PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aku Serronen (ranked 116 p4p, 403 weight class) and James Noir (ranked 17 p4p, 62 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.

Serronen
vs
Noir

185 cm
32
171
21 - 11 - 1

184 cm
34
173
18 - 11 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Urban Fighter

Brooklyn Apothecary
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 21 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Aku Serronen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Noir!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Richard Clark and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Serronen thuds his shin into the meat of Noir's side.
Serronen fails in his attempt to clinch.
A countering left hand to the body from Noir misses.
Noir swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Serronen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Serronen takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Noir. Serronen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Serronen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Noir.
Serronen looks to throw the jab but Noir is out of range.
Noir dips to his left and cracks Serronen with an uppercut!
Noir checks a leg kick.

Serronen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Serronen has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Noir blocking some punches.
Noir lands an uppercut.
Serronen lands with a right to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Noir goes for a takedown in the clinch but Serronen prevents it.
Serronen misses with the head strike.
Noir misses with a punch to the body.
Serronen scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Serronen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Noir's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Noir creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Noir.
Serronen throws a head punch that misses.
Serronen misses with the head strike.
Noir lands a left hand that snaps the head of Serronen backwards.
Serronen lands a body shot.
Noir is working for takedown but Serronen is calmly controlling the position for now.

Noir ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Noir no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Noir trying to control the position.
Noir pulls Serronen in close to prevent any damage.

Noir is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Serronen defends well.
Serronen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Noir swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Serronen forces his way into half guard.
Noir wants to get back to full guard.
Noir is still trying to improve position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Noir gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Serronen trying to control the position from guard on top but Noir is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Serronen stands and throws Noir's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Noir regains half guard.
Serronen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Noir does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Noir is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Noir looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Serronen has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Noir has given up his back here. Will Serronen look for the submission or keep pounding away?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Serronen has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Serronen is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Noir is defending well though. Serronen let's go of the attempt for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Serronen has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Noir has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Noir rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aku Serronen dominated that round.
That's time! Serronen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Noir feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Serronens jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
A head kick by Serronen misses

and Noir counters with a nice double leg into side control. Serronen won't be happy with that.
Noir controlling the position.
Serronen is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Noir off and has taken his back!
Serronen doesn't have the hooks in and Noir manages to turn into his guard.
James Noir has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Serronen wants to sweep but no luck.
Serronen lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Noir is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Serronen wants to pass the guard but Noir is keeping the position.
Noir lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Serronen managing to control the position.
Noir working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Serronen's head.
Serronen controls Noir momentarily but Noir frees himself.
Serronen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Noir manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noir is trying to keep Serronen in close.
Serronen stopping the sweep attempt from Noir.
Noir controls Serronen momentarily but Serronen frees himself.
Noir pulls Serronen in to control the position.
Serronen is pushing down on Noir's leg trying to pass to half guard. Noir is fighting to maintain full guard but Serronen has managed to sneak the leg through.
Serronen wants to free his trapped foot but Noir is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Noir trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Serronen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Noir does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Serronen tries to pass to full mount but Noir defends it.
Noir is trying to get back to full guard.
Noir is in trouble now - Serronen has advanced to mount!
Serronen wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

That's four 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.
Noir is desperately trying to improve his position but Serronen has a good base and remains in mount.
Serronen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Noir is looking to escape.
Serronen is really struggling to control Noir but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Noir wants to hold on but Serronen pushes him away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Serronen with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but James Noir will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Serronen throws a hook but Noir blocks it.
Serronen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Noir checks a leg kick nicely.
Nice defenses there by Serronen.
Nice defenses there by Serronen.
A telegraphed right hand from Noir misses the target.
Serronen tries a low kick but Noir avoids it.
Noir chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Serronen can pounce on him.
Serronen tries to clinch up
and Serronen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A jab from Noir misses.
Serronen is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Noir misses with a straight right.
Serronen thinks about countering with a body kick.
Noir paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Serronen drops his hands momentarily and Noir takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Noir on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Serronen tries to work over Noir's front leg with a kick but Noir checks it.
Aku Serronen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noir throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Serronen stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Serronen moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Serronen walks into a jab.
James Noir seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Serronen takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Serronen slips under a jab from Noir.
And Serronen counters with a quick kick to the body but Noir blocks it.
A slow jab from Serronen misses its intended target.
Noir with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Serronen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Serronen rushes Noir and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Serronen tries a body shot but Noir blocks it.

Noir breaks the clinch.
Serronen slips under a jab from Noir.
Serronen blocks a jab.
Serronen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Noir misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noir ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Serronen moves away.
Serronen tried to counter with a leg kick but Noir avoided it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Serronen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Noir throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Serronen throws a leg kick that misses.
Serronen is looking to clinch but Noir is avoiding it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Noir.
Noir swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Noir scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Serronen gets a clinch.
Noir is looking for a takedown.
Serronen can't find room to land a body shot as Noir controls the action.

Noir works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Noir won't allow Serronen to sweep him here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Serronen is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Serronen wants to control from the top but Noir keeps moving.
Serronen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Noir swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Noir is trying to keep Serronen in close.

Noir looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Serronen looking to sit in guard and control but Noir gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Serronen keeping moving, preventing Noir from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Noir is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Noir missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Noir preventing the sweep.
Noir lands a couple of elbows.
Noir passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Noir trying to control the position but Serronen is working away.
Serronen trying to remain calm as Noir controls from the top position.
Serronen is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Noir comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Noir has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Aku Serronen!
A victorious Aku Serronen thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.