PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pekka Perkalla (ranked 2609 p4p, 3632 weight class) and Antwon Phisher (ranked 216 p4p, 288 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Antwon Phisher enters the cage!

Perkalla
vs
Phisher

170 cm
20
149
4 - 2 - 0

171 cm
23
145
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Pekka Perkalla!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Antwon Phisher!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Perkalla gets a takedown into half guard.
Perkalla performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Phisher is trying to maintain the position but Perkalla is very close to passing his half guard.
Phisher on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Perkalla has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Phisher wants to get back to full guard.
Phisher is staying active underneath Perkalla, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Perkalla slips a nice elbow through Phisher's hands, connecting with Phisher's forehead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perkalla looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Perkalla landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Perkalla in particular looking to stall.
Perkalla looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Phisher trying to hold on to Perkalla's head to control him but Perkalla postures up.
Perkalla missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Perkalla keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Perkalla looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Perkalla controlling the pace.
Perkalla lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Phisher wants to improve his position but Perkalla is controlling well.
Perkalla has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phisher trying to control here.
Perkalla scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Perkalla is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Phisher!
Phisher is wriggling around trying to escape.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Perkalla lands a nice shot to the head.
Perkalla trying to control but Phisher is having none of it.
Phisher is trying to escape the mount.
Perkalla with a couple of short strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Perkalla looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Perkalla lands with some strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Pekka Perkalla dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Perkalla shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Perkalla showed some decent athleticism there.
Perkalla is looking to stall here but Phisher recovers full guard.
Phisher trying to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Perkalla works over Phisher with some ground and pound from guard.
Perkalla trying to control the position from guard on top but Phisher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pekka Perkalla overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Perkalla is fighting to break Phisher's control of his arms but Phisher is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perkalla connects with a couple of short punches.
Phisher wants to hit a sweep here but Perkalla passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Phisher there!
Phisher is looking to improve his position but Perkalla isn't that keen on the idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Phisher takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Perkalla with the ground and pound from mount.
Perkalla controlling from mount.
Phisher really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Perkalla avoids the attempt from Phisher to control.
Perkalla takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Phisher is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Perkalla landing shots from mount.
Perkalla tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Phisher wants to hold on but Perkalla pushes him away.
Perkalla breaks from Phisher's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Perkalla landing strikes from the mount.

Phisher is rocked!
Perkalla controlling his opponent.
Phisher is still in real trouble! Can Perkalla finish him?
Perkalla lands a big shot there that rocks Phisher but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Phisher really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Perkalla. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Perkalla looking to control and managing it successfully.
Phisher taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phisher tries to hold on but Perkalla pushes him away.
Perkalla raining down hammerfists from mount.
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!
Perkalla loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Phisher scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Perkalla land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Perkalla stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Pekka Perkalla!
Pekka Perkalla is the new featherweight champion!