PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Seppo Ilmarinen (ranked 1276 p4p, 1488 weight class) and Hafir Dharris (ranked 175 p4p, 209 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ilmarinen
vs
Dharris

192 cm
22
210
5 - 2 - 0

190 cm
22
205
8 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Seppo Ilmarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hafir Dharris !
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Daniel Bishop and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ilmarinen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dharris sprawls well. Dharris wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ilmarinen gets slowly back to his feet.
Ilmarinen misses with a takedown attempt - Dharris sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ilmarinen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ilmarinen goes for a double leg but Dharris avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Dharris continues to drive forward.
I was talking to Ilmarinen's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Seppo Ilmarinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ilmarinen has Dharris pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Dharris manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Ilmarinen is fighting off a takedown attempt but Dharris is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Ilmarinen to the mat. Ilmarinen regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Ilmarinen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dharris gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ilmarinen is trying to control the position but Dharris postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ilmarinen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Ilmarinen looking for a guillotine here but Dharris defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilmarinen keeping full guard, as Dharris tries to pass.

Ilmarinen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dharris gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ilmarinen trying to control the position.
Ilmarinen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Well, if Ilmarinen is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Dharris trying to hold on to Ilmarinen's head to control him but Ilmarinen postures up.
Dharris is trying is best to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ilmarinen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Ilmarinen tries to pass to full mount but Dharris defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dharris is looking to control Ilmarinen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dharris avoid being mounted?
Ilmarinen trying to pass the guard but Dharris defending well.

Ilmarinen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Dharris defends it well.
Dharris controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dharris is looking for a sweep. Ilmarinen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Dharris is refusing to be controlled, as Ilmarinen sits in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ilmarinen is looking for a kimura here.
Ilmarinen is keen to just control but Dharris is a slippery customer.

Ilmarinen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Dharris sees it coming and defends easily.
Dharris is trying is best to control the position here.
Dharris is looking to control Ilmarinen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dharris avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Ilmarinen uses his free foot to push down on Dharris 's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Dharris .
Ilmarinen wants to control the pace but Dharris is squirming around nicely.

Ilmarinen has isolated one of Dharris 's arms. Dharris looking to fight him off but Ilmarinen twists into an armbar. It's tight... Will he tap?? YES, he's tapped! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:35 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Seppo Ilmarinen!