PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jalo Ilmarinen (ranked 1881 p4p, 3649 weight class) and Sean Rivers (ranked 249 p4p, 449 weight class). Rivers comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Gojira - Sphinx kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Ilmarinen
vs
Rivers

178 cm
20
174
5 - 2 - 0

182 cm
20
180
2 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

HELLS BALLS RECOVERY
Conviction

Conviction
© Trap House

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jalo Ilmarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sean Rivers!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Ian Loll and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ilmarinen cracks Rivers with a right hand to the side of the head.
The fighters circle momentarily. Ilmarinen darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Nice uppercut there from Rivers.
Ilmarinen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A big left from Rivers misses.
Rivers misses with a straight right.
Rivers uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen connects with a jab.

Ilmarinen closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Rivers quickly recovers to half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rivers keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Ilmarinen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rivers's head.
Ilmarinen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rivers defending well though.
Rivers is trying to stand.
Ilmarinen trying to mount his opponent but Rivers defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers is trying to control but can't.
Rivers looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Rivers wants to get back to his feet.

Rivers manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Good standup being displayed there by Ilmarinen as he connects with a hook.

It looks like Sean Rivers has been cut.
Jab by Rivers.
Ilmarinen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
It seemed like Rivers was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Rivers misses with an uppercut.
Rivers falls off balance throwing a combination

and Ilmarinen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rivers trying to hold on to Ilmarinen's head to control him but Ilmarinen postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ilmarinen is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ilmarinen working over Rivers with some ground and pound. Rivers looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ilmarinen working over Rivers with some ground and pound. Rivers looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Ilmarinen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ilmarinen keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Ilmarinen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rivers tries to roll over but Ilmarinen keeps him under control.
Ilmarinen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rivers tries to kick Ilmarinen off but Ilmarinen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers moves into full guard.
Ilmarinen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ilmarinen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rivers tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ilmarinen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ilmarinen postures up in Rivers's guard and throws a big left but Rivers blocks it.
Rivers tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ilmarinen throws a big elbow that misses.
Ilmarinen lands a couple of digs.
Rivers keeping moving, preventing Ilmarinen from controlling successfully.
Ilmarinen prevents Rivers from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivers wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Rivers looking for a sweep. Not yet Rivers, not yet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Rivers misses with a lunging right hand
and Ilmarinen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ilmarinen looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Nice body punch from Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen looks to score with a jab to the body but Rivers is just out of range.
Ilmarinen connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Ilmarinen scores with a nice right hand.
Ilmarinen misses with a looping right.
Ilmarinen misses with a looping left.
Rivers keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ilmarinen dives in and grabs Rivers's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rivers pushes down on Ilmarinen's head and hops out.
Sean Rivers is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ilmarinen slips a straight right by Rivers.
Rivers displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ilmarinen.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jalo Ilmarinen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sean Rivers's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ilmarinen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ilmarinen avoids the body shot from Rivers.

Ilmarinen closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Rivers did well to prevent Ilmarinen getting side control.
Ilmarinen moves into full mount! Rivers won't be happy about that!
Ilmarinen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rivers can do to turn this around?
Rivers working to try and regain half guard.
Ilmarinen trying to control but Rivers is having none of it.
Rivers is desperately trying to improve his position but Ilmarinen has a good base and remains in mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rivers avoids a series of strikes thrown by Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen lands a big shot there that rocks Rivers but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Ilmarinen looking to finish Rivers with some ground and pound. This is bad for Rivers!

That has opened up Sean Rivers's cut even more.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ilmarinen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Ilmarinen avoids the attempt from Rivers to control.
Ilmarinen raining down shots from the mount!
Ilmarinen lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Sean Rivers's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Sean Rivers's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:52 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Jalo Ilmarinen!