PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Olli Kuhta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Veijo Meri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kuhta comes to the cage accompanied by Break Out. Meri has chosen hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me as his entrance music. Veijo Meri will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Kuhta
vs
Meri

170 cm
20
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
163 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Olli Kuhta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Veijo Meri!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meri moves out of range of the body kick from Kuhta.
Meri tries to clinch up but Kuhta circles away and keeps his distance.

Kuhta fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Meri, pushing him back against the cage.
Meri is trying to break free.

Meri breaks from the clinch.

Kuhta clinches up against the cage.
Kuhta has Meri pressed against the cage.
Kuhta can't find room to land a body shot as Meri controls the action.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Kuhta.
Meri can't get the takedown.
Meri goes for a takedown attempt but Kuhta pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Olli Kuhta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Meri tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kuhta swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A slapping leg kick lands for Meri.
Meri fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kuhta cracks Meri with a good jab.
Meri looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meri shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kuhta as he avoids it easily.
Olli Kuhta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Veijo Meri.
Kuhta is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Meri blocks a head kick by Kuhta.
Kuhta doesn't manage to clinch there - Meri circles away.
Meri tries to clinch but Kuhta moves away
and Kuhta counters with a straight right hand.
Kuhta stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Meri.
Meri with a poor takedown

and Kuhta counters by clinching up.
Kuhta is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Kuhta is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Meri tries to pull guard but Kuhta won't allow it.
Kuhta prevents Meri from breaking the clinch.
Kuhta lands with a left to the head.
Meri is trying to break free.
Kuhta on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kuhta doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meri is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Meri tries to stall but Kuhta uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kuhta avoids the elbow strike from Meri, against the cage.
Meri wants to break the clinch but can't.
Meri tries to pull guard but Kuhta holds him up against the cage and eventually Meri drops back down to his feet.
Kuhta is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Meri misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kuhta.
Kuhta managing to block the knees to the body from Meri.
Kuhta is pushing Meri up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Meri wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
The is referee keeping an eye on Kuhta - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Meri blocking some punches.
Meri looking to throw knees to the head but Kuhta is blocking nicely.
Meri crunches a lovely knee into Kuhta's ribcage.
Kuhta is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kuhta's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Meri has his takedown stuffed
and Kuhta counters with a right hand to the body.
Meri avoids the head kick by Kuhta.
Meri shoots in looking for a takedown. Kuhta tries to sprawl out of it but Meri keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kuhta manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kuhta wants to clinch up but Meri keeps it at a distance.
Kuhta throws a looping overhand right but Meri ducks down to avoid it.
Meri tries to clinch up but Kuhta circles away and keeps his distance.
Kuhta throws a head kick but Meri moves out of range.
Kuhta takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kuhta throws a sloppy head kick
and Meri counters with a good, hard body kick but Kuhta shrugs it off.
Meri tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Kuhta counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Meri manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Meri throwing strikes here but Kuhta is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Meri has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Meri can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kuhta is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Olli Kuhta will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A left and a right from Meri both land. Nice combination.
Meri fails with the takedown.
Kuhta is looking to clinch.
Meri throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kuhta.
Meri shoots in for a takedown but Kuhta shows good takedown defense.
Olli Kuhta is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Meri tries to clinch up
and Kuhta counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Meri with a poor takedown
letting Kuhta counter with a right hand.
Olli Kuhta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Veijo Meri.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kuhta closes the distance looking to clinch
and Meri counters with a nice kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuhta tries to clinch but Meri is having none of it.
Meri tries for a takedown but Kuhta circles away easily
and Kuhta counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Meri throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Kuhta rushes Meri and presses him up against the cage.
Meri wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Kuhta escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Kuhta drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Meri regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuhta slips a nice elbow through Meri's hands, connecting with Meri's forehead.
Meri moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Meri is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kuhta controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Kuhta looking to sit in guard and control but Meri gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Meri pushing down on Kuhta's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuhta desperately trying to maintain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kuhta moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Kuhta is trying to keep Meri in close.
Meri with a flurry of punches that miss.
Meri trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuhta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

Kuhta escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Meri gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Meri wants to get up but he can't break Kuhta's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kuhta is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Meri tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Olli Kuhta dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Meri misses with a double jab.
Kuhta takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Meri tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Kuhta counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kuhta.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Kuhta tries to break the clinch but Meri is controlling the position.
Meri has had enough of the clinch but Kuhta keeps him there for the moment.
Meri avoiding damage as Kuhta throws knees to the body.
Kuhta gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Meri.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kuhta wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Kuhta tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Meri's elbow.
Kuhta blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Kuhta manages to pull guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meri trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuhta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kuhta pulls Meri in close to his closed guard and prevents Meri from doing any damage or advancing position.
Kuhta has a closed guard, preventing Meri from standing 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.
Meri trying to control but Kuhta is working from the bottom.

Kuhta working for a triangle but Meri defends it easily.
Kuhta trying to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kuhta fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meri explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Meri works over Kuhta's head and body with a nice combination.
An inside leg kick lands from Meri.
Meri fails in his attempt to clinch.
Meri throws a nice head kick!
Meri tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kuhta paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kuhta defending well as Meri loads up on a big left hand.
Meri pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kuhta circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kuhta takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Kuhta slips a jab and a cross from Meri.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Meri misses with a takedown

and Kuhta counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Veijo Meri has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Meri is trying to break free.
Meri wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kuhta has him pressed against the cage.
Kuhta is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Kuhta wants to break free but Meri has control.
Olli Kuhta is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Meri missing with knees to the body.
Kuhta is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Meri gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Meri wants to break free but Kuhta has control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Meri is looking to control Kuhta's arms but Kuhta gets an underhook and turns him. Now Meri has his back to the cage.
Meri misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kuhta.
Meri stalling in the clinch but Kuhta improves position.
Meri with an attempt at a knee that misses.

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 Olli Kuhta.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kuhta, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Olli Kuhta!