PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rupert Helenius (ranked 1726 p4p, 2661 weight class) and Sauli Somelainen (ranked 61 p4p, 95 weight class). Sauli Somelainen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Helenius
vs
Somelainen

185 cm
33
177
15 - 12 - 2

181 cm
32
166
14 - 14 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

HELLS BALLS RECOVERY

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rupert Helenius!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 14 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sauli Somelainen!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Dillan Fox and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Somelainen moves into the clinch.
Somelainen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Helenius.
Somelainen throws a punch but it's blocked by Helenius.
Somelainen tries a body shot but Helenius blocks it.
Somelainen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Helenius.
Somelainen blocking some punches.

Somelainen lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Helenius controlling the position well.
Helenius is trying to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Somelainen takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helenius is trying to get back to full guard.
Helenius wants to control but Somelainen is keeping busy.
Somelainen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Helenius is looking for a sweep. Somelainen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Helenius closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Somelainen to the mat! Somelainen manages to get full guard.
We've been hearing that Helenius has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Somelainen pulls Helenius in close to his closed guard and prevents Helenius from doing any damage or advancing position.
Helenius tries to free his leg and advance position but Somelainen is retaining full guard.
Somelainen controls Helenius momentarily but Helenius frees himself.
Helenius controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Helenius is looking to pass into half guard but Somelainen pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Somelainen is in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Helenius working a defensive guard here.
Somelainen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Helenius holds on and takes a little breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Helenius can't keep his opponent in guard - Somelainen advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Helenius is trying to maintain the position but Somelainen is very close to passing his half guard.
Somelainen trying to control from half guard but Helenius is working away.
Somelainen sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Helenius is holding on to half guard well.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sauli Somelainen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Somelainen misses with a looping right.
Helenius feinted with a counter takedown.
Helenius tries to clinch up but Somelainen circles away and keeps his distance.
Helenius looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Somelainen is fending him off so far but Helenius persists. Nope, Somelainen circles away and we're back to standing.

Somelainen takes the fight into the clinch.
Helenius is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Somelainen pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Helenius works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Helenius looking to pass the guard.
Somelainen 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Somelainen controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helenius trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Somelainen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Somelainen has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Helenius stays in close to Somelainen's body and controls the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Somelainen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Helenius, pushing him back against the cage.

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.
Helenius drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rupert Helenius. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Somelainen is trying to force a seperation but Helenius has the dominant position.
A nice left hand lands by Somelainen.
Somelainen is working Helenius over against the cage.

Somelainen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Helenius fails in his attempt to clinch.
Somelainen tries to clinch up.

Somelainen darts in and clinches Helenius up against the cage.
Helenius has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Somelainen is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Somelainen is looking for a takedown.
Somelainen is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Helenius gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
A frustrated look appears on Helenius's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Somelainen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Helenius fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Somelainen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Somelainen works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Helenius has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Somelainen has passed into side control.
Sauli Somelainen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Somelainen trying to control the position but Helenius is working away.
Helenius tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Somelainen remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Helenius is trying to control Somelainen's posture but Somelainen avoids it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Somelainen is looking to take a break and control but Helenius is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sauli Somelainen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Helenius rushes Somelainen and presses him up against the cage.
Somelainen is looking for a takedown.
Helenius misses with some punches.

Helenius manages to break the clinch.
Helenius avoids the body shot from Somelainen.
Some wild striking there from Somelainen.
Helenius moves away from the strike by Somelainen.
Somelainen on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Helenius connects with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Helenius swats away the attempt to clinch by Somelainen.
Somelainen closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Helenius just misses with a punch to the body.

Helenius clinches up with Somelainen and pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helenius blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Helenius breaks from the clinch.
Helenius throws a body shot but no joy.
Somelainen looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Helenius moves in looking to clinch but Somelainen pushes him off.
Somelainen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Somelainen throws a right and a left that Helenius avoids nicely.
A slow jab from Somelainen misses its intended target.

Somelainen manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Helenius on his heels. He'll look to pass Helenius's guard now, I'm sure.
Helenius is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Helenius stalling.
Rupert Helenius has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helenius is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Somelainen working a defensive guard but Helenius manages to pass into side control anyway.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Somelainen holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Somelainen is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Helenius off and has taken his back!
Somelainen doesn't have the hooks in and Helenius manages to turn into his guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Somelainen is on top in guard.

Somelainen trying to control the position from guard on top but Helenius is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Somelainen looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Helenius seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Helenius looking for a sweep. Not yet Helenius, not yet.
Somelainen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Rupert Helenius.
Well Somelainen 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sauli Somelainen!
A very excited looking Sauli Somelainen made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.