PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between James Butler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Olle Koskinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Olle Koskinen is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Butler
vs
Koskinen

175 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, James Butler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Olle Koskinen!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koskinen looks to land a combination but Butler avoids it well.
Koskinen throws a right hand that Butler ducks under and follows up with a left that Butler also avoids with ease.
Butler listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Koskinen dips to his left and cracks Butler with an uppercut!
Koskinen misses the jab.
Koskinen tries to bum rush Butler with a series of wild strikes but Butler uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Koskinen throws the left hand but Butler avoids the punch easily.
Butler slips under a jab.
A combination from Butler does no damage.
Butler goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Koskinen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Koskinen misses with a body shot.
Koskinen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koskinen misses with a body shot.
Koskinen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Koskinen fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Butler tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Koskinen swivels and escapes.
Koskinen misses with a hook. Butler ducked under it nicely.
Butler throws a left and a right that both miss
and Butler takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A left lands for Koskinen.
The fighters circling - Koskinen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Butler misses with a few strikes there.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Koskinen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koskinen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Koskinen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Butler looks for a takedown but Koskinen sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Butler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Koskinen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Butler keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Koskinen.
Olle Koskinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Butler throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Koskinen counters with a left and a right that stings Butler.
Butler lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Koskinen circles away quickly and effectively.
Butler avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Butler keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koskinen throws a body punch but Butler moves out of range.
Butler throws a combination that misses
and Koskinen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Butler misses with a series of wild punches.
Nice uppercut lands for Koskinen. That snapped Butler's head back.
Koskinen misses the jab.
Butler misses with a double jab
and Koskinen counters with a stiff right hand.
Butler steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Koskinen.
Butler throws a left and a right that both miss
and Koskinen counters with a stiff right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koskinen misses with the combination.
Koskinen throws a one two combo.
A shot to de liver by Koskinen. Beautiful body shot.
Butler takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Butler throws a left and a right that both miss
and Koskinen counters with a left and a right that stings Butler.
Koskinen ducks under a wild hook from Butler.
Koskinen tries to clinch up.
Olle Koskinen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Koskinen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Butler keeps control of Koskinen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Koskinen prevents Butler from breaking the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Koskinen waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Butler.
Butler ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nice uppercut lands for Koskinen. That snapped Butler's head back.
Koskinen throws the left hand but Butler avoids the punch easily.
Butler lands with a right hand.
Butler takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Koskinen cracks Butler with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Butler takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Koskinen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Butler.
Koskinen scores with a jab to the body.
Koskinen tries to clinch up but Butler circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butler moves out of range as Koskinen strikes.
Koskinen scores with a jab. Butler acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Koskinen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Koskinen misses with a body kick.
Koskinen cracks Butler with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Butler throws a combination that misses
and Koskinen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Butler fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Butler misses with a straight left.
Koskinen swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Butler counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Butler rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Koskinen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koskinen scores with a three punch combo!
Koskinen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Butler. Butler circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Koskinen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Butler takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
James Butler is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Butler lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
The fighters circling - Koskinen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Koskinen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Koskinen misses with a combination
and Butler counters with a three punch combo that has Koskinen backing up. Koskinen nods at Butler to acknowledge the strikes.
Butler throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koskinen stuffs the takedown.
Koskinen doesn't manage to clinch there - Butler circles away.
Koskinen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Koskinen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Koskinen scores with a jab.
Butler falls off balance throwing a combination
and Koskinen counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Butler thinking.
Butler has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Olle Koskinen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Koskinen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Butler circles away quickly and effectively.
Butler takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Butler.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Butler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Butler throws a hook but Koskinen blocks it.
Butler circles away from the clinch attempt
and Butler counters with a right hand to the body.
Koskinen moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Koskinen clinches up with Butler and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Butler tries to break the clinch but Koskinen is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Olle Koskinen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Koskinen tries to clinch up.
Butler will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Koskinen misses with a wild combination.
Butler misses with a hook to the body
and Koskinen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Koskinen scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Butler looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Butler keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Butler. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Koskinen throws a predictable looking body shot
and Butler counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Koskinen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Butler.
Butler changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Koskinen tries to avoid it but Butler manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Koskinen to the ground. Koskinen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Koskinen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Butler takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butler throws a one two combo.
Koskinen swinging wilding here.
Butler scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Koskinen misses with a looping right.
Butler scores with a jab to the body.
A big left from Butler misses.
A nice combination there by Butler.
Butler misses with a body shot
and Koskinen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Koskinen lands a jab to Butler's midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butler loads up on a big right hand but Koskinen slips the punch.
No joy there for Butler, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Butler swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Koskinen counters with a nice body shot.
Koskinen throws a jab when Butler was well out of range.
Butler moves out of range of the body kick from Koskinen.
Koskinen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Koskinen has Butler up against the cage in a clinch.

Koskinen manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butler looks to score with a jab to the body but Koskinen is just out of range.
Koskinen lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Butler rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Koskinen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Koskinen slips a jab and a cross from Butler.
Butler uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Koskinen has time to react.
Koskinen throws a combination. Butler tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Butler keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Koskinen.
Butler shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Butler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Koskinen closes the distance but Butler moves to the side
and Butler counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Koskinen thinking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butler throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
James Butler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Koskinen ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Nice defenses there by Butler.
Koskinen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Butler circles away quickly and effectively.
Butler showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Koskinen.
Koskinen connects with a single shot there.
Butler takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Olle Koskinen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Butler throws a left and a right that both miss
and Koskinen counters with a two punch combo.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to James Butler.
Well Koskinen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Olle Koskinen!