PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sepi Pulkkinen (ranked 690 p4p, 5525 weight class) and Bautista Laguna (ranked 29 p4p, 647 weight class). Bautista Laguna has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pulkkinen
vs
Laguna

225 cm
28
333
14 - 6 - 0

194 cm
21
220
5 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

HELLBENT
Brooklyn Apothecary

Vegan Gains
EFC Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the super heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sepi Pulkkinen!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Bautista Laguna!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Radbod Blank and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pulkkinen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Laguna.
Pulkkinen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Laguna makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Pulkkinen misses with a jab, cross combination.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Laguna! But no joy.
Laguna throws a right hand that Pulkkinen ducks under and follows up with a left that Pulkkinen also avoids with ease.
Laguna throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pulkkinen.

Pulkkinen clinches up against the cage.

Laguna pulls Pulkkinen into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Pulkkinen content to stall in guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laguna keeping full guard, as Pulkkinen tries to pass.
Pulkkinen content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pulkkinen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Laguna is keeping the position for now.

Pulkkinen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Laguna has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pulkkinen has managed to get both his arms back between Laguna's legs - danger averted.
Pulkkinen sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Laguna is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Pulkkinen is aware though and is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Pulkkinen is stalling in the full guard.
Pulkkinen passes into half guard.
Still in half guard, Pulkkinen seems content to control.
Pulkkinen continues to stall.
Pulkkinen will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Laguna moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pulkkinen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Pulkkinen's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Pulkkinen darts in trying to clinch
and Laguna counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Pulkkinen throws a nice looking combination but Laguna bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Pulkkinen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Pulkkinen keeps the fight on the outside.
Bautista Laguna seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Laguna throws a combination that misses
and Pulkkinen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Bautista Laguna has been cut.
Laguna fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pulkkinen is looking to clinch.
Laguna misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Pulkkinen went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Pulkkinen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Pulkkinen!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Laguna looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Pulkkinen is looking to counter the offense by Laguna and move into the clinch.
Pulkkinen swats away the attempt to clinch by Laguna.
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 Sepi Pulkkinen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bautista Laguna'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.

Laguna closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Pulkkinen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Laguna backwards.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Pulkkinen takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Laguna successfully pulls guard.
Laguna has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at EFC Gym. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Pulkkinen is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Laguna working for a triangle but Pulkkinen defends it easily.

Laguna had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Pulkkinen defends it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pulkkinen seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Laguna working for a triangle but Pulkkinen defends it easily.

Laguna working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pulkkinen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Pulkkinen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Laguna had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Pulkkinen defends it easily.

Laguna has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pulkkinen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Pulkkinen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Further stalling from Pulkkinen.

Laguna looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pulkkinen seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pulkkinen moves into range and clinches up with Laguna.
Laguna jumps guard but Pulkkinen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Laguna is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Pulkkinen to keep the fight standing.
Laguna being controlled against the cage.
A short right from Pulkkinen on the inside.
I was talking to Pulkkinen's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Pulkkinen scores with a nice hook to the head.
Pulkkinen holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Pulkkinen stalling in the clinch but Laguna improves position.
A short right from Pulkkinen on the inside.
Pulkkinen lands a shoulder strike.

That has opened up Bautista Laguna's cut even more.
Pulkkinen's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Pulkkinen tries to stall but Laguna uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Laguna jumps guard but Pulkkinen stands there with Laguna around his waist. Laguna gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sepi Pulkkinen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bautista Laguna.
Pulkkinen has Laguna pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Sepi Pulkkinen.

Pulkkinen instigates a clinch.
Laguna swings wildly with an uppercut but Pulkkinen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pulkkinen misses with a body punch.
Pulkkinen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Lagunas head.
A short left from Pulkkinen.

Laguna is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pulkkinen lands a body punch.
Laguna is still on wobbly legs! Can Pulkkinen finish him?
Laguna is breathing heavily.
Pulkkinen has Laguna pressed against the cage.
Pulkkinen has Laguna pressed against the cage. Laguna drops his hands and Pulkkinen takes advantage by unloading with a massive hook that sends Laguna tumbling to the canvas! Pulkkinen rains down with more punches but Laguna was already out! That's a highlight reel knockout for Pulkkinen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Sepi Pulkkinen!
Sepi Pulkkinen retains his super heavyweight title!
Sepi Pulkkinen really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that HELLBENT logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.