PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Juha Maenpaa (ranked 6597 p4p, 4205 weight class) and Honza Hohol (ranked 674 p4p, 525 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Maenpaa
vs
Hohol

188 cm
18
185
0 - 1 - 0

184 cm
18
192
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Experienced

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juha Maenpaa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Honza Hohol!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Phil Schofield and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hohol shoots for a double leg takedown but Maenpaa sprawls well. He's pushed Hohol's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Maenpaa lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Hohol shoots in for a takedown but Maenpaa shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Hohol shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Maenpaa napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Hohol misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Maenpaa prevents Hohol from improving position.
Hohol working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Hohol in side control, throwing shots but Maenpaa defends.
Maenpaa tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hohol wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Maenpaa can't do much from the bottom here.
Hohol misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Hohol throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Hohol is trying to ground and pound but Maenpaa uses the momentary lack of control by Hohol to regain half guard.
Hohol uses his free foot to push down on Maenpaa's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Maenpaa.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hohol throwing strikes but Maenpaa uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Maenpaa avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hohol.
Hohol thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Maenpaa's head.
Hohol is looking to advance position but Maenpaa won't allow it.
Hohol thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Hohol thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Maenpaa's head.
Hohol missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hohol working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Maenpaa's thigh. Maenpaa counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Hohol is looking to work some ground and pound but Maenpaa has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hohol loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hohol with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hohol sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Maenpaa's guard.
Hohol throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hohol throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hohol missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maenpaa is breathing heavily.
Hohol performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Hohol throwing shots but Maenpaa is blocking nicely.
Hohol thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Hohol throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Maenpaa on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Maenpaa tries to get out of the position.
Hohol thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Hohol thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Maenpaa's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hohol thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Maenpaa's head.
Hohol not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hohol thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Hohol is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Hohol throwing strikes here but Maenpaa is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Hohol trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hohol throwing strikes here but Maenpaa is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Hohol throws some wild stikes that Maenpaa manages to avoid easily.
Hohol thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Hohol throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Hohol there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hohol throwing strikes here but Maenpaa is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Maenpaa is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Maenpaa holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Hohol tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Hohol misses with a head shot.
Hohol throws some wild stikes that Maenpaa manages to avoid easily.
Hohol throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hohol throwing strikes here but Maenpaa is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Hohol controlling the position easily from mount.
Hohol thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Hohol throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Honza Hohol dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Hohol shoots in and gets a takedown into Maenpaa's guard.
Hohol with a flurry of punches that miss.

Hohol has gone for a leg lock! Maenpaa slips out almost immediately though and dives into Hohol's guard.

Hohol looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hohol not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hohol is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hohol is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Hohol keeps trying to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maenpaa trying to control but Hohol is working from the bottom.
Maenpaa stopping the sweep attempt from Hohol.
Honza Hohol has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hohol throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Hohol has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hohol wants to improve his position but instead Maenpaa has moved into half guard.
Hohol is trying to control but Maenpaa passes into side control!
Hohol can't do much from the bottom here.
Hohol is looking to reverse the position.
Hohol can't do much from the bottom here.
Hohol is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maenpaa working away.
Maenpaa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hohol keeps working.
Hohol gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hohol is looking for a sweep. Maenpaa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hohol is looking to control Maenpaa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hohol avoid being mounted?
Hohol makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hohol.
Hohol tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hohol has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Maenpaa has passed into side control.
Hohol has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Hohol is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Maenpaa's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Maenpaa prevents Hohol from improving his position.
Hohol is looking to control Maenpaa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hohol avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hohol throws a strike from the bottom but Maenpaa passes into side control!
Hohol can't do much from the bottom here.
Hohol sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Hohol trying to get back to full guard but Maenpaa takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Hohol is in all sorts of trouble here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hohol tries to hold on but Maenpaa pushes him away.
Hohol working to try and regain half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Juha Maenpaa 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. This is the final round!

Hohol shoots for a double leg takedown but Maenpaa sprawls well. He's pushed Hohol's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Hohol throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Maenpaa tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Hohol is in Maenpaa's guard.
Hohol throws a strike but Maenpaa rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Hohol looking for a sweep. Not yet Hohol, not yet.
Hohol is still trying to improve position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maenpaa trying to control but Hohol is working from the bottom.
Hohol wants to sweep here but Maenpaa controlling him for the moment.
Maenpaa wants to control from the top but Hohol keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hohol is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hohol not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hohol missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hohol throwing shots but Maenpaa is blocking nicely.
Hohol missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Maenpaa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hohol looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Maenpaa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Maenpaa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hohol.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hohol thows a huge punch but Maenpaa dodges it nicely.
Maenpaa is staying active underneath Hohol, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hohol thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Maenpaa's head.
Maenpaa avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hohol.
Hohol throwing shots but Maenpaa is blocking nicely.
Hohol works his way into side control.
Hohol wants to control but Maenpaa is keeping him busy.
Hohol misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Maenpaa parries the strikes from Hohol easily there. Hohol is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Maenpaa to escape.
Hohol tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Hohol tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maenpaa avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hohol.
Hohol working the ground and pound from side control.
An elbow from Hohol crashes against the mat.
Hohol sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Maenpaa is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Hohol misses with the ground and pound.
Hohol throws a strike aimed at the side of Maenpaa's head but Maenpaa avoids it well.
Sloppy strikes there by Hohol.
Hohol sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Maenpaa is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Hohol postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Hohol throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Hohol postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Hohol cracks Maenpaa with a big right hand but Maenpaa just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Hohol seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Maenpaa prevents Hohol from moving into mount.
Maenpaa dodges the ground and pound from Hohol.
Hohol throws a strike aimed at the side of Maenpaa's head but Maenpaa avoids it well.

Hohol is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Maenpaa knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Hohol creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Maenpaa sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hohol landing a few strikes.
Hohol misses with the ground and pound.
Hohol working the ground and pound but Maenpaa is defending the strikes.
Hohol looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Maenpaa is avoiding damage well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Honza Hohol comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hohol 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Honza Hohol!