PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Scott Max (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miksu Rupunen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rupunen has chosen Johnny Cash - God's Gonna Cut You Down as his entrance music. On his way into the ring it seems that Scott Max has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Scott Max seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Max
vs
Rupunen

190 cm
24
214 lbs
6 - 3 - 1

185 cm
21
205 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Scott Max!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Miksu Rupunen!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rupunen lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Max throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Max cracks a nice hook into Rupunen's ribs.
Rupunen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Max closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Max closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rupunen to the mat! Rupunen manages to get full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Rupunen looking for a guillotine here but Max defends easily.
Max throws a big right hand that misses.
Max passes Rupunen's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Max wants to pass the guard but Rupunen is defending well.
Rupunen is looking to improve his position.
Rupunen wants to control but Max is keeping busy.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Max thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rupunen is trying to maintain the position but Max is very close to passing his half guard.
Rupunen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Max.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Max misses with a jab, cross combination.
Max scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Rupunen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rupunen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Rupunen scores a takedown into full mount!

Rupunen is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Max is surviving well by controlling Rupunen's body position as best he can.
Rupunen wants to control but instead Max manages to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Max is looking to escape.
Rupunen trying to control from half guard but Max is working away.
Rupunen is thwarting Max's attempts to control the position.
Max slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rupunen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rupunen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Max is keeping the position for now.
Rupunen sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Max working for a triangle but Rupunen defends it easily.
Max looking for a sweep. Not yet Max, not yet.
Max keeping moving, preventing Rupunen from controlling successfully.
Max is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Max sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Max trying to mount his opponent but Rupunen defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Max trying to control the action but Rupunen is working from the bottom.
Rupunen is trying to control but Max passes into side control!
Rupunen is trying to control Max's posture but Max avoids it.
Rupunen is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Max's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Rupunen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Max lands the left hand.

Rupunen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Max to the mat! Max manages to get full guard.
Rupunen pushing down on Max's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Max is looking to control Rupunen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Max avoid being mounted?

Rupunen is working for a submission of some sort.

Rupunen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Max defends it well.
Max on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Max tries to get out of the position.
Max has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rupunen is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Max wants to improve his position but Rupunen is controlling well.
Max is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Max manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Max is trying to control the position but Rupunen postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rupunen misses the body punch

and Max counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rupunen striking off his back but it's not causing Max any problems.
Rupunen looking to control.

Rupunen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rupunen is breathing heavily.
Max trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rupunen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Max postures up in Rupunen's guard and throws a big left but Rupunen blocks it.
Rupunen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Max postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rupunen with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rupunen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Max displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Rupunen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Max counters with a one-two to the body.
Max swings away with a leg kick that misses.

Max gets the takedown into side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Max in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Rupunen is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Max is working Rupunen over with some ground and pound from side control.
Max trying to control the action but Rupunen is working from the bottom.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Max has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Rupunen has his takedown stuffed

and Max decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rupunen's guard.
Scott Max has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miksu Rupunen.
Max wants to pass the guard but Rupunen is keeping the position.
Max trying to control the position from guard on top but Rupunen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Max controlling from the top position.

Rupunen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Max not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Max accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Max slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Max in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Max dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rupunen misses with a two punch combination.

Rupunen scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Rupunen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Max trying to hold on to Rupunen's head to control him but Rupunen postures up.
Max is staying active underneath Rupunen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Max gets back to full guard.
Rupunen wants to pass the guard but Max is keeping the position.
Scott Max overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Max throwing short punches from the bottom.
Max bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rupunen's guard.
Rupunen controls Max momentarily but Max frees himself.
Rupunen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Max wanted to stand there but Rupunen had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rupunen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Max controls the pace.
Max is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.

Max postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rupunen is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Max, into his guard.

Rupunen drops back looking for a leg! Max is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Max manages to kick Rupunen off! Rupunen jumps back into Max's guard.
Max is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rupunen wants to control from the top but Max keeps moving.
Max wants to sweep but no luck.
Rupunen is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Max wants to sweep here but Rupunen controlling him for the moment.
Max striking off his back but it's not causing Rupunen any problems.
Max preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Max finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Rupunen fails with the takedown
and Max counters with a right hand to the body.
Max scores with a shot to the body.
Rupunen wants to clinch
and Max connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Max scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Rupunen blocks a head kick by Max.
Scott Max is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rupunen with a lazy takedown attempt
and Max counters with a straight right hand.
Max lands a nice shot to the body.
Rupunen with a poor takedown
and Max counters with a stiff right hand.
Scott Max has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miksu Rupunen.
Nice uppercut lands for Max. That snapped Rupunen's head back.

Max drives through with a takedown into guard.
Max stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rupunen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Rupunen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Max slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Max has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Rupunen has his foot on Max's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Max works his way back into a safe position though.
Miksu Rupunen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Max is stalling in the full guard.

Rupunen looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Max has picked Rupunen up and slammed him! Rupunen can't keep hold of the triangle and Max manages to pass to side control!

And that's the end of the fight!
Scott Max showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Max has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Scott Max!