PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Math Riddle (ranked 6114 p4p, 2573 weight class) and Tom Korppila (ranked 620 p4p, 340 weight class). Math Riddle has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Riddle
vs
Korppila

192 cm
27
201
3 - 11 - 0

180 cm
24
203
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

HELLBENT

BE Younick $25
Seventh Circle Clothing

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 3 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Math Riddle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tom Korppila!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riddle connects with a high kick.
Riddle fails with an attempt to clinch.
Korppila throws a poor cross that misses
and Riddle counters with a low kick, right behind Korppila 's knee.
Korppila moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Riddle tries to clinch up.
Math Riddle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Korppila fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Korppila takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Riddle fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riddle thows a leg kick but Korppila checks it

and Korppila counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Korppila trying to control but Riddle is working from the bottom.
Riddle wants to sweep but no luck.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Riddle is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Korppila is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Korppila throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Riddle works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Riddle seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

Riddle has an active guard here but Korppila has managed to pass into half guard.
Korppila looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Riddle is holding on to half guard well.
Riddle moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Riddle is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Riddle keeping moving, preventing Korppila from controlling successfully.

Riddle throws his legs up looking for a submission but Korppila uses it to pass to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riddle is trying to control Korppila's posture but Korppila avoids it.
Riddle is looking for a sweep.

Korppila tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Korppila is looking to take a break and control but Riddle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Riddle holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Korppila scoring with punches and elbows.
Korppila trying to control the position but Riddle is working away.
Riddle is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Korppila off and has taken his back!
Korppila tries to escape but Riddle has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Riddle is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Korppila defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Riddle is looking for a rear naked choke here but Korppila reverses the position brilliantly into Riddle's guard!

Riddle isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Korppila stacks Riddle on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Korppila!
Korppila landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riddle wants to control but Korppila postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Riddle is looking for a sweep.
Riddle can't do much from the bottom here.
Riddle is trying to improve his position.
Riddle takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Riddle stops Korppila from passing to mount.
Korppila landing strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Korppila works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Korppila lands some shots froms side control.
Korppila is chipping away with strikes.
Riddle can't do much from the bottom here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Korppila dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Riddle attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Riddle is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Korppila.
Korppila with the counter takedown but Riddle avoids it easily.
Korppila fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Riddle connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Korppila walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Korppila keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Korppila is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Riddle. Korppila does a little dance to reset his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Korppila moves out of range of the leg kick from Riddle.
Korppila tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Korppila looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Riddle looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Korppila tries to free his leg and advance position but Riddle is retaining full guard.
Riddle will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Riddle holds on and takes a little breather.
Korppila controlling from the top position.

Riddle had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Korppila defends it easily.
Korppila landing with the ground and pound.
Riddle is pulling down on Korppila's head to control his posture.
Korppila missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Riddle is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Korppila is aware though and is defending well.
Korppila not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Riddle pulls Korppila in close to prevent any damage.
Riddle trying to control the position.
Korppila scoring with some ground and pound.
Tom Korppila has got the better of the ground game so far.
Korppila connects with a couple of short punches.
Korppila preventing the sweep.
Riddle is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Korppila with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Korppila avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Korppila thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Riddle is trying to keep Korppila in close.

Korppila stands up and waves to Riddle to follow him.

Riddle fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Korppila, pushing him back against the cage.
Korppila wants a takedown but no success here.

Korppila gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Riddle regains guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Korppila throws a big elbow that misses.
Korppila won't allow Riddle to sweep him here.

Korppila stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Some bone on bone action there as Korppila checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Riddle throws a body shot but no joy.
Riddle is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Korppila tries for a takedown but Riddle sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Math Riddle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Korppila.
The fight stays on the outside here - Riddle looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Korppila is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Korppila blocks a leg kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Some bone on bone action there as Korppila checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Riddle misses with a looping right.
Riddle takes a swing at Korppila's ribcage but misses.
Korppila feints the counter takedown.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tom Korppila will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Riddle connects with a solid leg kick.
Riddle misses with a lunging right hand

so Korppila counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Riddle escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Korppila gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Korppila works over Riddle with some ground and pound from guard.
Riddle is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Riddle keeping moving, preventing Korppila from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Riddle has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Korppila can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Korppila is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Korppila gets to his feet - Riddle follows without any prompting.
Riddle misses with a two punch combination.
Riddle takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Riddle walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Riddle thows a leg kick but Korppila checks it

and Korppila counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Riddle is rocked!
Korppila wants to control from the top but Riddle keeps moving.

Riddle looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Korppila showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Korppila throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Korppila throws a big right hand that misses.

Riddle is looking for a triangle here but Korppila uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Korppila trying to control the position but Riddle is working away.
Tom Korppila is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Korppila is working Riddle over with some ground and pound from side control.
Korppila trying to control the position but Riddle is working away.
Korppila taking a break here but Riddle is having none of it and regains half guard.
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!
Korppila throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Math Riddle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddle trying to hold on to Korppila's head to control him but Korppila postures up.
Riddle is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Korppila is looking to advance position but Riddle won't allow it.
Korppila takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Riddle wants to control but Korppila is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Riddle tries to get to full guard but Korppila has control of the leg.
Riddle has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Korppila is working away from the top position though.
Still in half guard, Korppila seems content to control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four 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.
A looping hook to the body misses from Korppila. Riddle does a little dance to reset his feet.
Riddle misses with a wild body shot.
A punch lands to the side of Riddle 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Tom Korppila is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Riddle throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Korppila counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Korppila's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Korppila has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Korppila chips away with some ground and pound.

Riddle looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Korppila looking to pass the guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Korppila avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Korppila pushes down on Riddle's leg and manages to get into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Korppila comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Korppila winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Korppila!