PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dewayne Sykes (ranked 25067 p4p, 0 weight class) and Petr Knize (ranked 5018 p4p, 0 weight class). Petr Knize looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Sykes
vs
Knize

210 cm
18
193 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

183 cm
24
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Can Moonwalk

Pit Bull Development

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 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dewayne Sykes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Petr Knize!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sykes tries a head kick but it misses.

Sykes closes the distance and clinches.

Sykes jumps guard and drags Knize to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
My spies in Cozad MMA Helsinki inform me that Knize has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

Sykes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Knize gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sykes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Knize is one step ahead there.
Sykes is trying to control the position but Knize postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knize trying to control but Sykes is working from the bottom.

Knize is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Sykes is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Sykes has escaped and now he's on top!

Sykes prevents Knize from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knize working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sykes.

Sykes stands and steps away. Knize gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Knize tries to sprawl but Sykes drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Knize actively working from the bottom here.
Sykes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Sykes stands up out of the half guard.

Knize looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Knize looks winded!
Sykes punching from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knize wants to pass to mount but Sykes is defending the position.
Knize is trying to control. Sykes wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Sykes is defending against the submission attempts here by Knize.
Knize lands strikes from half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Knize is working for a kimura but Sykes is defending it quite comfortably.
Knize stalling away here and it's allowed Sykes to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knize seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Knize tries to free his leg and advance position but Sykes is retaining full guard.
Sykes lands an upkick as Knize stands over him.
Knize passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Knize swings around for an armbar but Sykes sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Knize's guard.

Knize kicks Sykes off and gets to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knize avoids the head kick by Sykes.

Knize closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sykes won't allow Knize to pass to mount.
Sykes wants to control but Knize is keeping busy.

Sykes actively working from the bottom here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Knize trying to control the action but Sykes is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Dewayne Sykes will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Knize shoots in and bounces Sykes off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Sykes is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Knize presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

Sykes gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Knize manages to escape and get back to his feet!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Knize shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Knize showed some decent athleticism there.
Knize wants to pass to mount but Sykes is defending the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Knize is working for a kimura but Sykes is defending it quite comfortably.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sykes landing small, sideways elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knize trying to control from half guard but Sykes is working away.
Knize wants to pass to mount but Sykes is defending the position.

Knize is working for a kimura but Sykes is defending it quite comfortably.
Sykes moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Knize is in close to Sykes's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Knize takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Knize forces his way into half guard.
Sykes is refusing to be controlled, as Knize sits in half guard.
Knize might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sykes haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Knize tries to pass to full mount but Sykes defends it.
Knize is looking to take a break and control but Sykes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sykes throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knize working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Knize is looking to take a break and control but Sykes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Knize lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Knize works his way into side control.
Knize is looking to take a break and control but Sykes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sykes is looking to regain half guard here but Knize keeps moving and retains side control.

Knize stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knize looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Sykes throws a big counter combination but Knize scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Knize is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Sykes's half guard.
Petr Knize has got the better of the ground game so far.
Knize wants to control but Sykes is keeping him busy.

Knize is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sykes has managed to free his arm - good work.
Knize looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Knize seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sykes does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Knize stalling away here and it's allowed Sykes to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Sykes knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Knize on the ground.
Knize trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Petr Knize showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Sykes moves into range and clinches up with Knize.

Sykes gets control of Knize's arms and successfully pulls guard. Sykes will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Knize with a nice head shot there.

Knize drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Sykes manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Knize has Sykes in his guard.

Knize looking to control.
Sykes slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sykes is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sykes working some strikes from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Sykes gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sykes takes the fight into the clinch.
Sykes misses with a hook to the ribs.

Sykes manages to pull guard.
Knize trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Knize wants to control from the top but Sykes keeps moving.
Knize is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Sykes wants to stand and escape but Knize is having none of it.
Knize trying to control the position from guard on top but Sykes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sykes has his foot on Knize's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Knize works his way back into a safe position though.
Sykes keeping moving, preventing Knize from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Sykes circles away from the clinch attempt.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Knize.
Knize throws a right and a left that Sykes avoids nicely.
A head kick misses from Knize.
Sykes went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Knize looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Sykes moves into the clinch.

Knize manages to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sykes working some strikes from top position.
Sykes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Sykes gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Sykes digs a good hook to Knize's body.
Knize tries a head kick but it misses.

Sykes moves into the clinch successfully.
Knize tries to throw a body punch but Sykes avoids it by throwing Knize back against the cage.

Sykes ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Sykes no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Knize trying to control but Sykes is working from the bottom.

Knize is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Sykes is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Sykes has escaped and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sykes throws a sloppy strike and Knize has hooked up an armbar on the loose arm! He's turned and extended fully! Sykes is forced to tap! Great BJJ from Knize!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Petr Knize!
Petr Knize made sure to mention his sponsor, Pit Bull Development in his post fight interview.