PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tuomo Koivisto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and nikolai stesenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). nikolai stesenko has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Koivisto
vs
stesenko

188 cm
22
205 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

196 cm
21
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tuomo Koivisto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, nikolai stesenko!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

stesenko shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Koivisto's guard.
Koivisto looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
stesenko passes Koivisto's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Koivisto is not content to let stesenko control the position.
stesenko thows a huge punch but Koivisto dodges it nicely.
stesenko has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
stesenko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Koivisto keeps working.
Koivisto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Well, if stesenko is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
stesenko's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
stesenko wants to take a breather but Koivisto is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koivisto looks like he's trying to stand up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Koivisto stuffs the takedown.
Koivisto misses with a takedown attempt
and stesenko counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Koivisto gets caught flat footed, as stesenko shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
stesenko thows a big elbow that misses.
stesenko wants to control from the top but Koivisto keeps moving.
Koivisto working a defensive guard but stesenko passes into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
stesenko performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koivisto is trying to control but can't.
stesenko throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
stesenko missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Koivisto is refusing to be controlled, as stesenko sits in half guard.
Koivisto blocking the ground and pound attempt from stesenko.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

stesenko postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Koivisto to stand up.
stesenko scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
stesenko shoots and misses

and Koivisto counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Koivisto.
Koivisto slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Koivisto has gone for a leg lock! stesenko slips out almost immediately though and dives into Koivisto's guard.
stesenko trying to control but Koivisto is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
stesenko won't allow Koivisto to sweep him here.
Koivisto is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
stesenko thows a big elbow that misses.
stesenko stopping the sweep attempt from Koivisto.
stesenko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Koivisto is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

nikolai stesenko dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Koivisto shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
stesenko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

stesenko has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Koivisto can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
stesenko is trying to keep Koivisto in close.

stesenko has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Koivisto can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
stesenko looking for a sweep. Not yet stesenko, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koivisto trying to control the position from guard on top but stesenko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
stesenko lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Koivisto!
Koivisto knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for stesenko on the ground.
stesenko working away from the top, dropping strikes.
stesenko raining down shots from the mount!
Koivisto on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Koivisto tries to get out of the position.
stesenko working Koivisto over with strikes here.
stesenko controlling from mount.
stesenko raining down shots from the mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
stesenko scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Koivisto?
stesenko looking to control but Koivisto is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
stesenko might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Koivisto kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
stesenko looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
stesenko can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Koivisto is looking to escape.

stesenko working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
stesenko looking to control but Koivisto is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

stesenko has control of Koivisto's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Koivisto regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Koivisto throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
stesenko lands a big shot there that rocks Koivisto but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

stesenko wants to finish this one by submission but Koivisto is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from stesenko.
stesenko scoring with strikes but Koivisto is staying in there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
stesenko trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The referee warns Koivisto that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
stesenko working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Koivisto is trying desperately to improve position.
stesenko scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Koivisto wants to control but stesenko is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

nikolai stesenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

stesenko circles away from the clinch attempt

and stesenko holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

stesenko drags the fight down to the ground.

stesenko had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Koivisto is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. stesenko Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Koivisto's back instead.
stesenko tries to get the hooks in deep but Koivisto pushed the leg off.

Koivisto preventing the rear naked choke attempt from stesenko.
nikolai stesenko has got the better of the ground game so far.
Koivisto tries to escape but stesenko has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
stesenko is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Will stesenko go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
stesenko scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Koivisto is looking for a way out.
stesenko throwing damaging strikes from the back! Koivisto could be in trouble here!

stesenko is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Koivisto has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
stesenko is punishing Koivisto with strikes - can he finish him?!
Koivisto staying busy and making it hard for stesenko to control.
Koivisto is taking damage to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

stesenko is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Koivisto is keeping busy.
Koivisto is trying to break free.
Good control from stesenko.
stesenko tries to get the hooks in deep but Koivisto pushed the leg off.
Koivisto wants to get back to his feet.

stesenko is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Koivisto has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but stesenko has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Koivisto taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. stesenko doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). nikolai stesenko!