PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ari Vanhala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pavlos Stathis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Vanhala might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Bad Religion - Generator. Stathis has chosen Testament - Eyes of Wrath as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Vanhala
vs
Stathis

180 cm
23
191 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

185 cm
23
192 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ari Vanhala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pavlos Stathis!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stathis swinging wildly here.
Vanhala scores with a jab to the body.
Vanhala thows a body shot but no joy.
Nice jab there from Vanhala.

It looks like Pavlos Stathis has been cut.
Stathis tries to bum rush Vanhala with a series of wild strikes but Vanhala uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Vanhala blocks a head kick by Stathis.
Vanhala lands with a hook. Stathis tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Stathis will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Vanhala decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Vanhala looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Vanhala not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vanhala has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Vanhala 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vanhala unloading with bombs!

Vanhala jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Stathis manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Stathis regains half guard, as Vanhala was trying to land strikes.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Stathis can do anything to dispel that myth.
Vanhala thows a huge punch but Stathis dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vanhala is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Vanhala trying to control from half guard but Stathis is working away.
Vanhala wants to pass the guard but Stathis is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vanhala thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Vanhala wants to pass the guard but Stathis is defending well.
Vanhala not landing any meaningful shots this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Vanhala has Stathis up against the cage in a clinch.
A right hand to the body from Vanhala.
Stathis can't break the clinch.
Vanhala is pushing Stathis up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Vanhala is trying to trip Stathis. He has hold of a leg but Stathis is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Vanhala persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vanhala trying to control but Stathis is working from the bottom.
Stathis really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Vanhala. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Vanhala in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Vanhala in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stathis preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Vanhala dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pavlos Stathis's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Stathis swinging wildly here.
Stathis steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vanhala.
Stathis misses with a two punch combination.

Vanhala forces Stathis back against the cage and clinches.
Vanhala works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Vanhala.
Stathis working hard to break the clinch.
Stathis stops a takedown attempt from Vanhala.
Vanhala lands a right hand that snaps the head of Stathis backwards.
Vanhala lands a left hand.
Vanhala manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Vanhala presses Stathis against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Stathis is breathing heavily.
Vanhala prevents Stathis from breaking the clinch.
Stathis looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Vanhala leaning against his opponent.
Vanhala lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stathis tries to break free but Vanhala pushes him back against the cage.
Vanhala lands a shot to the body.
Vanhala just leaning against Stathis, taking a breather.
A nice right hand lands inside from Vanhala.
Vanhala lands a right hand.

Vanhala has hold of one of Stathis's legs. Stathis is fighting the takedown attempt but Vanhala gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Vanhala passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Stathis defending against the ground and pound.
Vanhala lands a few punches from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vanhala sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Stathis is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vanhala scoring with punches and elbows.
Vanhala trying to control the action but Stathis is working from the bottom.
Vanhala cracks Stathis with a big right hand but Stathis just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vanhala controls the position from side control.

Vanhala wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Stathis, who protects the arm well.
Vanhala creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Stathis sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Vanhala is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Stathis's shoulder. That is not cool.
Vanhala throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Vanhala cracks Stathis with a big right hand but Stathis just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Vanhala wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stathis keeps working.
The strikes coming from Vanhala are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The ground and pound from Vanhala seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Vanhala dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Pavlos Stathis's cut.
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!

Danga de danga de dang - Vanhala scores with a four punch combination!
Vanhala with a jab.
Vanhala lands a nice shot to the body.
Vanhala bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Stathis throws a left and a right that both miss
and Vanhala connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Vanhala lands a nice hook to Stathis's body. Stathis takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Vanhala rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Stathis moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Vanhala lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That has opened up Pavlos Stathis's cut even more.
A left and a right from Vanhala both land. Nice combination.

Stathis is rocked!
Vanhala closes the distance and lands a crisp combination that knocks Stathis out cold! Stathis corner are devastated, head in hands behind our commentary position. Poor guys.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Ari Vanhala!