PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nisper Ykonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ykonen is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Raised Fist - Friends and Traitors. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Emelianenko
vs
Ykonen

170 cm
26
185 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

181 cm
26
198 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

M/S Paint Fightwear *** Cheapest in town ***

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 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Ivan Emelianenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nisper Ykonen!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emelianenko takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Emelianenko jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Emelianenko cracks Ykonen with a good jab.

It looks like Nisper Ykonen has been cut.
A jab from Emelianenko misses.
Ykonen lands a nice shot that snaps Emelianenko's head back.
No joy there for Ykonen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ykonen getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Ykonen throws a jab when Emelianenko was well out of range.
Ykonen misses with a head kick.
Ykonen misses with a left hand
and Emelianenko counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ykonen lands a head shot.
Emelianenko thows a body shot but no joy.
Ykonen scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Ykonen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Emelianenko counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Emelianenko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ykonen is keeping the position for now.
Ykonen keeping moving, preventing Emelianenko from controlling successfully.
Emelianenko looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ykonen wants to sweep here but Emelianenko controlling him for the moment.
Ykonen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Emelianenko. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Emelianenko wants to pass the guard but Ykonen is keeping the position.
Emelianenko passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Ykonen is not content to let Emelianenko control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Emelianenko tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Emelianenko is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ykonen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Ykonen stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Ykonen misses with a straight left.
Emelianenko ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ykonen moves away.
Emelianenko misses with a right hand
and Ykonen counters with a straight right hand.
Emelianenko avoids a kick to the body.
Emelianenko just misses with a punch to the body.
Donk. Emelianenko catches Ykonen right on the button with a cross.
Ykonen fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko throws a hook to the side of Ykonen's head but Ykonen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nice uppercut lands for Ykonen. That snapped Emelianenko's head back.
A looping hook to the body misses from Emelianenko. Ykonen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ykonen scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Emelianenko takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Ykonen is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
A jab from Emelianenko does it's job there.
Ykonen blocks a jab.
Emelianenko ducks right into an uppercut from Ykonen.
Nisper Ykonen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Emelianenko misses with a hook. Ykonen ducked under it nicely.
Ykonen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nisper Ykonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ykonen lands a front kick.
Ykonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Emelianenko manages to avoid it.
Ykonen lands a jab to the nose.
Emelianenko lands with an overhand left.
Emelianenko ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ykonen moves away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ykonen stalks Emelianenko and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Emelianenko's face. Emelianenko staggers backwards, shaken.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ykonen misses with a straight left.
Emelianenko loads up on a big right hand but Ykonen slips the punch.
Emelianenko takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Ykonen throws a right hand that misses
and Emelianenko counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ivan Emelianenko will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nisper Ykonen'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.

Ykonen misses with an uppercut
and Emelianenko counters with a stiff right hand.
Ykonen jabs Emelianenko to the body, keeping him at a distance.
That kick from Ykonen tenderised Emelianenko's leg. Emelianenko is trying to keep his angry face on.
Emelianenko lands a nice shot that snaps Ykonen's head back.
Emelianenko blocks a head kick by Ykonen.
Ykonen misses with a hook.
A jab lands there for Ykonen.
Emelianenko takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Emelianenko works the jab nicely.
Emelianenko loads up on a big right hand but Ykonen slips the punch.
Emelianenko throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ykonen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Good standup being displayed there by Ykonen as he connects with a hook.
Ykonen lands a right hook to the body.
Ykonen throws a shot from downtown. Emelianenko moves away and avoids it.
Emelianenko tries to move into range but Ykonen moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Emelianenko drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Ykonen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Emelianenko digs a good hook to Ykonen's body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Emelianenko scores with a hook to the body. Ykonen takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko connects with a jab.

Emelianenko drops Ykonen with a left right combo! Emelianenko follows him down to the ground into side control.

Ykonen is rocked!

Emelianenko is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ykonen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Ykonen is still in real trouble! Can Emelianenko finish him?
Ykonen tries to improve position but can't.
Ykonen seems to have recovered his senses.
Emelianenko looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Ykonen is avoiding damage well.
Emelianenko in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Emelianenko lands a few punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko trying to control the position but Ykonen is working away.
Emelianenko looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Ykonen is avoiding damage well.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Emelianenko working the ground and pound but Ykonen is defending the strikes.
Ykonen dodges the ground and pound from Emelianenko.
Emelianenko controls the position from side control.
Emelianenko wants to control for a moment but Ykonen uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ykonen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Emelianenko with the ground and pound but Ykonen uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Emelianenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Ykonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Emelianenko throwing strikes from guard but Ykonen blocks nicely.
Emelianenko controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Emelianenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Ykonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Emelianenko tries to free his leg and advance position but Ykonen is retaining full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Emelianenko cracks Ykonen with a solid left hand.
Emelianenko trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Emelianenko dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Nisper Ykonen's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Ykonen lands a jab.
Emelianenko has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Emelianenko there as he acknowledges the shot.
Ykonen ducks under a wild hook from Emelianenko.
Emelianenko slips a jab and a cross from Ykonen.
Ykonen misses with a right hand
and Emelianenko counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Emelianenko lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Emelianenko uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ykonen.
Emelianenko takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Ykonen.
Emelianenko just misses with a punch to the body.
Ykonen misses with a straight left.
Ykonen walks into a stiff left hand from Emelianenko.
Ykonen throws an off balance right hand
and Emelianenko counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Ykonen lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Emelianenko has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Emelianenko and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Nice cross by Ykonen.
Ykonen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Emelianenko takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Donk. Ykonen catches Emelianenko right on the button with a cross.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ykonen throws a lazy uppercut
and Emelianenko counters with a stiff right hand.

That has opened up Nisper Ykonen's cut even more.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ykonen swings widly with a right hand
and Emelianenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Ykonen misses with a right hand
and Emelianenko counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ykonen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Emelianenko looks to throw the jab but Ykonen is out of range.
A jab from Emelianenko does it's job there.
Emelianenko throws a looping overhand right but Ykonen ducks down to avoid it.
Ykonen misses with an uppercut
and Emelianenko counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sloppy strikes from Ykonen. Those never looked like landing.
Ykonen shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Ykonen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ykonen takes a swing at Emelianenko's ribcage but misses.
Emelianenko misses the shot to the body.
Emelianenko tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ykonen was well out of range. Poor timing from Emelianenko.
Emelianenko misses with a hook.
Ykonen works Emelianenko's body with a nice hook.
Emelianenko pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Ykonen back to the ropes. Emelianenko follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

The cut above Nisper Ykonen's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Emelianenko throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Emelianenko just misses with a punch to the body.

Emelianenko shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ykonen napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Emelianenko slows the pace down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Emelianenko has an Americana. Ykonen didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Emelianenko is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Emelianenko hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Ivan Emelianenko!