PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thorvald Espensen (ranked 5126 p4p, 2480 weight class) and Jaakko Ilmarinen (ranked 513 p4p, 307 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Thorvald Espensen has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Thorvald Espensen seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Espensen
vs
Ilmarinen

177 cm
26
185
5 - 5 - 0

186 cm
25
197
5 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thorvald Espensen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Jaakko Ilmarinen!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, James Glass and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Espensen cracks Ilmarinen with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Ilmarinen takes one on the button.
Ilmarinen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
We've been told by Espensen's head coaches at Andy's Sweaty Men that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Thorvald Espensen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Espensen.
Espensen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Ilmarinen stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Ilmarinen throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Ilmarinen scores with a one two! Espensen had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Ilmarinen explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Ilmarinen throws a right and a left that Espensen avoids nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Ilmarinen. Those never looked like landing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sloppy strikes from Ilmarinen. Those never looked like landing.
Espensen swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Espensen throws a jab when Ilmarinen was well out of range.
Espensen throws a quick inside leg kick.
Espensen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ilmarinen circles away quickly and effectively.
Ilmarinen scores with a jab. Espensen acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
A solid leg kick lands there for Espensen.
Ilmarinen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ilmarinen walks forward, straight into a front kick from Espensen.
Ilmarinen with a nice cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilmarinen's corner calls for a 1-2. Ilmarinen obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Espensen throws a one two combo.
Espensen misses with a low kick.
Espensen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Espensen checks it well.
A slow jab from Ilmarinen misses its intended target.
Espensen tried to counter with a leg kick but Ilmarinen avoided it.
Espensen fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Espensen ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Ilmarinen looks to land a body kick but Espensen moved away.
Ilmarinen misses with the combination.
Ilmarinen throws a hook to the side of Espensen's head but Espensen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Espensen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Despite the aggression on Ilmarinen's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Ilmarinen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
It seemed like Ilmarinen was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Espensen throws a hook but Ilmarinen avoids it easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ilmarinen throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Ilmarinen slips under a jab from Espensen.
Ilmarinen throws a hook but Espensen avoids it easily.
Espensen wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Espensen.
Ilmarinen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Espensen moves out of range of the body kick from Ilmarinen.
Espensen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ilmarinen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Espensen was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Espensen scores with a leg kick.
The fighters circling - Espensen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ilmarinen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ilmarinen has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ilmarinen.
Espensen connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Ilmarinen swings away with a body shot that misses
enabling Espensen to counter with a crisp jab.
Espensen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Espensen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ilmarinen tries to bum rush Espensen with a series of wild strikes but Espensen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Espensen feints and then cracks Ilmarinen's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Ilmarinen down.
Ilmarinen takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Espensen misses with a double jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espensen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ilmarinen.
Espensen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Espensen takes one on the button.
Ilmarinen lands a slapping body shot.
Espensen takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Espensen misses with an uppercut.
Espensen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ilmarinen throws out the jab.
Espensen takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ilmarinen connects with a single shot there.
An inside leg kick from Ilmarinen misses.
Ilmarinen takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Espensen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Espensen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Ilmarinen has time to react.
A jab from Espensen does it's job there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ilmarinen goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A big right from Ilmarinen misses.
Ilmarinen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Espensen.
Espensen misses with the combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Ilmarinen misses the target.
Ilmarinen misses the jab.
Espensen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ilmarinen closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Ilmarinen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Espensen throws a body punch but Ilmarinen moves out of range.
Ilmarinen throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Ilmarinen fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Espensen on the side of the head.
Ilmarinen lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Ilmarinen scores with a jab to the body.
Espensen throws a quick inside leg kick.
Espensen tries to clinch up but Ilmarinen circles away and keeps his distance.
Ilmarinen throws out a counter right but Espensen avoids it with no problem.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Espensen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Espensen moves away from the strike by Ilmarinen.
Espensen lands a slapping body shot.
Ilmarinen chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Espensen can pounce on him.
A jab from Espensen finds it's way through Ilmarinen's defenses.
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 Thorvald Espensen will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Espensen throws a right hand that misses
and Ilmarinen counters with a left to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Espensen.
Jab by Espensen.
Ilmarinen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ilmarinen stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Ilmarinen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ilmarinen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ilmarinen throws a jab when Espensen was well out of range.
Ilmarinen slips under a jab.
An inside leg kick from Espensen misses.
Sloppy strikes from Ilmarinen. Those never looked like landing.
Espensen moves out of range as Ilmarinen strikes.
Espensen scores with a kick to the body.
The fighters circling - Espensen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ilmarinen moves out of range of the body kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Espensen finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ilmarinen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Espensen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ilmarinen's corner calls for a 1-2. Ilmarinen obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Ilmarinen takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espensen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Ilmarinen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Espensen catches Ilmarinen with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Espensen misses with an uppercut. Ilmarinen saw that one coming.
Crunch! Espensen slams his shin into Ilmarinen's torso.
Espensen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen tries to land a front kick but Espensen steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
It looked like Espensen was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Espensen throws a body punch but Ilmarinen moves out of range.
Espensen connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Ilmarinen's hands.
Espensen just misses with a punch to the body.
Ilmarinen's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A good leg kick by Espensen.
The crowd cheers as Espensen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Ilmarinen doesn't seem phased though.
Ilmarinen is looking to land body kicks.
Espensen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Espensen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ilmarinen moves away.
Espensen slips a straight right by Ilmarinen.
Espensen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ilmarinen thinks about the counter body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A head kick misses from Ilmarinen.
Thorvald Espensen is winning the standup battle so far.
Espensen lands a nice shot that snaps Ilmarinen's head back.
Espensen scores with a jab. Ilmarinen acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Espensen scores with a jab to the jaw.
Espensen tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Ilmarinen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Ilmarinen misses with the combination.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ilmarinen clobbers Espensen with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
No joy there for Espensen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ilmarinen takes one to the side of the head.
A big left from Ilmarinen misses.
Espensen throws out a powerful jab.
Ilmarinen misses with a two punch combination.
Espensen scores with a leg kick.
Espensen throws a jab when Ilmarinen was well out of range.
A countering left hand to the body from Ilmarinen misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espensen jabs at Ilmarinen's body.
Espensen moves out of range of the body kick.
Ilmarinen throws a front kick that sends Espensen stumbling back into the cage.
Espensen connects with a nice looking jab.
Ilmarinen ducks under a wild hook from Espensen.
Ilmarinen ducks under a wild hook from Espensen.
Ilmarinen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Espensen.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Ilmarinen might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Espensen has got the better of the exchanges.
Ilmarinen staying out of range there.
Ilmarinen blocks a leg kick.
Espensen feints and then cracks Ilmarinen's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Ilmarinen down.
Ilmarinen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Espensen takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Ilmarinen swats away the attempt to clinch by Espensen.
Espensen takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
A big left from Espensen misses.
Ilmarinen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Espensen misses.
Ilmarinen misses with a series of wild punches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Espensen punishes Ilmarinen's body with a nice straight punch.
Ilmarinen has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Espensen.
Espensen throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Ilmarinen to counter with a crisp jab.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ilmarinen.
Nice defenses there by Espensen.
Espensen misses with a few strikes there.
Espensen scores with a jab to the body.
Ilmarinen lands with a hook. Espensen tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Ilmarinen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Espensen throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
A chopping leg kick lands by Espensen.
Espensen throws a series of punches but Ilmarinen avoids them all with ease.
Espensen is looking to slow Ilmarinen down with leg kicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thorvald Espensen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Espensen fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Ilmarinen has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Espensen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ilmarinen moves away.
A nice leg kick lands there from Espensen.
Espensen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A nice leg kick from Espensen, right into the meat of the thigh.
That kick from Espensen tenderised Ilmarinen's leg. Ilmarinen is trying to keep his angry face on.
Espensen just misses with a punch to the body.
Espensen is looking to clinch but Ilmarinen is avoiding it.
Ilmarinen takes a swing at Espensen's ribcage but misses.
Espensen gets cracked there but stands up to it.
A solid body kick from Espensen.
Espensen throws an off balance right hand
and Ilmarinen counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ilmarinen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Espensen.
Ilmarinen tries a head kick but it misses.
Ilmarinen tries to bum rush Espensen with a series of wild strikes but Espensen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Espensen ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Espensen tries to close the distance and clinch but Ilmarinen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Espensen lands a nice shot that snaps Ilmarinen's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilmarinen on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Espensen wants to clinch.
Ilmarinen throws a jab when Espensen was well out of range.
Espensen will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Ilmarinen looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Ilmarinen has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Espensen.
Espensen lands with an overhand left.
Ilmarinen moves out of range as Espensen strikes.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Ilmarinen! But no joy.

Espensen has closed the distance and engaged Ilmarinen in a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Espensen fails to land.
Ilmarinen effectively controlling the action here.
Ilmarinen wants to get back to striking at distance but Espensen won't allow it.
Ilmarinen has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Espensen throws a head punch that misses.
Espensen tries to work over Ilmarinen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Espensen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Espensen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Espensen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Espensen.

Ilmarinen manages to break the clinch.
Ilmarinen takes a jab right on the kisser.
Espensen tries to close the distance and clinch but Ilmarinen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Espensen connects with a single shot there.
Ilmarinen takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Espensen tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Ilmarinen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ilmarinen takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Espensen ducks under a wild hook from Ilmarinen.
Espensen scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Ilmarinen moves out of range as Espensen strikes.
Ilmarinen looks to score with a jab to the body but Espensen is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen connects with a jab.
Espensen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ilmarinen.
Espensen throwing a counter right hand but Ilmarinen manages to avoid it.
Espensen connects with an inside leg kick.
Espensen scores with a crisp jab that stopped Ilmarinen in his tracks.
Nice defenses there by Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen throws a body shot but no joy.
Espensen connects with a right hand. Ilmarinen shakes it off.
Espensen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ilmarinen.
Espensen stuns Ilmarinen with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A right-left combo lands from Espensen.
Ilmarinen sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Espensen connects with a leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Espensen thows a leg kick but Ilmarinen checks it
and Ilmarinen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Espensen connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Ilmarinen momentarily.
Ilmarinen slips under a jab.
Espensen misses with an uppercut. Ilmarinen saw that one coming.
Ilmarinen misses with an uppercut. Espensen saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Ilmarinen.
Espensen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ilmarinen.
Espensen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Ilmarinen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Ilmarinen looks to land a combination but Espensen avoids it well.
Espensen stalks Ilmarinen and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ilmarinen's face. Ilmarinen staggers backwards, shaken.
Espensen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ilmarinen.
Espensen throws a jab when Ilmarinen was well out of range.
Espensen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ilmarinen throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Espensen lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Ilmarinen throws a body kick that misses.
Espensen swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Jaakko Ilmarinen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Espensen stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ilmarinen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Espensen.
Ilmarinen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Espensen misses with a body shot.
Donk. Espensen catches Ilmarinen right on the button with a cross.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thorvald Espensen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Espensen 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thorvald Espensen!
Our winner, Thorvald Espensen, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
Jaakko Ilmarinen spoke after the fight, saying 'Lucky rat I had flu'.