PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Luther Snyder (ranked 7422 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Kulina (ranked 5848 p4p, 0 weight class). Luther Snyder has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Snyder
vs
Kulina

215 cm
20
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Luther Snyder!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nate Kulina!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kulina swats away the attempt to clinch by Snyder.
Kulina thuds a left hand into Snyder's body.
Kulina looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
It appears Snyder was looking to counter with a kick there.
Kulina thows a left - swing and a miss!
Snyder really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Snyder takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Kulina misses with a takedown attempt
and Snyder counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Snyder forces Kulina back against the cage and clinches.

Kulina lands a takedown into guard.
Kulina 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Snyder tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kulina makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Kulina sitting in guard here, content to control.
Snyder has a closed guard, preventing Kulina from standing up.

Snyder is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kulina pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Snyder is keeping the position for now.

Kulina gets to his feet. Snyder looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kulina fails with the takedown.
Luther Snyder has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nate Kulina.

Kulina manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Snyder on his heels. He'll look to pass Snyder's guard now, I'm sure.

Snyder had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kulina defends it easily.
Kulina looking to pass the guard.
Snyder looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kulina is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kulina forces his way into half guard.
Kulina is trying to control. Snyder wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kulina is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Snyder moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

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.
Kulina looking to sit in guard and control but Snyder gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Kulina looking to hit a scissor sweep but Snyder is one step ahead there.
Snyder postures up.
Snyder tries to stand but Kulina is controlling from the bottom.
Snyder won't allow Kulina to get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Snyder stands up from Kulina's guard - Snyder perhaps looking for a knockout.
Kulina missing with a left hand there. Snyder was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kulina looks winded!

Snyder darts in and clinches Kulina up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Kulina dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kulina tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Snyder swivels and escapes.
Kulina has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Snyder fails with an attempt to clinch.
Snyder has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Snyder throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kulina.
Snyder throws a body shot but no joy.
Snyder looks for the body kick but Kulina saw that one coming.
Kulina fails with an attempt to clinch.
Snyder lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kulina's sensitive parts.
Kulina tries to score a power double leg takedown but Snyder sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kulina somewhat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kulina tries to clinch
and Snyder counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Kulina rushes Snyder and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Snyder has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Kulina uses from the top position.
Kulina wants to control from the top but Snyder keeps moving.

Snyder has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kulina can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kulina stopping the sweep attempt from Snyder.
Nate Kulina has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kulina wants to control from the top but Snyder keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kulina accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Snyder looking for a guillotine here but Kulina defends easily.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Snyder looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Kulina passes into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kulina is looking to take a break and control but Snyder is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Snyder is being controlled here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kulina decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Snyder misses the shot to the body.

Kulina has Snyder up against the cage in a clinch.

Kulina has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Snyder uses from the top position.
Snyder lands a couple of digs.
Snyder will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Snyder wants to stand but Kulina has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Kulina seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Kulina looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kulina working a defensive guard here.
Snyder working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kulina's head.
Kulina 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.
Snyder would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Snyder is looking to work some ground and pound but Kulina has wrist control.

Kulina is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kulina wants to sweep but no luck.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kulina looking to control.
Snyder works over Kulina with some ground and pound from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luther Snyder dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Kulina misses with a takedown

so Snyder counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Kulina scrambles and gets back to his feet.
No joy there for Snyder, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kulina shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Snyder but Snyder pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Kulina shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Snyder wants to control but Kulina is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kulina takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Snyder is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Kulina is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Snyder is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Kulina pulls his head out easily.
Snyder wants to improve his position but Kulina is controlling well.
Snyder trying to control from the bottom.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Kulina in particular looking to stall.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kulina fails to land with a series of punches.

Kulina looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Snyder!
Kulina wants to control but Snyder is keeping him busy.
Snyder is trying to control Kulina's posture but Kulina avoids it.
Snyder is being controlled here.
Kulina wants to control but Snyder is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snyder is trying to get back to half guard.
Kulina wants to control for a moment but Snyder uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Snyder is looking to improve his position.
Kulina thows a huge punch but Snyder dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Kulina is looking for a kimura but Snyder is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kulina to get the leverage.
Kulina wants to stand but Snyder has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A looping hook to the body misses from Snyder. Kulina does a little dance to reset his feet.
Snyder tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kulina manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Snyder misses with a body kick.
Kulina has his takedown stuffed
and Snyder counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Luther Snyder has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nate Kulina.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Snyder lands with a good body shot.
Kulina misses with a takedown
and Snyder counters with a nice uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nate Kulina comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kulina 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nate Kulina!