PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sepi Kumpulainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Little john (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). john has chosen its a fight as his entrance music. Little john has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Kumpulainen
vs
john

172 cm
24
143 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

175 cm
24
135 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sepi Kumpulainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Little john!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Seu Braga and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kumpulainen catches john with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
john misses the shot to the body.
john fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kumpulainen manages to avoid it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
john tries a knee to the head but Kumpulainen blocks it.
Kumpulainen lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Kumpulainen tightens his grip and picks john up, before dumping him to the ground. john manages to land in guard.

john working for a triangle but Kumpulainen defends it easily.

Kumpulainen drops back, looking for a kneebar! john looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. john looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from john!
Kumpulainen gets back to half guard.
Kumpulainen moves into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
john wants to pass the guard but Kumpulainen is keeping the position.
Kumpulainen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

john got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kumpulainen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, john has managed to get both his arms back between Kumpulainen's legs - danger averted.
Kumpulainen wants to stand but john is controlling the position.

Kumpulainen scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Kumpulainen tries to close the distance and clinch but john swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
john wants to clinch.
john fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

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.

Kumpulainen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

john is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kumpulainen defends well.
Kumpulainen controlling from the top position.
Kumpulainen stands and throws john's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Kumpulainen goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, john has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Kumpulainen but great work by john.

john tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no john has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kumpulainen is not content to let john control the position.
Kumpulainen is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked john off and has taken his back!
Kumpulainen has the hooks in. john is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Kumpulainen trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
What can john do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
john rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kumpulainen has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
john is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Kumpulainen fails to move to back control.
Kumpulainen looking to control and managing it successfully.

Kumpulainen jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but john manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Kumpulainen decides to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sepi Kumpulainen dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kumpulainen moves into the clinch.
Kumpulainen is working john over against the cage.
john tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kumpulainen smiles and moves away.

Kumpulainen darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
john is trying to maintain the position but Kumpulainen is very close to passing his half guard.

Kumpulainen wants to work for an arm triangle but john is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Kumpulainen frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Kumpulainen looking to secure an arm triangle but john defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kumpulainen punching from mount but john doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Kumpulainen looking to finish with strikes here!
john tries to lock up and control but Kumpulainen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
john is controlling an arm, preventing Kumpulainen from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
john is wriggling around trying to escape.

Kumpulainen wants to finish this one by submission but john is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Kumpulainen.
Kumpulainen trying to control but john is having none of it.

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.
john wants to control but Kumpulainen is having none of it.
Kumpulainen throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Kumpulainen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as john is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kumpulainen stands up from mount. Strange move.

Kumpulainen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Kumpulainen wants to free his trapped foot but john is holding on for dear life with his legs.

john actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
john is trying to get back to full guard.
Kumpulainen passes the guard and advances to mount!

Kumpulainen stands up from mount. Strange move.

Kumpulainen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches john napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Kumpulainen thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
john gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
john reaches up to try and control the position but Kumpulainen seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! john rolls and tries to escape and now Kumpulainen has his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kumpulainen looking for the RNC.
Kumpulainen is striking well from the back but john escapes and manages to control the positon and works his way to half guard. A much better position - the crisis is over for the time being.
Sepi Kumpulainen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kumpulainen wants to free his trapped foot but john is holding on for dear life with his legs.
john is trying to get back to full guard.
john gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sepi Kumpulainen dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Kumpulainen moves out of range of the body kick from john.
Kumpulainen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
john misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Kumpulainen has john up against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kumpulainen.
Kumpulainen taking a breather.
A right hand to the body from Kumpulainen.
Kumpulainen lands with a short shot to the head.
Kumpulainen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of john backwards.
Kumpulainen leaning his opponent against the cage.

Kumpulainen gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, john regains guard.
john looking for a sweep. Not yet john, not yet.
Kumpulainen pushes down on john's leg and manages to get into half guard.
john takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kumpulainen is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kumpulainen trying to pass the guard but john defending well.
Kumpulainen wants to take a breather but john is having none of it.

Kumpulainen is looking for a kimura here.
john trying to hold on to Kumpulainen's head to control him but Kumpulainen postures up.

Kumpulainen postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for john to stand up.

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.
john tests Kumpulainen's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Kumpulainen circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kumpulainen moves into the clinch.
john swings wildly with an uppercut but Kumpulainen uses good head movement to avoid it.
john tries to pull guard but Kumpulainen holds him up against the cage and eventually john drops back down to his feet.

Kumpulainen has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed john clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Kumpulainen gets his hands free as john looks to control.
john is really stuck here.

john showing good submission defense here.
john tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

john preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Kumpulainen.

Kumpulainen is working for the choke. I would put my money on him to finish from this position. He's rolled onto his back and has dragged john with him. john is trying to defend but Kumpulainen has an arm under the chin now! john grimaces and is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Sepi Kumpulainen!