PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between VJ Moilanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hyde Load (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). VJ Moilanen has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Moilanen
vs
Load

190 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

170 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Improved boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Fighters Formula (New Ownership!)

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, VJ Moilanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hyde Load!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Dmitry Maklakov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Load misses with a body shot.
Moilanen tries for a takedown but Load sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Moilanen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Load moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Load is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Load takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Moilanen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Load.
VJ Moilanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice defenses there by Load.

Load closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Load cracks Moilanen with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Load is chipping away with strikes.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Moilanen takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Load landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Load connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Moilanen some visible discomfort.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moilanen is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Load off and has taken his back!
Load is in bad spot here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Load trying to get back to his feet but Moilanen is in full control for now.
Load trying to control the action but Moilanen just sinks the hooks in.

Moilanen patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

That's one minute gone in the round.

Moilanen is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Moilanen is breathing heavily.
Load rolls, trying to escape but Moilanen keeps control of the position.
Load tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Load is looking to improve his position but Moilanen isn't that keen on the idea.

Moilanen moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Load has worked his arm free - good work by Load!
Moilanen prevents Load from escaping the position.
Load is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Moilanen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Moilanen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Load manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Load is looking to improve his position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Load feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Moilanen's calf.
Load swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A clash of legs there as Moilanen blocks the low kick.

Load drives through with a takedown into guard.
Load advances position into side control!
Load lands a nice forearm strike.
Load wants to control but Moilanen is keeping him busy.
Moilanen is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Load lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Moilanen down.
Moilanen is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Load's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Load looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Moilanen looking for submissions off his back.
Load is trying to control the action in half guard but Moilanen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Moilanen misses with a double jab.
Moilanen throws the kick towards the body but Load avoids it.
Moilanen connects with the punch.
Load swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Moilanen throws a series of punches but Load avoids them all with ease.
Moilanen swings for the body but Load moves out of range.
Good leg kick by Moilanen there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Moilanen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Moilanen thuds a left hand into Load's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moilanen misses with a two punch combination.
Moilanen has his takedown stuffed

and Load counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Load winds up and cracks Moilanen with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Load working the head and body with strikes.
Load working the head and body with strikes.
Load looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Moilanen with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Moilanen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Load missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Moilanen actively working from the bottom here.
Load is keen to just control but Moilanen is a slippery customer.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Load misses with a wild combination.
Load throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Load takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Load pushes Moilanen up against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Load.
Load using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Moilanen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Load tries to work over Moilanen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hyde Load dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Load swings for the body but Moilanen moves out of range.

Load clinches up with Moilanen and pushes him back against the cage.
Load wants a takedown.
Moilanen is trying to break the clinch but Load has him pressed against the cage.
Load has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Moilanen avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Moilanen can't break the clinch.
Moilanen tries to break the clinch but Load is controlling the position.
Moilanen wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Moilanen wants to break the clinch but can't.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Load just misses with a elbow thrown towards Moilanen's brow.
Load throws a knee to the head but misses.
Load throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Moilanen blocks it with crossed arms.
Moilanen avoiding damage as Load throws knees to the body.
Load misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Moilanen.
Moilanen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Moilanen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Load misses with a knee strike.
Load prevents Moilanen from breaking the clinch.
Load missing with knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Load looking for a takedown.
VJ Moilanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hyde Load.
Moilanen wants to break free but Load has control.
Load holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Load can't find room to land a body shot as Moilanen controls the action.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Moilanen avoiding damage as Load throws knees to the body.
Moilanen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Load has him pressed against the cage.
Load pushes off an throws an elbow but Moilanen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Load throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Moilanen blocks it with crossed arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Load tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Moilanen's elbow.
Load looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Load goes for a takedown attempt but Moilanen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Load blocks a head kick by Moilanen.
Moilanen connects with the punch.
Load misses with a series of wild punches.

Load drives through and clinches with Moilanen against the cage.
Load trying to land knees to the body.
Moilanen blocking some punches.
Moilanen is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Load drops down looking for an ankle pick but Moilanen pulls his leg out and moves away.

Load scores with a takedown into Moilanen's guard.
Load works over Moilanen with some ground and pound from guard.
Load chips away with some ground and pound.
Load landing some decent shots from guard.
Load trying to control the position from guard on top but Moilanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Load has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Moilanen is proving hard to escape from.

Moilanen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Load connects with a couple of short punches.
Moilanen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Load postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Load must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Moilanen looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Load is defending well. Moilanen quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Load has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Moilanen celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:47 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). VJ Moilanen!