PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sami Kuristaja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brad Easton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sami Kuristaja could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Brad Easton's chin.

Kuristaja
vs
Easton

189 cm
23
195 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

185 cm
25
194 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
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 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sami Kuristaja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Brad Easton!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Easton scores with a head kick.
Kuristaja tries a head kick but it misses.
Easton throws a head kick but Kuristaja moves out of range.
Kuristaja looks to land a body kick but Easton moved away.

Easton lands a big head kick that sends Kuristaja tumbling to the mat! Easton takes a step backwards and waves Kuristaja back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Sami Kuristaja has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Kuristaja moves into the clinch successfully.
Kuristaja is looking to control Easton's arms but Easton gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kuristaja has his back to the ropes.
Kuristaja putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Easton in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Kuristaja misses with a knee to the head.
Easton with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Easton misses with a knee strike.
Kuristaja misses with a knee to the head.
Easton wants to get back to striking at distance but Kuristaja won't allow it.
Easton managing to block the knees to the body from Kuristaja.
Kuristaja takes a knee right on the jaw!
Kuristaja is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Easton is keeping busy.
Easton with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Easton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Easton misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuristaja takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Easton misses with a head kick.
Easton chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kuristaja can pounce on him.

Kuristaja drives through and clinches with Easton against the ropes.
Easton wants to break the clinch but can't.
Easton blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Easton tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kuristaja throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kuristaja throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Easton blocks it with crossed arms.
Easton looking to throw knees to the head but Kuristaja is blocking nicely.
Kuristaja lands a nice uppercut.
Kuristaja displaying some good clinch control by pressing Easton up against the ropes.
Kuristaja is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Easton is defending well for now.
Kuristaja scores with a nice hook to the head.
Easton is trying to break the clinch but Kuristaja is controlling him.
Kuristaja tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuristaja has Easton pushed against the ropes.
Kuristaja trying to stall but Easton improves his position.
Easton lands with a left to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Easton connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kuristaja's face.
Easton with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Easton with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Easton wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kuristaja scores with a nice hook to the head.
Easton with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kuristaja is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Easton doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Easton wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Easton using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kuristaja has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Easton avoids it.
Kuristaja is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Easton using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kuristaja has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Easton is trying to maintain a safe position but Kuristaja gets an underhook and turns Easton into the ropes.
Easton tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Easton looks gassed!
Kuristaja with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Easton tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kuristaja is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Kuristaja has Easton pressed against the ropes, preventing Easton from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Easton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kuristaja lands a leg kick that knocks Easton off balance momentarily.
Kuristaja lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Kuristaja.
Kuristaja tries to land a leg kick but Easton saw it coming and moves away.
That kick from Easton tenderised Kuristaja's leg. Kuristaja is trying to keep his angry face on.
Kuristaja throws a leg kick which misses Easton's front leg but catches the back leg as Easton tries to avoid it.
Easton throws a head kick that misses.
Easton takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Easton misses with a body kick.
Easton has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Kuristaja.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Easton throws a half hearted mid kick.
Brad Easton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Easton throws a wild body kick that Kuristaja sees coming a mile off.
Easton misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Jab, jab by Kuristaja - just one landing.
Easton takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Easton thows a leg kick but Kuristaja checks it
letting Kuristaja counter with a right hand.
Kuristaja lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Kuristaja forces Easton back against the ropes and clinches.
Kuristaja throws a knee to the head but misses.
Easton looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Kuristaja pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kuristaja prevents a body shot from Easton.
Easton comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Kuristaja landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kuristaja with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kuristaja keeps control of Easton as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
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 Sami Kuristaja will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Sami Kuristaja'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.

Kuristaja throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Easton.

It looks like Brad Easton has been cut.
Easton tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Kuristaja manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Easton lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Kuristaja scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Easton pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kuristaja wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Brad Easton seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Easton misses with a low kick as Kuristaja jumps back.
Easton throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Kuristaja forces Easton back against the ropes and clinches.
Easton misses with a knee strike.
Easton working hard to break the clinch.
Kuristaja throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Easton blocks it with crossed arms.
Kuristaja looking to throw knees to the head but Easton is blocking nicely.
Kuristaja taking a breather.
Easton is trying to maintain a safe position but Kuristaja gets an underhook and turns Easton into the ropes.
Kuristaja pushes Easton back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Easton takes a knee right on the jaw!
Kuristaja tries a knee to the head but Easton blocks it.
Easton throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kuristaja blocks it with crossed arms.
Easton with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Easton is breathing heavily.
Kuristaja is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Kuristaja landing knees to the head.
Easton lands a nice elbow.
Easton connects with a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kuristaja.
Kuristaja looking to throw knees to the head but Easton is blocking nicely.
Easton is trying to break free.
Kuristaja throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Easton blocks it with crossed arms.
Easton misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kuristaja.
Kuristaja tries a knee to the head but Easton blocks it.
Easton takes a knee right on the jaw!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the head but Easton blocks with his arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Easton misses with a knee to the head.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the head but Easton blocks with his arms.
Easton tries to land a knee to the head but Kuristaja blocks with his arms.
Easton tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kuristaja unloads a knee to the mid-section. Easton lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Easton on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Easton tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kuristaja stalling in the clinch but Easton improves position.
Kuristaja tries to land a knee to the head but Easton blocks with his arms.
Kuristaja with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Easton using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kuristaja has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kuristaja.
Kuristaja unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Easton connects with a knee to the head.
Easton swings wildly with an uppercut but Kuristaja uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kuristaja misses with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuristaja prevents Easton from breaking the clinch.
Kuristaja tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Easton lands a knee to the head.
Easton avoiding damage as Kuristaja throws knees to the body.
Kuristaja misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Easton.
Kuristaja misses with a knee strike.
Easton dodges an elbow strike from Kuristaja.
Kuristaja lands a nice uppercut.
Easton with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kuristaja pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.

Easton manages to break the clinch.
Kuristaja takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Kuristaja pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Easton scores with a nice body kick.
Easton goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuristaja has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Easton.
A head kick by Easton misses
and Kuristaja counters with a leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A solid leg kick lands there for Easton.
Kuristaja tries to land a leg kick but Easton saw it coming and moves away.
Easton throws a head kick that misses.
Easton misses with a low kick as Kuristaja jumps back.
Easton pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Easton tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Kuristaja manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kuristaja lands a nice looking body kick.
Sami Kuristaja is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Easton feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Kuristaja's calf.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A solid leg kick lands there for Kuristaja.
Easton with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Easton on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
A head kick misses from Easton.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Sami Kuristaja will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Kuristaja throws a head kick that misses.
Easton scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kuristaja lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Kuristaja avoids a kick to the body.
Easton thumps Kuristaja with a low kick.
Easton looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Easton throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Kuristaja throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Easton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Easton throws a sloppy head kick and Kuristaja moves out of range easily.
Kuristaja gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Easton counters with a big head kick but Kuristaja shrugs it off.
Kuristaja lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Easton takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kuristaja lands a right hook to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuristaja lands an overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuristaja swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Easton pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Easton avoids the head kick by Kuristaja.
Easton tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Easton tries to score with a low kick but Kuristaja moves his leg out of the way.
Easton blocks a head kick by Kuristaja.

Kuristaja closes the distance and clinches.
A left hand lands to the body for Kuristaja.
Easton misses with a knee to the head.

Easton manages to break the clinch.
Easton throws a nice inside leg kick.
Easton throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Easton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Easton tries to score with a low kick but Kuristaja moves his leg out of the way.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Easton has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Kuristaja finds it's way round the side to connect with Easton's head.
Kuristaja throws a half hearted mid kick.
Kuristaja with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Kuristaja throws a leg kick which misses Easton's front leg but catches the back leg as Easton tries to avoid it.
Kuristaja throws a head kick that misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Kuristaja has taken the fight to the clinch.
Easton misses with a knee strike.
Easton tries a knee to the head but Kuristaja blocks it.
Kuristaja slowing the pace effectively.
Easton's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Kuristaja tries a knee to the head but Easton blocks it.
Easton throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kuristaja blocks it with crossed arms.
Kuristaja misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Easton.
Easton tries to land a knee to the head but Kuristaja blocks with his arms.
Easton tries to land a knee to the head but Kuristaja blocks with his arms.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kuristaja taking a breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Easton with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Easton swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kuristaja lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Kuristaja landing knees to the head.

Easton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kuristaja checks a low kick from Easton.
Kuristaja looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sami Kuristaja is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Easton pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Easton is looking to chop away at Kuristaja's legs.
Kuristaja is looking to clinch but Easton is avoiding it.
Kuristaja checks a leg kick nicely.
Easton tries to land a front kick but Kuristaja steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Kuristaja blocks a head kick by Easton.
Kuristaja tries to clinch up but Easton circles away and keeps his distance.
Brad Easton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kuristaja feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Easton's calf.
Easton will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Kuristaja throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Easton gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Kuristaja finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Easton looks for the body kick but Kuristaja saw that one coming.
Kuristaja throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Easton's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kuristaja blocks a leg kick.
Easton misses with a kick to the body
and Kuristaja counters with a good low kick that Easton was not able to check.
Kuristaja throws a leg kick which misses Easton's front leg but catches the back leg as Easton tries to avoid it.
Easton tries to clinch up but Kuristaja circles away and keeps his distance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Easton thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Kuristaja if he has to take too many more of those.
Kuristaja tries to clinch up.
Kuristaja walks forward, straight into a front kick from Easton.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sami Kuristaja.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kuristaja, 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Sami Kuristaja!
A very excited looking Sami Kuristaja rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.