PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Markku Innanen (ranked 2799 p4p, 264 weight class) and Francisco Baroza (ranked 6052 p4p, 437 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Innanen
vs
Baroza

196 cm
25
270 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

191 cm
25
267 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Markku Innanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Francisco Baroza!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Steven Brown and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baroza throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Baroza ducks under a wild hook from Innanen.

Innanen gets a clinch.
Baroza tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Baroza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Innanen scores with a nice head shot.
Innanen misses with a body shot.
Baroza thows a left - swing and a miss!
Innanen tries to bum rush Baroza with a series of wild strikes but Baroza uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Baroza lands with a nice body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Innanen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Baroza circles away quickly and effectively.
A nice side step and Baroza releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
A big right from Baroza misses.
Innanen is looking to counter the offense by Baroza and move into the clinch.
Innanen misses with a double jab.
Baroza now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Innanen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Innanen throws out a loose jab but Baroza uses good head movement to avoid it.
Innanen takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Markku Innanen has been cut.
Baroza scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Baroza looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Baroza fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Innanen checks it well.
Baroza looks to land a body kick but Innanen moved away.
Innanen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nice uppercut lands for Baroza. That snapped Innanen's head back.

Innanen pushes Baroza up against the cage in a clinch.
A shot in the inside from Baroza.
Baroza misses with a hook from the clinch.
Innanen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Innanen lands a nice uppercut.
Innanen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Innanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Baroza backwards.
Innanen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nice body punch from Innanen - that landed with a thud.
Innanen looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baroza misses with a hook to the ribs.
Innanen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Innanen taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Baroza lands a left hand that snaps the head of Innanen backwards.
Innanen throws an elbow but it misses.
Baroza tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Innanen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Innanen lands a body punch.
Innanen lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Francisco Baroza has been cut.
A short right from Innanen.
Baroza looks winded!
Innanen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Innanen prevents a body shot from Baroza.
A head punch on the inside from Baroza fails to land.
Innanen lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Baroza or not.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Innanen.
Innanen lands a right hand.
Innanen lands with a right to the head.
A hook to the body from Innanen.
Still in the clinch, Innanen scores with a nice short uppercut.
Innanen lands a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Innanen.
Innanen will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Baroza up against the cage.
Innanen digs a right hand into Baroza's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Baroza's gas tank.
Nice body punch from Innanen.
Nice elbow from Innanen.
Innanen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Baroza's defenses.
Innanen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That has opened up Francisco Baroza's cut even more.
Innanen struggles to land a body shot inside as Baroza controls his hands.
Innanen scores with a hook to the body.
Innanen lands an uppercut.
Nice body punch from Innanen - that landed with a thud.
Innanen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Innanen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Innanen lands a damaging elbow.

Baroza is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Innanen blocks a body shot from Baroza.
Innanen slows down the pace here.
Baroza swings wildly with an uppercut but Innanen uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Innanen.
Innanen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Baroza scores with a nice hook to the head.
Baroza misses with an elbow strike.
Nice elbow from Innanen.

The cut above Francisco Baroza's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Innanen lands a body shot in the clinch.
Innanen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A hook to the body from Innanen.
Innanen just leaning against Baroza, taking a breather.
Baroza misses with a hook to the ribs.
Innanen displaying some good clinch control by pressing Baroza up against the cage.
Innanen tries to work over Baroza's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Innanen scores with a shot to the side of Baroza's head.
Innanen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Innanen lands a body punch.
Baroza takes an elbow to the temple.

Francisco Baroza's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Innanen lands with a short shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markku Innanen dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Innanen closes the distance and clinches.
Markku Innanen has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Baroza misses with the head strike.
Innanen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Baroza's defenses.
Baroza tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Innanen's elbow.
Baroza tries to throw a body punch but Innanen avoids it by throwing Baroza back against the cage.
Baroza softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Baroza misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Innanen scores with a shot to the side of Baroza's head.
Innanen lands a nice shot to the body.
Innanen lands with a light punch inside.
Baroza is still on wobbly legs! Can Innanen finish him?
Innanen lands an elbow just above Baroza 's eye.
Innanen creates some distance and fires off a vicious elbow that drops Baroza! He pounces and finishes the fight with more strikes! Nice KO for Innanen.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Markku Innanen!