PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kuula Natsi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kamala Naamahaara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Naamahaara has chosen Kishore Kumar : Chuu Kar Mere Mann Ko as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Kamala Naamahaara will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Natsi
vs
Naamahaara

190 cm
36
250 lbs
16 - 21 - 0

193 cm
32
239 lbs
18 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Fast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kuula Natsi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kamala Naamahaara!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Naamahaara tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Natsi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Natsi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Naamahaara is fending him off so far but Natsi persists. Nope, Naamahaara circles away and we're back to standing.
Natsi shoots in for a takedown but Naamahaara shows good takedown defense.
Natsi closes the distance and clinches up with Naamahaara, looking for a takedown. Natsi pushes Naamahaara against the cage but Naamahaara circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Naamahaara flicks out a counter leg kick but Natsi steps away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kuula Natsi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Natsi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Natsi is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Naamahaara is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naamahaara is looking for a sweep. Natsi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Naamahaara wants to get back to full guard but Natsi has mounted him!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Natsi trying to control but Naamahaara is having none of it.
Naamahaara wants to control but Natsi is having none of it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Naamahaara can do anything to dispel that myth.

Naamahaara defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Natsi.

Natsi looking for a guillotine from mount but Naamahaara is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naamahaara is wriggling around trying to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Naamahaara is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Natsi controlling from mount.
Naamahaara really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Natsi wants to finish this one by submission but Naamahaara is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Natsi.

Natsi moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Naamahaara has worked his arm free - good work by Naamahaara!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Natsi lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Natsi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Naamahaara keeps working.
Natsi advances to full mount.
Naamahaara is in a horrible position here. Natsi smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Naamahaara wants to hold on but Natsi pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naamahaara really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Natsi cracks Naamahaara with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Natsi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Natsi content just to control the position here.
Naamahaara has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Naamahaara preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Natsi.
Natsi really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Naamahaara.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kuula Natsi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Naamahaara lands a head kick. Natsi smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

It looks like Kuula Natsi has been cut.

Naamahaara gets caught napping as Natsi dives in and scores a takedown. Naamahaara manages to retain guard.

Natsi drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Natsi jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Naamahaara is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Naamahaara looking for a sweep. Not yet Naamahaara, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Natsi trying to control the position from guard on top but Naamahaara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naamahaara wants to get back to his feet but Natsi is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Naamahaara pushes Natsi off and gets back to his feet.
Natsi fails with a takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Naamahaara.
Natsi fails with the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naamahaara looks to land a body kick but Natsi moved away.
Naamahaara with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Naamahaara tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Natsi manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Naamahaara misses with a head kick.
Natsi drops down looking for a counter takedown but Naamahaara sprawls and moves away.

Natsi drives through with a takedown into guard.
Natsi throwing strikes but missing.
Natsi slips nicely into half guard.
Naamahaara wants to improve his position but Natsi is controlling well.
Natsi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Naamahaara can do to turn this around?

Natsi is working for a kimura but Naamahaara is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naamahaara trying to control here.
Naamahaara is not content to let Natsi control the position.

Natsi looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Natsi is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Naamahaara sees it coming and defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Natsi is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Naamahaara has managed to free his arm - good work.
Natsi is trying to control. Naamahaara wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
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 Kuula Natsi will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kuula Natsi's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Natsi decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Natsi controlling the action here.
Naamahaara wants to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Natsi working the head and body with strikes.
Naamahaara wants to control but Natsi is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Natsi is controlling the pace.
Kuula Natsi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Natsi has his takedown stuffed

and Naamahaara counters with a head kick that drops Natsi - he's looking to finish, following his stunned foe to the ground!
Naamahaara missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naamahaara thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Naamahaara working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Natsi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
It looks like Naamahaara is going to stand back up.
Natsi is trying to control but can't.
Naamahaara is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Natsi makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Natsi.
Natsi trying to keep a closed guard but Naamahaara is proving a slippery customer.
Naamahaara trying to stand up but can't free himself from Natsi's guard.
Natsi definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Naamahaara lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Natsi has a closed guard, preventing Naamahaara from standing up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Natsi 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.
Natsi trying to control the position from guard on top but Naamahaara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Natsi postures up.
Natsi trying to control the position from guard on top but Naamahaara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Naamahaara keeping full guard, as Natsi tries to pass.
Natsi showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Naamahaara really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Natsi. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Natsi looking to pass the guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Natsi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Natsi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Naamahaara is fending him off so far but Natsi persists. Nope, Naamahaara circles away and we're back to standing.
Kamala Naamahaara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kuula Natsi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kuula Natsi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Natsi takes a kick to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kamala Naamahaara.
I think Natsi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kuula Natsi!
During a confident post fight interview, Kuula Natsi thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.