PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Roger Pontare (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kors Svardet (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Roger Pontare has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pontare
vs
Svardet

170 cm
27
145 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

180 cm
27
148 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roger Pontare!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kors Svardet!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pontare takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A punch combination from Svardet misses.
Pontare uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Svardet.

Pontare gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Svardet to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Pontare pushes Svardet off and gets back to his feet.
Good exchange - Svardet coming out on top.
Svardet lands a two punch combo.
Svardet lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Svardet throws a shot from downtown. Pontare moves away and avoids it.
Svardet thows a left - swing and a miss!
A jab from Svardet finds it's way through Pontare's defenses.
Svardet connects with a crisp jab.

Svardet has Pontare up against the cage in a clinch.

Pontare breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pontare gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Svardet catches Pontare with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Kors Svardet seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Svardet bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Svardet fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pontare sprawls well initially but Svardet persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Pontare pushes Svardet off and gets back to his feet.
Svardet wants to clinch
and Pontare counters with a nice uppercut.

Pontare closes the distance and clinches.
Svardet has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Pontare is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Pontare can't get the takedown.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pontare.
Pontare fails to pull guard.
Pontare misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pontare effectively controlling the action here.
Pontare is working for takedown but Svardet is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Pontare. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pontare.
Svardet is trying to break free.
A nice left hand lands by Pontare.
Svardet tries to score a body lock takedown but Pontare shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Svardet is trying to break the clinch but Pontare is controlling him.
Svardet is trying to break the clinch but Pontare is controlling him.
Svardet tries for a takedown but Pontare manages to get underhooks.

Svardet breaks the clinch.
Pontare looks for a takedown but Svardet sprawls well.
Svardet scores with a jab to the head.
Pontare closes this distance looking for a takedown but Svardet circles away.
The fighters circle momentarily. Svardet darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Svardet misses with a double jab.
Svardet feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Pontares jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Svardet lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Svardet fails with the takedown

and Pontare counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svardet utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pontare 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.
Pontare postures up.
Pontare is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pontare accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Svardet can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pontare controls the pace.
Pontare passes Svardet's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Pontare is taking a breather. Svardet says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Pontare is looking to advance position but Svardet won't allow it.
Pontare is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Pontare throwing shots but Svardet is blocking nicely.
Pontare controlling the action here.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Svardet throws out a powerful jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Svardet misses with a straight left.

Pontare closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Svardet did well to prevent Pontare getting side control.
Pontare passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Svardet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kors Svardet will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Svardet tries to clinch up

and Pontare counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Pontare stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Svardet swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pontare advances position into side control!
Pontare trying to control the position but Svardet is working away.
Svardet managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Pontare.
Pontare looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Svardet is avoiding damage well.
Pontare tries to move into full mount but can't pass Svardet's legs.
Pontare trying to control the position but Svardet is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pontare cracks Svardet with an elbow. That is naaassty.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pontare trying to control the action but Svardet is working from the bottom.
Svardet regains half guard.
Svardet avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Pontare.
Svardet wants to control but Pontare is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Pontare trying to control the pace.
Pontare seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Svardet for as long as he can get away with.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Svardet can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pontare is just content to waste time from the top position. Svardet takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Roger Pontare overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Svardet not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pontare controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Pontare passes Svardet's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Pontare trying to pass the guard but Svardet defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pontare seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Svardet does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pontare not doing much here.
Pontare works his way into full mount!
Svardet tries to hold on but Pontare pushes him away.
Pontare landing strikes from the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Svardet wants to control but Pontare is having none of it.
Svardet is working to get back to half guard.
Pontare content just to control the position here.
Svardet is squirming around, avoiding Pontare's attempts to control the action.
Pontare throwing strikes here but Svardet is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Svardet really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pontare. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pontare thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Pontare dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Svardet tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pontare swivels and escapes.
Svardet throws a shot from downtown. Pontare moves away and avoids it.
Pontare is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Svardet misses with a takedown attempt

and Pontare counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Pontare takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Pontare is looking to advance position but Svardet won't allow it.
Pontare perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Pontare frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Svardet tries to hold on but Pontare postures up.
Svardet takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pontare controlling the position easily from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pontare can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Svardet is looking to escape.
Pontare is landing with some decent strikes but Svardet is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Pontare avoids the attempt from Svardet to control.
Pontare sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pontare wants to control the pace but Svardet is squirming around nicely.

That's two 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.
Svardet wants to get back to his feet.
Pontare looking to control and managing it successfully.
Svardet tries to hold on but Pontare postures up.
Pontare lands a nice shot to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pontare controlling from the full mount.
Pontare wants to control the pace but Svardet is squirming around nicely.
Pontare landing strikes from the mount.
Pontare sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pontare is landing with some decent strikes but Svardet is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Pontare controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pontare lands a big shot there that rocks Svardet but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Pontare controlling the position easily from mount.
Svardet is squirming around, avoiding Pontare's attempts to control the action.
Pontare controlling the pace for now.
Svardet tries to lock up and control but Pontare gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roger Pontare showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Pontare has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roger Pontare!