PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eero Potka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oovompi Laari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Potka comes to the cage accompanied by Neon 2 - Tässä Talossa. Oovompi Laari is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Potka
vs
Laari

192 cm
18
182 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

172 cm
23
185 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Eero Potka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Oovompi Laari!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Laari moves into the clinch.
Laari goes for a takedown in the clinch but Potka prevents it.
Laari avoiding damage as Potka throws knees to the body.
Potka taking a breather.
Potka lands a nice knee to the body.
Laari prevents Potka from breaking the clinch.
Laari managing to block the knees to the body from Potka.
Laari lands an uppercut.

Potka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A nice leg kick lands there from Potka.
Laari shoots for a takedown but Potka saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Laari looks gassed!
Laari shoots in but no luck this time.
Eero Potka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Oovompi Laari.
Potka throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Laari's head.
Potka looks to clinch
and Laari counters with a right hand to the body.

Potka fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Laari, pushing him back against the cage.
Potka lands a shoulder strike.
Potka wants to break the clinch but can't.
Potka wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Potka wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Potka just misses with a elbow thrown towards Laari's brow.
Potka looking to throw knees to the head but Laari is blocking nicely.
Potka wants to get back to striking at distance but Laari won't allow it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Potka.
Laari takes an elbow to the temple.
Potka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potka tries a body shot but Laari blocks it.
Potka lands an elbow that stopped Laari in his tracks for a moment.
Potka tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Potka tries to land a knee to the head but Laari blocks with his arms.
Laari changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Potka fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Potka scores with a head kick.

Potka instigates a clinch.
Laari wants a takedown but no success here.

Potka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Potka has closed the distance and engaged Laari in a clinch.
Potka can't break the clinch.
Potka working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Potka is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Potka tries a knee to the head but Laari blocks it.
Laari lands a nice uppercut.
Potka missing with knees to the body.
Potka has had enough of the clinch but Laari keeps him there for the moment.
Potka lands a nice uppercut.
Potka lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Potka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Potka moves into the clinch.
Potka is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Potka wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Laari is trying to drag Potka to the mat but Potka just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Laari fails to pull guard.
Potka is looking to break free of the clinch but Laari has double underhooks.
Potka is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Laari wants a takedown but no success here.
Potka wants to get back to striking at distance but Laari won't allow it.
Potka misses with a short punch on the inside.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Laari as Potka tries to tie him up.
Potka using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Laari has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Laari has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Potka is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
A nice right hand lands inside from Laari.
Laari lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Potka with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Laari gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Laari content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Laari is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Potka to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Laari trying to control the position from guard on top but Potka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Laari is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Laari decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Potka, up you get!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Potka darts in and clinches Laari up against the cage.

Laari breaks the clinch.
Potka lands with a nice combination. Laari backs away looking to recover.
The fight stays on the outside here - Potka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Laari drives through with a takedown into guard.
Laari won't allow Potka to get back to his feet.
Potka wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Laari manages to pass to side control.
Laari seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Laari decides to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potka will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Potka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Laari swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Potka on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Laari swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Potka counters with a head kick. That will keep Laari thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Laari gets a clinch.

Laari gets control of Potka's arms and successfully pulls guard. Laari will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Laari has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Potka doesn't defend quickly enough and Laari has managed to lock this one up! Can Potka escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Laari on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:01 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Oovompi Laari!