano lets loose with a powerful body kick. Experiment Il will feel that in the morning.
A decent looking cross lands there for Experiment Il.
Gravano avoids the body shot from Experiment Il.
Gravano throws a leg kick that misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Experiment Il misses the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gravano on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Gravano tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Experiment Il paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Experiment Il half committed to a counter leg kick.
Gravano fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
An attempted straight right counter from Experiment Il misses the target.
Gravano fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gravano misses with a body kick.
It looked like Experiment Il wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Gravano drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Experiment Il throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gravano looks to land a combination but Experiment Il avoids it well.
Gravano moves to clinch but Experiment Il breaks away
and Experiment Il makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Gravano throws a head kick but Experiment Il moves out of range.
Sammy Gravano is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Experiment Il.

Experiment Il gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Experiment Il landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Experiment Il breaks from the clinch.
Experiment Il is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gravano can do to turn this around?
Nice cross by Experiment Il.
Experiment Il lands with an uppercut that bounces Gravano off the cage and back into range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Experiment Il lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Gravano rushes Experiment Il and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Experiment Il is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Experiment Il taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Experiment Il avoiding damage as Gravano throws knees to the body.
Experiment Il lands a knee to the body.

Experiment Il breaks from the clinch.
Experiment Il explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Experiment Il connects with an inside leg kick.
Gravano tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Experiment Il manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gravano throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Gravano is countered with a crisp right hand from Experiment Il that sends him to the canvas! Experiment Il follows him to the mat into side control.
Experiment Il controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gravano taking a bit of punishment here - Experiment Il scoring with strikes.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Experiment Il creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Gravano sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Gravano is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Experiment Il has just dragged him back down to the mat.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Gravano can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gravano takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Further stalling from Experiment Il.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Finnish Experiment Il dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Experiment Il scores with a kick to the body.
Gravano throws a leg kick
and Experiment Il counters with a low kick, right behind Gravano 's knee.
Gravano darts in trying to clinch
letting Experiment Il counter with a right hand.
Experiment Il will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gravano tries to clinch up.
Finnish Experiment Il is winning the standup battle so far.
Experiment Il with a nice cross.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Experiment Il throws a head kick but Gravano moves out of range.
Gravano looks to land a combination but Experiment Il avoids it well.
Experiment Il throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gravano takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gravano lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Experiment Il catches Gravano with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gravano drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Gravano's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Experiment Il connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gravano scrambles back to his feet.
Sammy Gravano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gravano throws a body kick that misses.
Experiment Il swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Gravano throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Experiment Il counters with a slapping leg kick.
Gravano throws a head kick that misses
and Experiment Il counters with a huge left! Gravano is in big trouble! He's backing up but Experiment Il isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Gravano from any more damage. A dominating finish by Experiment Il!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Finnish Experiment Il!
Finnish Experiment Il was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.