PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jaakko Ilmarinen (ranked 3476 p4p, 7363 weight class) and Jun Liu (ranked 422 p4p, 658 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Ilmarinen
vs
Liu

186 cm
25
197
5 - 8 - 1

192 cm
24
199
3 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Decent 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 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Jaakko Ilmarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jun Liu!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Frank Dennis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ilmarinen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Ilmarinen scores with a leg kick.
Ilmarinen moves out of range as Liu throws a body kick.
Ilmarinen misses with a series of wild punches.
Liu unleashes a big counter combination but Ilmarinen bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Ilmarinen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Liu throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Ilmarinen throws a right hand that Liu ducks under and follows up with a left that Liu also avoids with ease.
Liu looks to score with a jab to the body but Ilmarinen is just out of range.
Liu with a hook.
Ilmarinen scores with the left hand. Liu knows he should have avoided that one.
Ilmarinen takes a jab right on the kisser.
A low kick from Ilmarinen misses
and Liu counters with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters circling - Ilmarinen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ilmarinen throws a nice looking combination but Liu bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ilmarinen misses with a series of wild punches.
Liu lands a nice looking kick to the body. Ilmarinen takes a step back to recover.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilmarinen throws a leg kick but Liu checks it.
Ilmarinen's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Liu connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Ilmarinen scrambles back to his feet.
Ilmarinen swings widly with a right hand
and Liu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Liu tries a head kick but it misses.
Liu connects with a body shot that sends Ilmarinen's belly button to the back.
Liu looks to land a left hand but Ilmarinen moved out of range nicely.
Liu throws a big shot that misses.
Ilmarinen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Liu takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

It looks like Jun Liu has been cut.
Ilmarinen throws a nice looking combination but Liu bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A right-left combo lands from Liu.
Ilmarinen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Liu sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Ilmarinen keeps Liu at a distance using the push kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Liu goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
It appears Ilmarinen was looking to counter with a kick there.
Ilmarinen gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Liu counters with a right hand to the body.
Liu scores with a nice right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liu misses with a series of wild punches.
Ilmarinen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Ilmarinen moves out of range as Liu throws a body kick.
Liu looks to land a body kick but Ilmarinen moved away.
Ilmarinen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Liu was well out of range. Poor timing from Ilmarinen.
Liu doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Liu thows a body kick. Ilmarinen tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Liu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ilmarinen.
Liu lands a jab to the head.
Liu moves out of range as Ilmarinen throws a body kick.
Liu lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Liu is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Ilmarinen had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Liu takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Liu misses the jab.
The fighters circling - Ilmarinen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
No joy there for Ilmarinen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ilmarinen throws a sloppy head kick and Liu moves out of range easily.
Liu ducks under a wild hook from Ilmarinen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Liu tries to land a front kick but Ilmarinen steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Liu throws a push kick but Ilmarinen slaps the foot to one side.
No joy there for Liu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
No joy there for Liu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Liu slips a straight right by Ilmarinen.
Liu is looking for the big counter here.
Ilmarinen throws a lazy right hand but Liu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ilmarinen cracks Liu with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Ilmarinen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Liu.
Liu steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Liu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ilmarinen.
Liu is looking for the big counter here.
Ilmarinen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ilmarinen takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Liu takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Jaakko Ilmarinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ilmarinen stalks Liu and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Liu's face. Liu staggers backwards, shaken.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Liu is looking to land body kicks.
Liu throws a right hand that Ilmarinen ducks under and follows up with a left that Ilmarinen also avoids with ease.
Ilmarinen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen lands with a nice body kick.
Liu throws the kick towards the body but Ilmarinen avoids it.
Ilmarinen jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Ilmarinen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Liu counters with a stiff right hand.
Liu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Liu pushes Ilmarinen away with a front kick.
Ilmarinen pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Ilmarinen takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Liu scores with a jab.
Liu misses with an attempted mid kick.
Ilmarinen will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Liu misses with a body shot.
Ilmarinen jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Liu lands with a kick to the temple. Ilmarinen shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Liu moves away from the strike by Ilmarinen.
Liu moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Ilmarinen connects with a single shot there.
Liu looks to land a combination. Ilmarinen sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jun Liu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jun Liu's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ilmarinen misses with the combination.
Jab, jab by Ilmarinen - just one landing.
Liu misses with a kick to the body.
Ilmarinen is looking to land body kicks.
Liu slips a jab from Ilmarinen.
Liu replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Ilmarinen blocks it well.
Ilmarinen throws a one two combo.
Ilmarinen pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Liu back to the cage. Ilmarinen follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Liu misses with the combination.
Ilmarinen misses with a left hand
enabling Liu to counter with a crisp jab.
Ilmarinen lands with a nice combination. Liu backs away looking to recover.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ilmarinen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Ilmarinen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Liu moves out of range as Ilmarinen throws a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liu throws a poor cross that misses
and Ilmarinen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Liu misses with a straight left.
It looked like Ilmarinen wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Ilmarinen feints a jab promting Liu to slip. Ilmarinen then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Liu slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Liu just misses with a punch to the body.
Liu misses with a body kick.
Ilmarinen misses with a few strikes there.
Liu jabs at Ilmarinen's body.
Ilmarinen scores with a sloppy right hand. Liu should have avoided that one.
Ilmarinen misses with a straight right.
Liu takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Liu misses with a left hand
and Ilmarinen makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Jun Liu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ilmarinen throws a front kick that sends Liu stumbling back into the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Liu staying out of range there.
Liu counters with a body kick.
Ilmarinen misses with a hook
and Liu counters with a nice body kick.
Ilmarinen blocks the body kick.
Jaakko Ilmarinen is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen takes a kick to the side of the head.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ilmarinen.
Liu connects with a jab.
Ilmarinen looks to land a right hand but Liu moved out of range.
Ilmarinen throws a body kick that misses.
Ilmarinen scores with a jab.
Liu punishes Ilmarinen's body with a nice straight punch.
Jab by Liu.
Liu throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Liu lets loose with a powerful body kick. Ilmarinen will feel that in the morning.
Ilmarinen throws a lazy uppercut
and Liu counters with a stiff right hand.
Ilmarinen throws an overhand right that lands on Liu's shoulder, as Liu tries to avoid the shot.
Ilmarinen misses with a body kick.
Liu misses the shot to the body.
Ilmarinen moves out of range as Liu throws a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu tries to land a front kick but Ilmarinen steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Liu on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ilmarinen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Liu.
Ilmarinen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Ilmarinen lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
The fighters circling - Ilmarinen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A combination from Ilmarinen does no damage.
Liu is trying to counter with his kicks.
Liu lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Ilmarinen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Liu stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Ilmarinen misses with a series of wild punches.
Liu throws a sloppy head kick
and Ilmarinen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ilmarinen blocks the body kick.
Ilmarinen misses with a series of wild punches.
Ilmarinen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Liu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ilmarinen throws a hook to the side of Liu's head but Liu sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Liu looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters circle momentarily. Liu darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ilmarinen. Liu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Liu follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Ilmarinen bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Ilmarinen avoids the body shot from Liu.
Ilmarinen goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Liu misses with a straight right.
Liu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ilmarinen was well out of range. Poor timing from Liu.
Ilmarinen scores with a nice right hand.
Liu lands a lovely overhand right.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ilmarinen throws a nice looking combination but Liu bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Liu looks to score with a jab to the body but Ilmarinen is just out of range.
Liu keeps Ilmarinen at a distance using the push kick.
Liu delivers a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jaakko Ilmarinen dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jun Liu's cut.
That's time! Ilmarinen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Liu misses with a series of wild punches.
Ilmarinen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Liu manages to avoid it.
Ilmarinen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Liu was well out of range. Poor timing from Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen misses with an attempted mid kick.
Despite the aggression on Liu's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Ilmarinen looks to land a right hand but Liu moved out of range.
Liu is looking to land body kicks.
Ilmarinen throws a big shot that misses.
Liu is looking for the big counter here.
Liu throws a body punch but Ilmarinen moves out of range.
Liu moves out of range of the body kick.
Liu is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ilmarinen is looking to land body kicks.
Liu follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Ilmarinen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Liu throws a looping overhand right but Ilmarinen ducks down to avoid it.
Liu throws a wild body kick that Ilmarinen sees coming a mile off.
A slapping body kick lands there for Ilmarinen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Ilmarinen misses.
Liu lands the left hand.
Ilmarinen takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Liu throws a half hearted mid kick.
Liu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Liu misses with a looping right.
Ilmarinen connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Liu momentarily.
Liu lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Ilmarinen lands an overhand right.
Ilmarinen misses the jab.
Ilmarinen moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromLiu.
Ilmarinen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Ilmarinen works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Liu slips under a jab from Ilmarinen.
A slow jab from Ilmarinen misses its intended target.
Ilmarinen lands with a good body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liu looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Ilmarinen quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Liu throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ilmarinen throws a lazy right hand but Liu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ilmarinen moves out of range of the strikes.
Liu throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Ilmarinen throws a body kick that misses.
Liu works over Ilmarinen's head and body with a nice combination.
A nice combination there by Liu.
Liu displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Ilmarinen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Liu.
Liu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ilmarinen.
Liu throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Liu takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Ilmarinen scores with a sloppy right hand. Liu should have avoided that one.
Ilmarinen misses with the combination.
Liu now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Liu throws an off balance right hand
letting Ilmarinen counter with a right hand.
A punch combination from Liu misses.
Ilmarinen avoids a kick to the body.
Liu blocks a head kick by Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Liu has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Liu throws an overhand right that lands on Ilmarinen's shoulder, as Ilmarinen tries to avoid the shot.
Some wild striking there from Ilmarinen.
Liu lands a nice looking body shot.
Liu slips a jab from Ilmarinen.
Liu connects with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liu scores with a kick to the body.
Ilmarinen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Ilmarinen throws a leg kick
and Liu counters with a nice body kick.
Ilmarinen misses with a series of wild punches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Some wild striking there from Liu.
Ilmarinen takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Ilmarinen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Liu unleashes a big counter combination but Ilmarinen bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Liu throws a hook but Ilmarinen blocks it.
Ilmarinen looks to land a right hand but Liu moved out of range.
Liu looks for the body kick but Ilmarinen saw that one coming.
Donk. Ilmarinen catches Liu right on the button with a cross.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jun Liu.
Well Liu 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jun Liu!
A less than humble Jun Liu misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.
Jaakko Ilmarinen was interviewed post fight and said 'Lucky rat I had flu'.