PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Steven Stone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Seppo Karkkola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Seppo Karkkola will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Stone
vs
Karkkola

178 cm
19
145 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
20
140 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Steven Stone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Seppo Karkkola!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karkkola misses with the combination.
Karkkola throws a right and a left that both miss.
Karkkola misses with a jab, cross combination.
Karkkola looks to land a combination but Stone avoids it well.

Stone changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Karkkola looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Stone working the head with strikes.
Stone misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Stone throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stone misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Stone tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
The strikes coming from Stone are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Karkkola regains half guard, as Stone was trying to land strikes.
Stone is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Stone not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Stone not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Karkkola wants to get back to his feet.
Stone thows a huge punch but Karkkola dodges it nicely.
Stone slips a nice elbow through Karkkola's hands, connecting with Karkkola's forehead.
Karkkola is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Stone is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Stone not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Stone is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Stone thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stone thows a huge punch but Karkkola dodges it nicely.
Stone missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Karkkola really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stone. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Stone throwing shots but Karkkola is blocking nicely.
Stone not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Stone misses with a head shot. Karkkola uses the momentum to regain guard.
Karkkola looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Stone trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Stone working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Karkkola's head.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Karkkola can do anything to dispel that myth.

Stone stands and steps away. Karkkola gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Stone scores with a takedown into Karkkola's guard.
Karkkola working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stone.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Stone dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Stone showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Karkkola.
Karkkola lands with a nice combination. Stone backs away looking to recover.

Stone shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Karkkola blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stone.
Stone throwing shots but Karkkola is blocking nicely.
Karkkola blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stone.
Karkkola avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Stone.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone is nestled in close to Karkkola, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Karkkola is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Stone scores with a couple of nice shots.
Karkkola is breathing heavily.
Stone thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Karkkola's head.
Stone working Karkkola over with strikes.
Stone winds up and cracks Karkkola with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Stone decides to stand up.
Karkkola will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stone throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Karkkola tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Stone is in Karkkola's guard.
Karkkola utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Stone postures up in Karkkola's guard and throws a big left but Karkkola blocks it.
Stone scoring with some ground and pound.
Stone postures up and lands a big shot to Karkkola's brow.
Stone trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone throwing strikes from guard but Karkkola blocks nicely.
Stone is looking to work some ground and pound but Karkkola has wrist control.
Stone is looking to work some ground and pound but Karkkola has wrist control.
Stone throws a big right hand that misses.

Stone stands up from Karkkola's guard - Stone perhaps looking for a knockout.

Stone throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Karkkola was covering up waiting for the punch and Stone finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stone gets to his feet. Karkkola looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Stone feints and as Karkkola raises his hands in defense, Stone changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Stone with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Stone throws and elbow that misses. Karkkola uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Stone's guard. Nice move by Karkkola!
Stone trying to keep a closed guard but Karkkola is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Stone dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Stone gets the takedown into side control.
Karkkola managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Stone.
Stone working the ground and pound.
Stone fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Karkkola dodges the ground and pound from Stone.
Karkkola defending against the ground and pound.
Stone lands a decent elbow from side control.
Karkkola takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone lands an elbow.
Stone with the ground and pound but Karkkola regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Karkkola avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Stone.
Stone not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Stone working over Karkkola with some ground and pound. Karkkola looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Stone throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone is nestled in close to Karkkola, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Stone working the head and body with strikes.
Stone moves into full mount! Karkkola won't be happy about that!
Steven Stone overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stone landing strikes, looking to finish!
Stone working Karkkola over with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone dominating with strikes here.
Stone looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Stone lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
BOOM! Stone connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Stone breaks from Karkkola's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Stone unloading with bombs!
Stone in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Karkkola?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stone lands with some strikes.
Stone throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Stone raining down shots from the mount!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stone lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Karkkola hang on?

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Stone showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Stone, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:26
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:26
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Stone!