PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Jorma Erkkila (ranked 5541 p4p, 4750 weight class) and Leonidas Nikopolidis (ranked 614 p4p, 582 weight class). Nikopolidis has chosen De Ginetei as his entrance music. Jorma Erkkila has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Erkkila
vs
Nikopolidis

151 cm
21
210
1 - 0 - 0

194 cm
25
205
0 - 0 - 0

Excellent MT
Good chin

Dangerous knees
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jorma Erkkila!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Leonidas Nikopolidis!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Sano and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Erkkila circles away from the clinch attempt.
It looked like Erkkila wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Nikopolidis throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nikopolidis tries to clinch up
and Erkkila counters with a nice uppercut.
Nikopolidis tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Erkkila manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Erkkila swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Nikopolidis fails in his attempt to clinch.
Erkkila 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.
Nikopolidis throws a head kick that misses.
A quick step to the side and Erkkila tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nikopolidis closes the distance but Erkkila moves to the side
and Erkkila counters with a stiff right hand.

It looks like Leonidas Nikopolidis has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikopolidis darts in trying to clinch
and Erkkila counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Nikopolidis scores with a head kick. Erkkila tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Nikopolidis tries to clinch
and before Nikopolidis has any time to reset, Erkkila cracks him with a big right hand that drops him face first to the canvas! He's hurt! I don't think he's going to get back up from that one! He's trying but he's doing the chicken dance and has face planted into to ropes, causing the referee to bring this fight to an end! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:37 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punch). Jorma Erkkila!
A relieved looking Jorma Erkkila thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.