PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jesse Karhu (ranked 973 p4p, 123 weight class) and Radio Philips (ranked 401 p4p, 57 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Karhu
vs
Philips

213 cm
22
265 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

202 cm
22
260 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Urban Fighter

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jesse Karhu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Radio Philips!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karhu slips under a jab from Philips.
A slow jab from Karhu misses its intended target.
Karhu uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Philips.
A swing and a miss from Karhu.
Karhu sets himself, and Philips steps forward looking for the clinch! Karhu avoids it this time.
Philips throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Philips scores with a hook to the body. Karhu takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Karhu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Karhu has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Malmi Aitta in the buildup to the fight.
Karhu misses with an uppercut.
Karhu misses with a double jab.
Philips has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Karhu is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Philips takes a swing at Karhu's ribcage but misses.
Karhu throws a hook but Philips avoids it easily.
A countering left hand to the body from Philips misses.
Karhu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Karhu swats away the attempt to clinch by Philips.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karhu throws out a loose jab but Philips uses good head movement to avoid it.
Karhu throws a right hand that Philips ducks under and follows up with a left that Philips also avoids with ease.
Karhu jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Philips misses with an uppercut. Karhu saw that one coming.
The crowd cheers as Karhu lands an impressive looking overhand right. Philips doesn't seem phased though.
Karhu misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Philips slips under a jab from Karhu.
Karhu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Karhu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Philips forces Karhu back against the cage and clinches.

Philips breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Philips gets a clinch.
Philips lands a shot to the body.
Philips tries to work over Karhu's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Philips tries to throw a body punch but Karhu avoids it by throwing Philips back against the cage.
Philips tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Philips pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Philips throws a shot from downtown. Karhu moves away and avoids it.
Philips throws a hook but Karhu blocks it.
Karhu connects with a nice looking jab.
Philips waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Karhu.
Karhu connects with a good right hand that stumbles Philips. Philips circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Philips misses.
It looked like Karhu was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Nice shot by Karhu.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Karhu throws a body shot but no joy.
Philips slips under a jab.
Karhu is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Karhu misses with an uppercut. Philips saw that one coming.
Philips throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Philips throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Karhu throws a lazy right hand but Philips sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Philips throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Philips looks to score with a jab to the body but Karhu is just out of range.
Philips walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Karhu moves forwards but Philips connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Philips tries to clinch there but Karhu circles away.
Philips lands with an overhand left.

It looks like Jesse Karhu has been cut.
Radio Philips seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Karhu lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Philips circles away quickly and effectively.
Philips wants to clinch up but Karhu keeps it at a distance.
An attempted straight right counter from Karhu misses the target.
Karhu connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Philips lands with a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Radio Philips will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jesse Karhu's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Karhu misses with a straight right.
Karhu throws an overhand right that lands on Philips's shoulder, as Philips tries to avoid the shot.
A shot to the body from Philips misses
and Karhu counters with a left and a right that stings Philips.
Karhu is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Philips cracks Karhu with an open hand slap.
Philips moves away from the strike by Karhu.
Karhu throws a body shot but no joy.
Philips throws a right and a left that Karhu avoids nicely.

Philips closes the distance and clinches.
Karhu tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Karhu prevents a body shot from Philips.
Karhu is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Philips is defending well for now.

Philips breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jesse Karhu is winning the standup battle so far.
A left lands for Philips.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Philips tries to clinch up but Karhu circles away and keeps his distance.
An attempted straight right counter from Karhu misses the target.
Karhu connects with a single shot there.
Karhu throws a big shot that misses.
Philips appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Philips throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Karhu misses with a hook. Philips ducked under it nicely.
Philips swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Philips tries to clinch up.
A quick step to the side and Karhu tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Philips avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A big right from Philips misses.
Karhu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Philips uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Karhu.
Karhu has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Philips finds it's way round the side to connect with Karhu's head.
Karhu misses with a double jab.
Karhu misses with a body shot.
Karhu takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Karhu's corner calls for a 1-2. Karhu obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Philips lands a glancing blow to the side of Karhu's head.
A punch lands to the side of Karhu 's head but he takes it in his stride.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Philips misses with a looping left.
A little feinted left hand from Karhu on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Karhu ducks under a wild hook from Philips.
Karhu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karhu throws an overhand right that lands on Philips's shoulder, as Philips tries to avoid the shot.
Karhu ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Nice uppercut lands for Philips. That snapped Karhu's head back.
Karhu misses with a wild body shot.
Philips lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Philips gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Philips lands a shot to the body.
Philips throws a punch but it's blocked by Karhu.
A head punch on the inside from Philips fails to land.
Philips misses with a hook to the ribs.
Karhu tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Philips avoids it.
Philips doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Karhu takes a shot to the head.

Philips breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Donk. Philips catches Karhu right on the button with a cross.

Jesse Karhu's cut is getting worse.
Philips looks to score with a jab to the body but Karhu is just out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Radio Philips showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jesse Karhu's cut.
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!

Philips walks into a straight right hand from Karhu.
Jesse Karhu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Philips jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Philips. Karhu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Philips displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Karhu throws out the jab.
Karhu throws the left hand but Philips avoids the punch easily.
Karhu looks to land a right hand but Philips moved out of range.
Philips digs a good body shot into Karhu's ribs.

Philips gets a clinch.
Karhu misses with some punches.
Philips misses with the head strike.

Karhu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Karhu lands with a straight right. Philips didn't see that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Philips slips under a jab.
Karhu throws a body shot but no joy.
Karhu moves away from the strike by Philips.
Philips swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Karhu throws a body shot but no joy.
Philips appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karhu slips a straight right by Philips.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Karhu punishes Philips's body with a nice straight punch.
Karhu throws a body shot but no joy.
Karhu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Philips was well out of range. Poor timing from Karhu.
Karhu misses with a straight right.
Philips unleashes a big counter combination but Karhu bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
A slow jab from Philips misses its intended target.
Karhu throws a shot to the body.
Philips jabs Karhu right on the nose. Karhu blinks but takes it well.
Karhu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Karhu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Philips moves away.
Philips connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Karhu throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Philips slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Philips displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Karhu throws out the jab.
Philips steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Karhu.
Karhu throws a lazy right hand but Philips sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Philips fails to land with a series of punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Philips takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Philips keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Karhu.
Karhu with a jab.
Sloppy strikes from Karhu. Those never looked like landing.
Philips misses with a straight right.
Philips connects with the punch.
Karhu throws a big shot that misses.
Philips misses with a wild body shot.
It looked like Karhu wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A big right from Karhu misses.
Karhu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Philips.
Karhu misses with a body shot.
Philips tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Karhu counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Philips thinking.
Karhu throws a nice looking combination but Philips bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Philips throws a shot from downtown. Karhu moves away and avoids it.
Karhu was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
A jab from Karhu misses.
Philips misses the shot to the body.
Radio Philips is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Philips changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jesse Karhu.
I think Philips has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!