PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Danny McBride (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joonas Saarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saarinen has chosen Sika as his entrance music. Danny McBride has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

McBride
vs
Saarinen

197 cm
22
169 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
19
169 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Danny McBride!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joonas Saarinen!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by McBride or perhaps it was just good defense by Saarinen which made him look bad.

Saarinen feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Saarinen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. McBride is keeping the position for now.
Saarinen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of McBride's head.

McBride working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Saarinen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Saarinen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
McBride is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

McBride looking for a guillotine here but Saarinen defends easily.

McBride is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
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.

McBride working for a triangle but Saarinen defends it easily.
McBride really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Saarinen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Saarinen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Saarinen wants to pass the guard but McBride is keeping the position.

McBride throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saarinen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. McBride is keeping the position for now.
Saarinen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Saarinen looking to sit in guard and control but McBride gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Saarinen scores with a nice shot.

McBride has gone for a leg lock! Saarinen slips out almost immediately though and dives into McBride's guard.
McBride keeping moving, preventing Saarinen from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen wants to stand but McBride has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Saarinen tries to free his leg and advance position but McBride is retaining full guard.
Saarinen trying to control but McBride is working from the bottom.

McBride working for submissions but it's allowed Saarinen to get to half guard.

Saarinen wants to work for an arm triangle but McBride is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Saarinen trying to pass the guard but McBride defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
McBride trying to control but Saarinen postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
McBride keeps the fight on the outside.
Saarinen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but McBride moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
An inside leg kick from McBride misses.

Saarinen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Saarinen is looking to take a break and control but McBride is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joonas Saarinen dominated that round.
That's time! McBride's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Saarinen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Saarinen misses with a head shot. McBride uses the momentum to regain guard.
McBride looking for a sweep. Not yet McBride, not yet.
Saarinen throws a big right hand that misses.
McBride manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Saarinen manages to get himself to full guard.

Saarinen looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! McBride has picked Saarinen up and slammed him! Saarinen can't keep hold of the triangle and McBride manages to pass to side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
McBride advances nicely into full mount.
Saarinen tries to hold on but McBride pushes him away.

McBride looking to secure an arm triangle but Saarinen defends it well.
Saarinen is trying to escape the mount.
Saarinen is trying to reverse the position but instead McBride has taken his back - oops!

McBride working for a choke but Saarinen is defending well.

McBride is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Saarinen has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Joonas Saarinen has got the better of the ground game so far.
McBride is looking to control Saarinen but Saarinen is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Saarinen is in bad spot here.

McBride is looking for the choke from the back position but Saarinen is controlling his hands well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McBride doesn't have the hooks in and Saarinen manages to turn into his guard.
Saarinen looking to pass the guard.
Saarinen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
McBride keeping moving, preventing Saarinen from controlling successfully.

McBride looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Saarinen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Saarinen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
McBride is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen works his way to full guard. Good work.
Saarinen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

McBride postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Saarinen is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of McBride, into his guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Saarinen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
McBride not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danny McBride dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Saarinen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Saarinen trying to control from half guard but McBride is working away.

McBride with the active half guard here but Saarinen passes nicely into side control.
Saarinen is putting a hurting on McBride here, landing some big shots from side control.
McBride tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarinen is looking to take a break and control but McBride is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Saarinen wants to control for a moment but McBride uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Saarinen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's two 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.
Saarinen is looking to escape.

McBride seems to be working for a kimura but Saarinen defends the submission attempt.
Saarinen is pressing down on McBride's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

McBride is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Saarinen is trying to keep McBride in close.
McBride advances to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McBride seems to be looking for submissions.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saarinen is looking for a sweep. McBride is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Saarinen is trying to maintain the position but McBride is very close to passing his half guard.

McBride is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Saarinen doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time McBride.
McBride is looking to pass Saarinen's guard but actually Saarinen recovers to full guard.

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.

Saarinen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
McBride postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saarinen throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
McBride is pushing down on Saarinen's leg trying to pass to half guard. Saarinen is fighting to maintain full guard but McBride has managed to sneak the leg through.
Saarinen punching from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joonas Saarinen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Saarinen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joonas Saarinen!