PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jari Aarnio (ranked 24668 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel Fraga (ranked 4002 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Aarnio
vs
Fraga

165 cm
26
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

170 cm
25
152 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Good kicks
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Heavy handed

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jari Aarnio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Gabriel Fraga!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Daniel Franklin and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aarnio turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Aarnio shoots in for a takedown but Fraga shows good takedown defense.
Aarnio has been working on his balance at , so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Fraga.
Fraga lands with a nice body punch.
Fraga looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Fraga rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Aarnio finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Aarnio tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Aarnio feints and then cracks Fraga's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Fraga down.
Aarnio feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Fraga's calf.
Aarnio lands a nice looking body kick.
Fraga waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Aarnio.
Jari Aarnio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aarnio lands with a thumping leg kick.
Fraga cracks Aarnio with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Aarnio looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fraga is fending him off so far but Aarnio persists. Nope, Fraga circles away and we're back to standing.
Aarnio looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aarnio avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sloppy strikes from Fraga. Those never looked like landing.
Aarnio half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Aarnio lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Aarnio explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Fraga swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A solid leg kick lands there for Aarnio.
Fraga jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Aarnio appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Aarnio looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Aarnio tries to clinch up.
A little jabbing left from Fraga on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Good leg kick by Aarnio there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Gabriel Fraga is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fraga scores with a jab to the jaw.

It looks like Jari Aarnio has been cut.
Aarnio steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Fraga.
Fraga scores with a nice right hand.
Fraga rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Aarnio counters with an outside leg kick.
Aarnio dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Fraga. That did some damage!
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!
Aarnio slips a straight right by Fraga.
Aarnio turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Aarnio.
Aarnio fails with an attempt to clinch.
Aarnio avoids the body shot from Fraga.
Aarnio turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aarnio tries to clinch but Fraga moves out of range.
It seemed like Fraga was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Fraga slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Fraga connects with a jab.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Aarnio.
Aarnio lands a head kick. Fraga smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Fraga changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Aarnio is looking to clinch but Fraga is avoiding it.
It seemed like Fraga was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Fraga throws a lazy right hand but Aarnio sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Aarnio throws a quick counter kick to the body but Fraga avoids it.
Fraga pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Aarnio throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Fraga's waist but Fraga gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Aarnio off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jari Aarnio. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aarnio doesn't manage to clinch there - Fraga circles away.
Aarnio wants to clinch.
Fraga checks a leg kick.
Fraga's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Aarnio throws a sloppy head kick and Fraga moves out of range easily.
A good leg kick by Aarnio.
Aarnio throws the kick towards the body but Fraga avoids it.
Aarnio swings away with a leg kick that misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Fraga is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Aarnio.
Fraga takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
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 Jari Aarnio will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jari Aarnio's cut.
That's time! Aarnio's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A decent looking body kick lands there for Aarnio.
Fraga looks to throw the jab but Aarnio is out of range.
Fraga listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Fraga will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Aarnio lands a nice leg kick that just misses Fraga's sensitive parts.

Aarnio fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Fraga, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aarnio prevents Fraga from breaking the clinch.
Aarnio is looking to control Fraga's arms but Fraga gets an underhook and turns him. Now Aarnio has his back to the cage.
Fraga is trying to force a seperation but Aarnio has the dominant position.
Fraga misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Aarnio is trying to maintain a safe position but Fraga gets an underhook and turns Aarnio into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Aarnio stalling in the clinch but Fraga improves position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Jari Aarnio.
Aarnio lets loose with a powerful body kick. Fraga will feel that in the morning.
Fraga jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Fraga stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Aarnio.
Fraga has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Aarnio.
Aarnio pushes Fraga away with a front kick.
Fraga scores with a hook.
Fraga keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fraga misses with a looping left.
Aarnio changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Aarnio throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Fraga counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Fraga throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Aarnio.
Aarnio is looking to slow Fraga down with leg kicks.

Aarnio pushes Fraga up against the cage in a clinch.
Fraga lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Fraga can't break the clinch.

Aarnio escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fraga has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Aarnio.
Aarnio ducks under a wild hook from Fraga.
Aarnio quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Fraga thows a left - swing and a miss!
Fraga throws a lazy uppercut
and Aarnio counters with a thumping low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fraga slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Aarnio fails in his attempt to clinch.
Aarnio delivers a nice body kick.
Aarnio lands a head kick!
Aarnio throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Fraga 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.
Fraga steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Aarnio. That one must have hurt.

Fraga closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Aarnio to the mat! Aarnio manages to get full guard.
Fraga must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Aarnio keeping moving, preventing Fraga from controlling successfully.
Fraga controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aarnio is adopting a defensive guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Fraga is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Aarnio has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Fraga is looking to defend but Aarnio has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Fraga! Aarnio pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Fraga taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Jari Aarnio!
Jari Aarnio spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.