PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kulma Rauta (ranked 1265 p4p, 1117 weight class) and Luka Stjepanic (ranked 166 p4p, 149 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.

Rauta
vs
Stjepanic

190 cm
21
178
5 - 0 - 1

172 cm
21
169
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

BRAZEN - Fight Gear
Champion Apparel

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 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Kulma Rauta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Luka Stjepanic!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Alec Ball and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stjepanic tries to clinch but Rauta is having none of it.
Stjepanic misses with a body kick.
Rauta throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Stjepanic counters with an outside leg kick.
Rauta swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
It seemed like Stjepanic was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Stjepanic missing with a left hand there. Rauta was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rauta misses with a hook. Stjepanic ducked under it nicely.
Stjepanic scoring well with a low kick there.
Stjepanic throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Rauta to counter with a crisp jab.
Stjepanic throws the left hand but Rauta avoids the punch easily.
Rauta was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Rauta, as that shot connected.
Stjepanic throws a wild body kick that Rauta sees coming a mile off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stjepanic closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rauta counters with a straight right hand.
Rauta tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Stjepanic thuds his shin into the meat of Rauta's side.
Stjepanic uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rauta.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stjepanic misses with a body kick.
Rauta pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
We've been told by Rauta's head coaches at Jorzi GYM that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Stjepanic scores with the left hand. Rauta knows he should have avoided that one.
Stjepanic is looking to score with low kicks.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Stjepanic.
Stjepanic loads up on a big right hand but Rauta slips the punch.
Stjepanic pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Luka Stjepanic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stjepanic uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rauta.
Rauta takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Stjepanic throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Stjepanic slips under a jab from Rauta.
Rauta throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rauta throws a hook but Stjepanic avoids it easily.
Stjepanic bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Stjepanic keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rauta.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rauta connects with a solid leg kick.
Rauta walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Stjepanic checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Stjepanic lands a leg kick that knocks Rauta off balance momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stjepanic with a nice calf kick.
Stjepanic misses with a kick to the body.
Stjepanic uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Stjepanic lets loose with a powerful body kick. Rauta will feel that in the morning.
Rauta takes one to the side of the head.

Stjepanic has taken the fight to the clinch.
A short right from Stjepanic.
Stjepanic can't find room to land a body shot as Rauta controls the action.
Rauta swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Stjepanic throws a punch but it's blocked by Rauta.
Rauta fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rauta lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Rauta is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A short left from Rauta.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stjepanic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rauta works on Stjepanic's body with a couple of short punches.
Stjepanic misses with some punches.
Stjepanic tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rauta is working Stjepanic over against the cage.
Stjepanic tries a body shot but Rauta blocks it.
Stjepanic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rauta content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Stjepanic blocks a body shot from Rauta.
Stjepanic swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Stjepanic misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rauta has a couple of punches blocked by Stjepanic.
Stjepanic lands a body shot.
Rauta wants to stall.
Stjepanic lands a nice uppercut.
Rauta misses with some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stjepanic lands an uppercut.
Rauta is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Stjepanic is keeping busy.
Stjepanic digs a right hand underneath Rauta's ribcage. Rauta let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Stjepanic lands a shoulder strike.
Stjepanic lands a nice shot to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rauta.
Rauta will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Stjepanic up against the cage.
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!
Stjepanic tries to throw a body punch but Rauta avoids it by throwing Stjepanic back against the cage.
Stjepanic goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Stjepanic lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rauta backwards.
Stjepanic softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rauta content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Rauta blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rauta swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Stjepanic blocking some punches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luka Stjepanic dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Stjepanic wants to clinch.
An attempted straight right counter from Rauta misses the target.
Stjepanic looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Stjepanic missing with a left hand there. Rauta was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rauta keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Stjepanic.
Rauta displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Stjepanic throws out the jab.
Rauta tried to score with a low kick but Stjepanic checks it.
Stjepanic throws a wild body kick that Rauta sees coming a mile off.
Stjepanic throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Rauta counters with a stiff right hand.
Rauta moves out of range of the body kick.
Rauta swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rauta tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Stjepanic is able to avoid easily.
Stjepanic throws an off balance right hand
and Rauta counters with a stiff right hand.
Stjepanic lands a head shot.
Stjepanic looks for the body kick but Rauta saw that one coming.
Stjepanic has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Stjepanic connects with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stjepanic looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Stjepanic misses with a leg kick
and Rauta counters with a nice uppercut.
Rauta connects with a leg kick.
Rauta stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Stjepanic.
Stjepanic throws a hook but Rauta blocks it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stjepanic looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rauta moves out of range of the body kick.
Stjepanic wants to clinch up but Rauta keeps it at a distance.
Rauta fires out a quick counter leg kick but Stjepanic just manages to avoid it.
Stjepanic wants to clinch up but Rauta keeps it at a distance.
Stjepanic pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rauta is out of range and Stjepanic settles back down.
Rauta uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Stjepanic has time to react.
Rauta keeps Stjepanic at a distance using the push kick.
Stjepanic throws a leg kick which misses Rauta's front leg but catches the back leg as Rauta tries to avoid it.
Rauta misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rauta swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Stjepanic tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rauta manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rauta takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Rauta slips under a jab.
Stjepanic tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rauta swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Stjepanic throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Rauta lands a glancing blow to the side of Stjepanic's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stjepanic is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Good leg kick by Rauta.
Stjepanic misses the jab.
Stjepanic throws a leg kick that misses.
Rauta throws a lazy right hand but Stjepanic sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rauta moves into range and connects with a jab.
Rauta ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Stjepanic throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Rauta misses its intended target.
Stjepanic fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rauta is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Rauta scores with a nice body kick.
Rauta thuds a left hand into Stjepanic's body.
Stjepanic misses with a low kick.
Rauta steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Stjepanic. That one must have hurt.
Rauta slips a jab from Stjepanic.

Stjepanic fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rauta, pushing him back against the cage.
Stjepanic lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rauta backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rauta.
A head punch on the inside from Rauta fails to land.
Still in the clinch, Rauta scores with a nice short uppercut.
Stjepanic goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Rauta's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rauta tries to keep at a distance but Stjepanic has taken the fight into the clinch.
Luka Stjepanic seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rauta lands a right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stjepanic lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Stjepanic tries to work over Rauta's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Rauta manages to break the clinch.
Rauta keeps the fight on the outside.
Rauta is looking to counter punch.
Rauta steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stjepanic.
Stjepanic misses with an attempted mid kick.
Stjepanic keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Stjepanic thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Rauta if he has to take too many more of those.
Stjepanic has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Stjepanic defending well as Rauta loads up on a big left hand.
Stjepanic takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Stjepanic looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Stjepanic avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Stjepanic misses with an attempted mid kick.
Rauta will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Stjepanic tries to clinch but Rauta moves out of range.
Rauta swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kulma Rauta will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Rauta moves out of range of the body kick.
Stjepanic looks to land a body kick but Rauta moved away.
Rauta turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Stjepanic scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Rauta takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Stjepanic looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Stjepanic throws a wild body kick that Rauta sees coming a mile off.
Rauta was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Rauta throws out a loose jab but Stjepanic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rauta looks for the body kick but Stjepanic saw that one coming.
Both fighters circling a little - Stjepanic finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stjepanic misses with a hook. Rauta ducked under it nicely.
A little feinted left hand from Rauta on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Stjepanic fails in his attempt to clinch.
Stjepanic throws out a leg kick but Rauta moves out of range and Stjepanic only half commits.
Stjepanic pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rauta throws a head kick that half lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rauta throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
It seemed like Stjepanic was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Stjepanic fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Rauta is out of range.
It looked like Rauta wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Some bone on bone action there as Rauta checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Rauta feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Rauta connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rauta ducks under a wild hook from Stjepanic.
Rauta swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Stjepanic scores with a kick to the body.
A chopping leg kick lands by Stjepanic.
Rauta uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Stjepanic.
Rauta scores with a shot to the body.
Rauta misses with a right hand
and Stjepanic counters with an inside leg kick.
Stjepanic pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Stjepanic scores with a nice body kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Stjepanic blocks the leg kick.
Stjepanic is looking to slow Rauta down with leg kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rauta thuds his right hand into Stjepanic's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Stjepanic tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rauta manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Stjepanic moves in looking to clinch but Rauta pushes him off.
Stjepanic connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A jab from Stjepanic does it's job there.
Rauta scores with a jab to the head.
Stjepanic pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rauta moves out of range as Stjepanic strikes.
It looked like Rauta was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Stjepanic.

Stjepanic instigates a clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rauta.
Rauta lands an uppercut.
Rauta lands with a light punch inside.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Rauta takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Rauta cracks Stjepanic with a nice body shot.
Nice body punch from Stjepanic - that landed with a thud.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stjepanic misses with a short punch on the inside.
Stjepanic working aggressively here.
Rauta misses with some punches.
Rauta fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Stjepanic tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Stjepanic misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rauta.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rauta creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rauta is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Rauta breaks from the clinch.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Stjepanic.
Rauta waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Stjepanic.
Rauta looks to score with a jab to the body but Stjepanic is just out of range.
Rauta moves out of range of the body kick.
Stjepanic throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Stjepanic uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rauta.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Rauta.
Stjepanic lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Stjepanic lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rauta scores with a nice head shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stjepanic throws a big shot that misses.
Rauta looks for the body kick but Stjepanic saw that one coming.
It seemed like Stjepanic was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Stjepanic goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rauta pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Stjepanic moves in looking to clinch but Rauta pushes him off.
Stjepanic throws a half hearted mid kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stjepanic looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rauta defending well as Stjepanic loads up on a big left hand.
Stjepanic avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
And Stjepanic responds with a good body kick, but Rauta manages to step out the way in time.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Luka Stjepanic.
Well Stjepanic has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Luka Stjepanic!