PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Juha Niska (ranked 3052 p4p, 2934 weight class) and Doyle Brunson (ranked 396 p4p, 383 weight class). Juha Niska has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Niska
vs
Brunson

193 cm
36
212
25 - 19 - 0

177 cm
23
215
3 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Voodoo Nutrition

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 25 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Juha Niska!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Doyle Brunson!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Yves DeLean and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Niska chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Brunson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Niska manages to avoid it.
Niska works Brunson's body with a nice hook.
Brunson looks to score with a jab to the body but Niska is just out of range.
Brunson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Niska counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Niska connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Brunson has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Brunson misses with the body kick

and Niska counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Niska.
Niska taking a breather.
Niska tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brunson is looking to break free of the clinch but Niska has double underhooks.
Niska effectively controlling the action here.

Niska works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brunson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Niska is controlling him.
Brunson keeping moving, preventing Niska from controlling successfully.
Niska throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Brunson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Niska pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Brunson is keeping the position for now.
Brunson wants to get back to his feet but Niska is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Brunson throws a predictable looking body shot
and Niska counters with a straight right hand.
Brunson lands with a nice body punch.
Brunson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Niska counters with a right hand to the body.
Brunson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Niska was well out of range. Poor timing from Brunson.
Niska shoots in and drives through. Brunson sprawls well.
Niska feints and then cracks Brunson's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Brunson down.
Niska stuns Brunson with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Niska checks a low kick from Brunson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niska keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Brunson lands with a good body shot.
Brunson swings for the body but Niska moves out of range.

Niska forces Brunson back against the cage and clinches.
Niska is stalling here.
Brunson blocks an uppercut.
Brunson is looking to break free of the clinch but Niska has double underhooks.
A right hook to the body lands for Niska.

Niska breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brunson throws a body shot but no joy.
It looked like Niska was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Brunson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Brunson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Niska.
Brunson misses with an attempted mid kick.
Brunson throws a sloppy body shot
and Niska counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Niska takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Brunson swings for the body but Niska moves out of range.
Niska has been working on his balance at Sparks gym, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Brunson.
Niska avoids the body shot from Brunson.
Brunson lands with a good body shot.
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!
Niska connects with a jab.
Brunson fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Niska looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Niska showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Brunson.

Niska rushes Brunson and presses him up against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juha Niska dominated that round.
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.

Niska tries to clinch up but Brunson circles away and keeps his distance.
Brunson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Niska wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Niska avoids the body shot from Brunson.
A counter left hand to the body from Niska misses its target.
A shot to the body from Brunson misses
letting Niska counter with a right hand.
Niska throws a right and a left that Brunson avoids nicely.
Doyle Brunson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Brunson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Niska closes the distance and clinches.
Brunson is trying to push Niska away but Niska has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Niska slows down the pace here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Niska with a knee to the head.

It looks like Doyle Brunson has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niska has Brunson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Brunson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Niska has Brunson pushed against the cage.
Brunson is trying to break the clinch but Niska is controlling him.
Niska stalling against the cage.
Niska tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Niska lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Niska is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Brunson is defending well for now.
Brunson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Niska prevents it.
Brunson tries to break free but Niska pushes him back against the cage.
Niska drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niska displaying some good clinch control by pressing Brunson up against the cage.

Niska escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Niska is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Brunson can do to turn this around?
Brunson just misses with a punch to the body.
Brunson just misses with a punch to the body.
As Brunson looks to move away, Niska throws a big counter combo but Brunson just gets out of the way.
Niska thows a body kick. Brunson tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Brunson attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brunson avoids a kick to the body.
Brunson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Brunson just misses with a punch to the body.
Brunson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Brunson throws a body shot but no joy.
Brunson is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Niska rather than just go for the knockout.

Niska rushes Brunson and presses him up against the cage.
Brunson tries to break free but Niska pushes him back against the cage.
Niska displaying some good clinch control by pressing Brunson up against the cage.
Niska displaying some good clinch control by pressing Brunson up against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juha Niska dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Doyle Brunson's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Brunson misses with a kick to the body
and Niska counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Niska gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Niska creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Brunson's defenses.
Niska drops down looking for an ankle pick but Brunson pulls his leg out and moves away.

Brunson tries to keep at a distance but Niska has taken the fight into the clinch.
Niska pressing his opponent against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brunson tries to break free but Niska pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niska stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Niska is pushing Brunson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Niska for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Niska looking for a takedown.
Niska is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Niska is pushing Brunson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Juha Niska.
Brunson misses the body punch
and Niska makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Brunson looks to score with a jab to the body but Niska is just out of range.
Brunson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Brunson with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Brunson walks into a jab.
Niska tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Brunson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Niska is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Brunson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Niska to the mat! Niska manages to get full guard.

Niska is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Brunson taking a breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Niska manages to break the clinch.
Brunson is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Niska.
Brunson looks to land a combination but Niska avoids it well.
Niska throws a nice head kick!
Niska doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Brunson lands with a good body shot.
Brunson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Brunson tries for a takedown but Niska circles away easily
and Niska connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Niska lands with a slapping head kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Brunson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Niska.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niska scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Brunson is rocked!
A lazy left from Niska finds it's target.
Brunson is still on wobbly legs! Can Niska finish him?
Niska showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Brunson.
Niska doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Niska connects with a right that clearly hurt Brunson. He's backed up against the cage with nowhere to go as Niska proceeds to tee off with vicious combinations till Brunson collapses and taps out under the pressure!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Juha Niska!
After the fight, Juha Niska was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.