PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lauro Turturro (ranked 804 p4p, 131 weight class) and Pat Yaj (ranked 1807 p4p, 271 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Pat Yaj enters the cage!

Turturro
vs
Yaj

184 cm
28
208 lbs
13 - 4 - 1

188 cm
24
195 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lauro Turturro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pat Yaj!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Chris Saunders and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yaj scoring well with a low kick there.
Nice body kick there by Yaj.
Yaj misses with a looping left.
Turturro bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Yaj scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Turturro doesn't seem bothered though.
Yaj throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Turturro looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Yaj stalks Turturro and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Turturro's face. Turturro staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Lauro Turturro has been cut.
Turturro 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.
A nice inside leg kick there by Yaj. That's going to slow Turturro down.
Yaj dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Turturro. That did some damage!
Turturro tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yaj throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj works Turturro's body with a nice hook.
Yaj connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Turturro displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yaj throws out the jab.
Yaj with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Yaj - that will leave a mark!
Yaj throws a wild body kick that Turturro sees coming a mile off.
Yaj connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Yaj throws a combination that misses

and Turturro counters with a takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yaj is looking for a sweep.

Turturro thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Turturro goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Yaj rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Turturro's guard! Nice work there by Yaj!
I've been told that Yaj has been drilling his wrestling of late, which has already helped him take this fight to the mat. Let's see how much of an impact it has on the outcome of the ground game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Turturro looking for a guillotine here but Yaj defends easily.
Yaj wants to get up but he can't break Turturro's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Yaj stands and steps away. Turturro gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Yaj connects with the punch.
Yaj turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Yaj throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Turturro feinted with a counter takedown.
Yaj throws a body shot but no joy.
Turturro attempts a counter takedown but Yaj avoids it well and moves away.
Yaj chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Yaj lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Turturro at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaj digs a good body shot into Turturro's ribs.
Yaj scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Yaj scores with a sloppy right hand. Turturro should have avoided that one.
A shot to the liver by Yaj. Beautiful body shot.
Yaj throws a lazy head kick

and Turturro counters with a single leg into guard. Yaj didn't expect that.
Yaj seems keen to control Turturro's posture.
Turturro forces his way into half guard.
Turturro trying to control the action but Yaj is working from the bottom.
Turturro stops Yaj from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Turturro looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Turturro is stalling here. Yaj is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Turturro seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Yaj has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Turturro is looking to reverse the position.
Yaj tries to stand but Turturro is controlling his head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pat Yaj dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lauro Turturro's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Yaj looks to land a left hand but Turturro moved out of range nicely.
Turturro attempts a counter takedown but Yaj avoids it well and moves away.
Yaj misses with an uppercut

and Turturro counters with a shoot takedown. Yaj fights it but they end up in guard.
Yaj wants to sweep but no luck.

Turturro drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Yaj manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Turturro has Yaj in his guard.

Turturro is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Yaj tries to stand but Turturro is controlling from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Turturro wants to control the position but Yaj says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

Turturro actively working from the bottom here.
Yaj seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
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.

Turturro actively working from the bottom here.
Yaj tries to stand but can't do so whilst Turturro controls his leg.
Turturro is looking to get back to full guard here but Yaj has managed to pass to side control instead.
Turturro tries to buck Yaj off but Yaj is having none of it.
You can see the frustration on Turturro's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Yaj decides to stand back up. Yaj steps back and let's Turturro get back to his feet.

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.
Turturro slips a jab from Yaj.
Turturro takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Yaj throws a series of punches but Turturro moves out of range.
Turturro changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Yaj throws a combination that misses

and Turturro counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Turturro seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Yaj does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Turturro is looking for a kimura but Yaj is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Turturro to get the leverage.
Yaj is trying to stand back up but Turturro is controlling him
Turturro tries to pass the half guard into mount. Yaj knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Yaj wants to improve his position but Turturro is controlling well.
Yaj manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Yaj holds on and takes a little breather.
Turturro looking to pass the guard.
Turturro is working hard here to advance position.
Turturro looking to sit in guard and control but Yaj gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Turturro trying to control the position here.

Turturro is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Turturro looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Turturro is working an open guard so Yaj takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Yaj cracks the inside of Turturro's front leg.
Yaj loads up on a big right hand but Turturro slips the punch.
Turturro on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Turturro walks into a jab.
Pat Yaj is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Good leg kick by Yaj there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Yaj throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yaj throws a leg kick which misses Turturro's front leg but catches the back leg as Turturro tries to avoid it.
Turturro takes a shot right to the bread basket.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pat Yaj showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Lauro Turturro's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Turturro takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Yaj uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Turturro has time to react.
Pat Yaj seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yaj lands the left hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yaj. Turturro does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yaj throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Turturro half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Crunch! Yaj slams his shin into Turturro's torso.
Yaj lands with a good body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yaj stuns Turturro with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Yaj lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Yaj scores with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj thuds his shin into the meat of Turturro's side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A thudding body kick lands there by Yaj!
Yaj scores with a shot to the body.
Yaj lands with a shot to the body.
Yaj lands with a right hand.
Pat Yaj seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Yaj feints and then cracks Turturro's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Turturro down.
Nice body punch from Yaj.
Yaj cracks Turturro with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Yaj connects with an inside leg kick.
Turturro sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Lauro Turturro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yaj scores with a shot to the body.
Yaj dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Yaj lands a right hook to the body.
Turturro takes a jab right on the kisser.
Yaj scores with a jab.
Yaj scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Yaj throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Turturro stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A solid leg kick lands there for Yaj.
Turturro will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Yaj is looking to slow Turturro down with leg kicks.
Yaj has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaj scoring well with a low kick there.
Yaj misses with a wild body shot.
Yaj swinging wildly here.
Turturro drops his hands momentarily and Yaj takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Yaj ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Yaj dips to his left and cracks Turturro with an uppercut!
Yaj lands a head kick!
Pat Yaj is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Turturro doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yaj pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Turturro back to the cage. Yaj follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Yaj lands a nice hook to Turturro's body. Turturro takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice body kick from Yaj.
Yaj bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Turturro walks forward, straight into a front kick from Yaj.
Yaj throws a good cross that connects.
Yaj lands with a cross.
Yaj cracks Turturro with a good jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pat Yaj comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Yaj has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 26:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pat Yaj!
After winning the bout, Pat Yaj thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.