PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kalevi Koski (ranked 393 p4p, 50 weight class) and Harry Baals (ranked 505 p4p, 61 weight class). Kalevi Koski could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Harry Baals's chin.

Koski
vs
Baals

168 cm
26
146 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

185 cm
26
155 lbs
21 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

The Juice Haven
Beer or Fear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kalevi Koski!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Harry Baals!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Chris Downing and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koski throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Baals with a lazy takedown attempt
and Koski counters with a straight right hand.
Koski misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Baals.
Baals looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Baals swings for the body but Koski moves out of range.
Baals moves out of range as Koski strikes.
An inside leg kick from Koski misses.
Koski checks a leg kick nicely.

Baals clinches up against the cage.
Baals blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Koski working aggressively here.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Baals.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baals lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Koski leaning against his opponent.
Koski works on Baals's body with a couple of short punches.
Koski misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Koski.
Koski is looking to control Baals's arms but Baals gets an underhook and turns him. Now Koski has his back to the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Koski.
A short body shot lands from Koski as the two fighters clinch.
A short right from Koski on the inside.
A right handed body shot lands from Baals.
Baals tries to work over Koski's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Baals misses with the head strike.
Baals misses with some punches.
Koski lands a left hand.
Baals tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Koski's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kalevi Koski is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Baals misses with a head kick.
Koski scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Koski catches Baals with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Koski throws a leg kick

and Baals counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Koski is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Julius Gym, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Baals throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Baals is looking to advance position but Koski won't allow it.
Baals prevents Koski from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baals is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Baals seems to be working for a kimura but Koski defends the submission attempt.
Koski wants to get back to full guard.
Koski moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Koski might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Baals throws a big right hand that misses.
Koski is pulling down on Baals's head. It's preventing any offense from Baals, at least for the moment.
Baals throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koski is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Baals postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Koski controls Baals momentarily but Baals frees himself.
Baals working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Baals is fighting to break Koski's control of his arms but Koski is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Koski preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Koski trying to control the position.
Baals throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Koski works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Baals is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Koski working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Baals doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Baals manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Koski controlling Baals's posture.

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.
Baals postures up.
Baals throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Baals lands a couple of digs.

Koski is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Baals is aware though and is defending well.
Koski is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Koski utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Baals controlling from the top position.
Koski working a defensive guard here.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Harry Baals will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Koski takes a kick to the side of the head.
Baals clobbers Koski with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Koski moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
A swing and a miss from Baals.
Koski misses with a right hand
letting Baals counter with a right hand.
Koski misses with a straight left.
Baals throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Baals gets in close and instigates a clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Koski.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koski manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Koski lands a hook that snaps the head of Baals backwards.
Baals is struggling to control the position.
Baals tries to work over Koski's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koski lands a shoulder strike.
A short right from Koski on the inside.
Koski trying to stall but Baals improves his position.
Baals lands a left hand that snaps the head of Koski backwards.
Koski blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Koski throws a punch but it's blocked by Baals.
Baals is trying to break the clinch but Koski is controlling him.
Koski presses Baals against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Koski throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Baals has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Koski seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Baals can turn it around.

Koski breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A big left from Koski misses.
Koski moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Koski tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Baals was well out of range. Poor timing from Koski.
Koski slips under a jab from Baals.
A counter left hand to the body from Koski misses its target.
A slow jab from Koski misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Koski. That snapped Baals's head back.
Koski shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Koski ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Baals moves away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Baals. Koski does a little dance to reset his feet.
Baals thuds a left hand into Koski's body.
Koski sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Koski throws a half hearted mid kick.
Baals looks to land a left hand but Koski moved out of range nicely.
Koski wants to slow Baals down by chopping away at his legs.
Baals drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Koski scores with the left hand. Baals knows he should have avoided that one.
Baals defending well as Koski loads up on a big left hand.
Koski blocks a head kick by Baals.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baals tries to move into range but Koski moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Baals takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Koski on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Baals takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Koski throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Baals tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Koski manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Koski 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.
Koski ducks under a wild hook from Baals.
An attempted straight right counter from Koski misses the target.
Baals scores with a spinning back kick!
Baals ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Baals misses with a body shot.
Koski misses with an uppercut
and Baals counters with a nice body shot.

Baals gets a clinch.
Kalevi Koski has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Koski avoiding damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koski swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Koski.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Koski struggles to land a body shot inside as Baals controls his hands.
Baals swings wildly with an uppercut but Koski uses good head movement to avoid it.
Koski tries to work over Baals's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Baals manages to break the clinch.
Baals throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Koski sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Koski ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Baals moves away.
Baals feints the counter takedown.
That kick from Koski tenderised Baals's leg. Baals is trying to keep his angry face on.
Baals avoids the body shot from Koski.
Baals unleashes a big counter combination but Koski bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Koski takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Koski lands a leg kick that knocks Baals off balance momentarily.
Kalevi Koski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baals misses with a takedown attempt - Koski sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kalevi Koski will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Koski lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Baals ducks under a wild hook from Koski.
Baals takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Baals thumps Koski with a low kick.
Kalevi Koski is winning the standup battle so far.
Baals lands a body shot.
Nice shot by Koski.
Baals takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Baals connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baals loads up on a big right hand but Koski slips the punch.
Koski misses with a kick to the body

and Baals decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Koski's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Baals lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Koski is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Baals is aware though and is defending well.
Baals trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baals distracts Koski with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Baals must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Baals in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Koski is trying to keep Baals in close.
Baals missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Baals throwing strikes from guard but Koski blocks nicely.
Koski is pulling down on Baals's head to control his posture.
Baals cracks Koski with a solid left hand.
Koski is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

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

Koski is looking for a triangle but Baals pushes his legs off easily.
Baals postures up.
Baals loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Baals engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Baals is looking to work some ground and pound but Koski has wrist control.
Koski looking to control.
Koski pulls Baals in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Baals paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Koski checks a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baals throws a right and a left that Koski avoids nicely.
Koski takes a swing at Baals's ribcage but misses.
Koski shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Baals throws a half hearted mid kick.
Koski ducks under a wild hook from Baals.
Koski swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Koski is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Baals.
Koski on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Baals. Baals obviously looking to wear him down.
Baals uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Koski.
Koski lands a glancing blow to the side of Baals's head.
Koski scores with a leg kick.
A big left from Koski misses.
Baals looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Baals throws a body punch but Koski moves out of range.
Baals fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koski fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Baals.
Baals throws a head kick but Koski moves out of range.
Baals misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koski.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Baals gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Koski counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Baals misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koski.
Koski doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Baals misses with a left hand
and Koski counters with a straight right hand.
Koski connects with a leg kick. Baals looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A leg kick checked by Baals.
Baals throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Koski.
Koski chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Baals can pounce on him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harry Baals really dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Koski keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Koski dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Baals misses with a body punch
and Koski counters with a nice uppercut.
Koski takes one to the chin there.
Baals loads up on a big right hand but Koski slips the punch.
Baals misses with a straight right.
Koski appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Baals throws a lazy head kick
and Koski makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Baals slips a straight right by Koski.
Nice cross by Baals.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baals throws a lazy head kick
and Koski counters with an inside leg kick.
Baals lands a nice hook to Koski's body. Koski takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Koski throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Koski throws a series of punches but Baals moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koski avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
An attempted straight right counter from Koski misses the target.
Koski lands a leg kick that knocks Baals off balance momentarily.
Koski misses with an uppercut
and Baals counters with a series of strikes. Koski will be more careful next time no doubt.
Koski connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Baals keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Koski tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
The fighters circling - Koski throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Baals lands with a kick to the ribs.
Nice defenses there by Baals.
Koski throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Baals takes a swing at Koski's ribcage but misses.
Baals throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koski misses with a low kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Koski checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A chopping leg kick lands by Baals.
Koski scoring well with a low kick there.
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!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Baals.
Koski avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Koski fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Koski swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Baals drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Koski defends it well.
Baals is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Baals moves out of range of the body kick from Koski.
Koski jabs Baals to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Baals loads up on a big right hand but Koski slips the punch.
Koski was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koski throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Baals slips a jab from Koski.
Koski ducks right into an uppercut from Baals.
Baals scores with a head kick.
Baals drops his hands momentarily and Koski takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Baals throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
An attempted straight right counter from Koski misses the target.
Koski takes a kick to the side of the head.
Baals misses with a body kick.
Koski throwing a counter right hand but Baals manages to avoid it.
Koski throws a body punch but Baals moves out of range.
Baals checks a low kick from Koski.
Koski on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Koski looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baals keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Koski misses with a hook.
Baals ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Baals is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Baals misses with a hook
and Koski counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
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!
Koski misses the jab.
Koski backing away here, and Baals unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Baals misses with a body kick.
Baals is looking to clinch.
Koski swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Baals misses with a shot to the body
enabling Koski to counter with a crisp jab.
Koski throws a leg kick but Baals sees it coming and moves out of range.
Koski tries to land a front kick but Baals steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Nice shot lands for Baals.
Koski lands a leg kick that knocks Baals off balance momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Kalevi Koski will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Baals closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Baals ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Baals misses with a low kick.
Koski thows a left - swing and a miss!
Baals feints the counter takedown.
A nice leg kick lands there from Baals.
Baals dips to his left and cracks Koski with an uppercut!
Baals paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Baals's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Baals has Koski up against the cage in a clinch.
Koski throws a punch but it's blocked by Baals.
Baals tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Koski tries to throw a body punch but Baals avoids it by throwing Koski back against the cage.
Koski misses with some punches.
Koski lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baals lands a left hand.
Koski swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Koski fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Baals's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Koski misses with a body punch.
Baals lands a hook to the side of the head.
Koski prevents the takedown attempt.
Baals tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Koski throws a head punch that misses.
Koski wants to stall.
Koski pressing his opponent against the cage.
Koski can't find room to land a body shot as Baals controls the action.
Baals wants to break free but Koski has control.
Koski blocks a body shot from Baals.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baals misses with a short punch on the inside.
Koski fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Baals blocking some punches.
Baals wants to break free but Koski has control.
Baals lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Baals misses with the head strike.
Koski misses with a body punch.
Koski lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Baals backwards.
Koski misses with a hook from the clinch.
Koski has a couple of punches blocked by Baals.
Baals blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Baals lands an uppercut.
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!
Koski misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Baals.
Koski swings wildly with an uppercut but Baals uses good head movement to avoid it.
Baals misses with a punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baals is trying to stall.
Koski struggles to land a body shot inside as Baals controls his hands.
Baals tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Baals fails to land.
Koski doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Koski misses with a short punch on the inside.
Baals misses with a punch to the body.
Baals goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Koski blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Koski.
Baals fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Koski working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Koski has a couple of punches blocked by Baals.
Baals misses with a hook to the ribs.
Koski misses with a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koski lands with a short shot to the head.
Baals tries to work over Koski's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short right from Koski.
Koski stalling against the cage.

Baals's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A big right from Koski misses.
Koski throws a nice inside leg kick.
Koski slips a straight right by Baals.
Baals uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Koski.
Koski does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
A big left from Koski misses.
Baals slips a jab from Koski.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Koski throws a wild body kick that Baals sees coming a mile off.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Harry Baals.
I think Baals 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 48:47
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 48:48
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 48:48

The fight is ruled a majority draw!
Kalevi Koski retains his title. It's always disappointing when a championship fight ends as a draw but that's what happens when you leave the fight in the judges hands!