PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Valerio Bartoli (ranked 159 p4p, 180 weight class) and Aku Serronen (ranked 25 p4p, 28 weight class). Bartoli's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Modulate - Bass Alert. 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.

Bartoli
vs
Serronen

180 cm
34
170
28 - 10 - 1

185 cm
33
171
23 - 13 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
SynCity Fightwear

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Valerio Bartoli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Aku Serronen!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bartoli takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Serronen misses with a looping right.
Bartoli was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Serronen getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Donk. Bartoli catches Serronen right on the button with a cross.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bartoli. Serronen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bartoli attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Serronen misses with a wild body shot.
Bartoli tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bartoli moves out of range of the body kick from Serronen.
A big left from Serronen misses.
Serronen throws out a loose jab but Bartoli uses good head movement to avoid it.
Serronen throws a front kick aimed at Bartoli's knee but Bartoli avoids it well.
Serronen throws a right hand that Bartoli ducks under and follows up with a left that Bartoli also avoids with ease.
Serronen avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Serronen stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Bartoli.
A nice leg kick lands there from Bartoli.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Serronen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bartoli was well out of range. Poor timing from Serronen.
Nice body punch from Bartoli.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Serronen takes a swing at Bartoli's ribcage but misses.
Bartoli looks to score with a jab to the body but Serronen is just out of range.
Bartoli moves forwards but Serronen connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Serronen throws a hook but Bartoli avoids it easily.
Serronen misses with a body kick.
Bartoli throws a hook but Serronen avoids it easily.
Bartoli keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Bartoli lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Serronen has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Serronen and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Serronen throws a leg kick but Bartoli sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Serronen has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Jab from Bartoli.
Aku Serronen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Serronen tries to work over Bartoli's front leg with a kick but Bartoli checks it.
Bartoli listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Bartoli scores with a shot to the body.
Bartoli attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Serronen throws a big shot that misses.
Serronen missing with a left hand there. Bartoli was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Serronen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Bartoli checks it well.
Bartoli throws a shot from downtown. Serronen moves away and avoids it.
Serronen throws out a counter right but Bartoli avoids it with no problem.
Serronen throws a sloppy head kick and Bartoli moves out of range easily.
As Serronen looks to move away, Bartoli throws a big counter combo but Serronen just gets out of the way.
Serronen just misses with a punch to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Serronen misses the target.
Serronen slips a straight right by Bartoli.
Bartoli connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Serronen momentarily.
Bartoli uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Serronen.
Bartoli throws a quick inside leg kick.
Serronen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Serronen fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Bartoli is out of range.
Bartoli throws a jab but it's blocked by Serronen.
Serronen works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bartoli moves out of range of the body kick.
Bartoli throws out a loose jab but Serronen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bartoli connects with an inside leg kick.
Serronen takes a swing at Bartoli's ribcage but misses.
Serronen throws a jab but it's blocked by Bartoli.
Serronen takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Serronen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Bartoli to score with a decent uppercut.
Bartoli moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Bartoli lands a leg kick that knocks Serronen off balance momentarily.
Serronen lands a high kick!
Bartoli uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Serronen.
Serronen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bartoli throws out a powerful jab.
Bartoli looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Serronen checks a low kick from Bartoli.
Bartoli keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Serronen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bartoli sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Serronen scoring well with a low kick there.
Serronen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Bartoli lands a jab.
Serronen throws a leg kick but Bartoli sees it coming and moves out of range.
Serronen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The fighters circling - Serronen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bartoli scores with the left hand. Serronen knows he should have avoided that one.
Serronen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bartoli with a nice calf kick.
Serronen is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Bartoli scores with a jab to the body.
Serronen takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Serronen misses with a straight right.
Serronen takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Serronen throws a leg kick that misses.
Serronen is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Bartoli feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Serronens jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Bartoli takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Serronen connects with a looping right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bartoli takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Serronen doesn't manage to clinch there - Bartoli circles away.
Serronen connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Serronen checks a leg kick.
Serronen throws a front kick aimed at Bartoli's knee but Bartoli avoids it well.
A jab from Bartoli misses.
Serronen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Serronen looks to land a body kick but Bartoli moved away.
Serronen checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Serronen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Serronen getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Serronen wants to slow Bartoli down by chopping away at his legs.
Serronen walks into a jab.
Serronen lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Bartoli throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A bone on bone clash there as Serronen blocks the leg kick.
Serronen misses with a wild body shot.
Bartoli fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Serronen checks it well.
Serronen throws out a loose jab but Bartoli uses good head movement to avoid it.
Serronen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Serronen connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Serronen motions for Bartoli to come forward. Serronen throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Serronen misses with a body kick.
A left lands for Bartoli.
Serronen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Serronen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bartoli manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
It looked like Bartoli wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Serronen throws an overhand right that lands on Bartoli's shoulder, as Bartoli tries to avoid the shot.
The crowd cheers as Serronen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Bartoli doesn't seem phased though.
Serronen tries to land a leg kick but Bartoli saw it coming and moves away.
Serronen throws an overhand right that lands on Bartoli's shoulder, as Bartoli tries to avoid the shot.
Serronen misses with a right hand
and Bartoli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Valerio Bartoli will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bartoli's corner calls for a 1-2. Bartoli obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Serronen defending well as Bartoli loads up on a big left hand.
Bartoli paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Serronen.
Serronen misses with a straight left.
Bartoli moves out of range of the body kick.
Bartoli comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Serronen gets a clinch.
Serronen swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Bartoli pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bartoli's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Bartoli duly obliges.
Bartoli steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Serronen.
Bartoli uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Serronen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Serronen takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Bartoli throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Serronen.
Bartoli throws the left hand but Serronen avoids the punch easily.
Serronen fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Bartoli moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A slow jab from Serronen misses its intended target.
Bartoli was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Serronen wants to slow Bartoli down by chopping away at his legs.

Serronen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Aku Serronen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bartoli blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Serronen working aggressively here.
Serronen lands a shot to the body.
Bartoli tries to break the clinch but Serronen is controlling the position.
Serronen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Serronen lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Bartoli.
Bartoli can't break the clinch.
Bartoli blocking some punches.
Serronen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bartoli blocks a punch to the side of the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Serronen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Serronen misses with some punches.
Serronen misses with a body punch.
Serronen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bartoli blocking some punches.
Serronen's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Serronen lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bartoli backwards.
Serronen lands a nice shot to the body.
Serronen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Serronen misses with a punch to the body.
Serronen struggles to land a body shot inside as Bartoli controls his hands.
Serronen throws a punch but it's blocked by Bartoli.
Serronen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bartolis head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bartoli escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Serronen misses with an uppercut. Bartoli saw that one coming.
Bartoli checks a low kick from Serronen.
Serronen slips a jab from Bartoli.
Serronen with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Serronen throws an overhand right that lands on Bartoli's shoulder, as Bartoli tries to avoid the shot.
A leg kick checked by Serronen.
Jab from Bartoli.
Bartoli stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Serronen.
Bartoli blocks a head kick by Serronen.
Valerio Bartoli is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nice defenses there by Bartoli.

Serronen rushes Bartoli and presses him up against the cage.
Serronen tries to work over Bartoli's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bartoli takes a shot to the head.
Bartoli working hard to break the clinch.

Bartoli manages to break the clinch.
Bartoli throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Both fighters circling a little - Serronen finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Serronen throws an overhand right that lands on Bartoli's shoulder, as Bartoli tries to avoid the shot.
A swing and a miss from Bartoli.
Bartoli walks into a left hand.
Bartoli takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Bartoli sizes up Serronen with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Serronen takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Bartoli fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bartoli misses with an uppercut. Serronen saw that one coming.
Serronen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Bartoli checks it well.
Bartoli pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bartoli drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Bartoli scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Serronen doesn't seem bothered though.
Serronen has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Nice cross by Bartoli.
Serronen ducks under a wild hook from Bartoli.
Serronen is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Bartoli with a body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Serronen tries to clinch there but Bartoli circles away.
A big left from Bartoli misses.
A big left from Bartoli misses.
Bartoli ducks right into an uppercut from Serronen.
Serronen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A big left from Serronen misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Serronen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Serronen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Serronen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bartoli was well out of range. Poor timing from Serronen.
Bartoli connects with a leg kick.
Bartoli checks the leg kick.
Bartoli throws out a loose jab but Serronen uses good head movement to avoid it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Serronen! But no joy.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Serronen. Bartoli shrugs it off though.
Bartoli blocks a jab.
Bartoli misses with a hook.
Bartoli scores with a jab.
Bartoli connects with a right hand. Serronen shakes it off.
Serronen throws a head kick that misses.
Serronen feints and then cracks Bartoli's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Bartoli down.
Bartoli moves out of range of the body kick from Serronen.
Bartoli connects with a solid leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bartoli fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Serronen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bartoli sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Serronen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Serronen moves out of range of the leg kick from Bartoli.
Valerio Bartoli is winning the standup battle so far.
A jab lands there for Bartoli.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Aku Serronen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. This is the final round!

Bartoli connects with a solid leg kick.
Serronen throws a hook but Bartoli blocks it.
Bartoli is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Serronen bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Bartoli's head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Serronen. Bartoli does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bartoli is looking to counter with head kicks.
Serronen looks to land a left hand but Bartoli moved out of range nicely.
Bartoli misses with a low kick as Serronen jumps back.
Serronen looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Serronen gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Serronen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Serronen lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
The fighters circling - Bartoli throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Bartoli with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Bartoli ducks under a wild hook from Serronen.
Bartoli lands the left hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bartoli gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Bartoli looks to land a right hand but Serronen moved out of range.
Serronen lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Serronen has closed the distance and engaged Bartoli in a clinch.
Serronen scores with a shot to the side of Bartoli's head.
A frustrated look appears on Bartoli's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bartoli is trying to force a seperation but Serronen has the dominant position.

Bartoli breaks the clinch.
Bartoli checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Serronen 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.
Serronen misses with an uppercut.
Bartoli throws a body shot but no joy.
Serronen connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Bartoli's hands.
Serronen fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Bartoli is out of range.
Serronen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bartoli.
Bartoli is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Bartoli uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Serronen.
Serronen tries to clinch but Bartoli moves out of range.
As Serronen looks to move away, Bartoli throws a big counter combo but Serronen just gets out of the way.

Serronen closes the distance and clinches.
Serronen lands a body punch.
Bartoli tries to break free but Serronen pushes him back against the cage.

Bartoli breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Serronen throws a hook to the side of Bartoli's head but Bartoli sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Serronen throws a shot from downtown. Bartoli moves away and avoids it.
Serronen connects with an inside leg kick.
Serronen lands a head shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bartoli scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Serronen throws a jab but it's blocked by Bartoli.
Bartoli keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Bartoli scores with the left hand. Serronen knows he should have avoided that one.
Serronen cracks Bartoli with an open hand slap.
Bartoli is looking to slow Serronen down with leg kicks.
Bartoli throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Serronen scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Bartoli bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Bartoli ducks under a wild hook from Serronen.
Bartoli swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A nice leg kick lands there from Bartoli.
Serronen takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Bartoli cracks Serronen with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bartoli digs a good body shot into Serronen's ribs.
Serronen takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Bartoli connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Serronen's hands.
Serronen closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Serronen on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Bartoli ducks right into an uppercut from Serronen.
Bartoli jabs Serronen right on the nose. Serronen blinks but takes it well.
Serronen walks into a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bartoli lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Serronen moves out of range of the strikes.
Serronen missing with a left hand there. Bartoli was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A bone on bone clash there as Serronen blocks the leg kick.
Bartoli lunges at Serronen with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Serronen's hand.
Serronen slips under a jab from Bartoli.
Serronen feints a counter leg kick.
Serronen misses with an attempted mid kick.
Bartoli swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Serronen is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Serronen with a jab.
Bartoli ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bartoli. Serronen does a little dance to reset his feet.
A slapping leg kick lands for Bartoli.
Serronen is looking to clinch.
Bartoli connects with an inside leg kick.
Bartoli cracks Serronen with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bartoli rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Serronen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Serronen blocks a jab.
Serronen tries to clinch but Bartoli is having none of it.
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!
Serronen misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bartoli works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Bartoli keeps the fight on the outside.
Serronen lands a lovely overhand right.
Serronen misses with a low kick.
Bartoli circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bartoli fires out a quick counter leg kick but Serronen just manages to avoid it.
Bartoli lands with a thumping leg kick.
Serronen chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Bartoli can pounce on him.
Serronen tries to clinch up.
Serronen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Serronen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bartoli's sensitive parts.
Bartoli looks to throw the jab but Serronen is out of range.
Serronen with a nice cross.
Bartoli lands a right hook to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bartoli keeps the fight on the outside.
Serronen looks to land a right hand but Bartoli moved out of range.
Bartoli lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Serronen cracks Bartoli with an open hand slap.
Serronen tries to clinch but Bartoli is having none of it.

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 Valerio Bartoli.
I think Bartoli has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Valerio Bartoli!
A relieved looking Valerio Bartoli thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.