PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lauri Pekkarinen (ranked 668 p4p, 88 weight class) and IL PO (ranked 2614 p4p, 290 weight class). PO comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Tai Chi Kickboxer kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Pekkarinen
vs
PO

188 cm
36
193 lbs
25 - 14 - 2

187 cm
35
188 lbs
7 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

KOMBAT KLOTHING

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 14 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lauri Pekkarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, IL PO!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pekkarinen lands a nice looking body shot.
PO misses with a hook.
Pekkarinen throws a looping overhand right but PO ducks down to avoid it.
Lauri Pekkarinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
PO scores with a jab to the jaw.

It looks like Lauri Pekkarinen has been cut.
Pekkarinen lands a head kick!
That kick from Pekkarinen tenderised PO's leg. PO is trying to keep his angry face on.
A telegraphed right hand from PO misses the target.
Pekkarinen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from PO.
Pekkarinen scores with a shot to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from PO misses the target.
Pekkarinen throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Pekkarinen tries to close the distance and clinch up but PO swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
PO misses with a wild combination.
Pekkarinen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Nice body punch from Pekkarinen.
Pekkarinen lands a body shot.
Pekkarinen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Pekkarinen. That snapped PO's head back.
Pekkarinen has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Kombat Hangar 18 in the buildup to the fight.
Pekkarinen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A slow jab from PO misses its intended target.
Pekkarinen tries to close the distance and clinch but PO swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Good exchange - Pekkarinen coming out on top.
PO scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
PO lands a glancing blow to the side of Pekkarinen's head.
Pekkarinen shoots in and drives through. PO sprawls well.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
PO misses with a jab, cross combination.
It looked like Pekkarinen wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
PO misses with a straight left.
PO lands a jab to the nose.
PO throws a lazy right hand but Pekkarinen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Pekkarinen darts in and clinches PO up against the ropes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Pekkarinen.
PO misses with a hook from the clinch.
PO blocks a punch to the side of the head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
PO trying to control the position but instead, Pekkarinen has worked for underhooks and has pushed PO into the ropes.
Pekkarinen leaning against his opponent.
A head punch blocked on the inside by PO.
Pekkarinen has a couple of punches blocked by PO.
PO takes a shot to the head.
Pekkarinen lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt PO or not.
Pekkarinen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pekkarinen throws a head punch that misses.
Pekkarinen lands a left hand.
PO looking to slow down the pace here.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
PO fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
PO misses with a body punch.
Pekkarinen throws a punch but it's blocked by PO.
PO lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lauri Pekkarinen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lauri Pekkarinen'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.

A left lands for PO.
PO throws a jab but it's blocked by Pekkarinen.
Pekkarinen lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
PO throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pekkarinen.

Pekkarinen rushes PO and presses him up against the ropes.
Nice body punch from PO - that landed with a thud.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
PO lands a hook that snaps the head of Pekkarinen backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for PO.
Pekkarinen misses with a body punch.
PO working aggressively here.
Pekkarinen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Still in the clinch, PO scores with a nice short uppercut.
Pekkarinen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
PO is looking to control Pekkarinen's arms but Pekkarinen gets an underhook and turns him. Now PO has his back to the ropes.
PO is trying to maintain a safe position but Pekkarinen gets an underhook and turns PO into the ropes.

PO breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
PO takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Pekkarinen ducks right into an uppercut from PO.

That's one minute gone in the round.
PO throws an off balance right hand
letting Pekkarinen counter with a right hand.

Pekkarinen decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Pekkarinen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed PO's head.
Pekkarinen working the head and body with strikes.
Pekkarinen stalling.
Pekkarinen passes to side control.
Pekkarinen in side control, throwing shots but PO defends.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Pekkarinen wants to lay and pray for a moment but PO keeps working.
Pekkarinen creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
PO wants to control but Pekkarinen postures up.
Pekkarinen wants to lay and pray for a moment but PO keeps working.
Pekkarinen in side control lands a decent elbow.
Pekkarinen wants to take a breather but PO manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Pekkarinen.
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!
Pekkarinen trying to control but PO is working from the bottom.
Pekkarinen looking to pass the guard.
PO bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pekkarinen's guard.

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 Lauri Pekkarinen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Lauri Pekkarinen's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

No joy there for PO, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
PO might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Pekkarinen tries a head kick but it misses.
Pekkarinen cracks PO with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Pekkarinen finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Pekkarinen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
PO looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Pekkarinen slips a straight right by PO.
PO throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
PO keeps the fight on the outside.
PO lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pekkarinen circles away quickly and effectively.
PO throws a jab but it's blocked by Pekkarinen.
Pekkarinen throws a right and a left that PO avoids nicely.
PO is looking for the big counter here.
PO paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Pekkarinen throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by PO.
Pekkarinen dodges the punch combination from PO.
Lauri Pekkarinen is winning the standup battle so far.
A nice combination there by Pekkarinen.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
PO connects with a single shot there.
PO swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
PO keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pekkarinen on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
PO looks to throw the jab but Pekkarinen is out of range.
PO lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Pekkarinen looks to land a right hand but PO moved out of range.
IL PO is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pekkarinen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
PO throws a jab when Pekkarinen was well out of range.
Pekkarinen ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
PO looks to score with a jab to the body but Pekkarinen is just out of range.
PO misses with a looping right.
Pekkarinen tries to clinch but PO is having none of it.
Pekkarinen scores with a jab.
Pekkarinen moves out of range as PO strikes.
Pekkarinen lands a jab to PO's midsection.
IL PO has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pekkarinen lands a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pekkarinen lands a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jab, jab by PO - just one landing.

Lauri Pekkarinen's cut is getting worse.
Pekkarinen tries to close the distance and clinch but PO swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
PO swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The fighters circling - Pekkarinen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Pekkarinen looking to score a takedown here. PO is defending well but Pekkarinen drives through and ends up in PO's guard.
Pekkarinen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. PO swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pekkarinen slips nicely into half guard.
Pekkarinen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks PO with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Lauri Pekkarinen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pekkarinen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Pekkarinen is keen to just control but PO is a slippery customer.

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 Lauri Pekkarinen.
Well Pekkarinen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 for Lauri Pekkarinen!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Lauri Pekkarinen!
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Lauri Pekkarinen!

Lauri Pekkarinen wins by unanimous decision!
An out of breath Lauri Pekkarinen thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.