PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kulma Rauta (ranked 1629 p4p, 3557 weight class) and Sean Rivers (ranked 222 p4p, 416 weight class). Rivers is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Gojira - Sphinx. This should be a great matchup!

Rauta
vs
Rivers

190 cm
21
178
5 - 1 - 1

182 cm
22
180
3 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Conquer
Conviction

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 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Kulma Rauta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sean Rivers!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Dillan Fox and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivers throws an off balance right hand
and Rauta counters with an inside leg kick.
Rivers looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Rauta lands a nice looking body shot.
Rivers jabs at Rauta's body.
Rivers misses with a looping right.
Rauta is looking for a counter combo.
Rivers tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rauta was well out of range. Poor timing from Rivers.
Rivers takes a shot right to the bread basket.
We've been informed that Rivers has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Rivers scores with a shot to the body.
Rauta delivers a nice body kick.
Rauta blocks a jab.
Rauta throws a quick counter kick to the body but Rivers avoids it.
Rivers misses with a left hand
letting Rauta counter with a right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Good shot there by Rauta.
Rivers takes a swing at Rauta's ribcage but misses.
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.
Rauta digs a good hook to Rivers's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rauta lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Rauta moves out of range of the strikes.
Rauta moves away from the strike by Rivers.
Rauta connects with a looping right hand.
Rivers throws a hook but Rauta avoids it easily.
Rivers lands with an uppercut that bounces Rauta off the cage and back into range.
Rauta lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Rauta closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Rivers wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Rivers avoids the body shot from Rauta.
Crunch! Rauta slams his shin into Rivers's torso.
Rivers misses with a straight right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivers misses with the combination.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rivers wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Jab by Rauta.
Rauta throws a right hand that misses
and Rivers counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Good leg kick by Rauta.
Rauta scores with a jab. Rivers acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Rivers throws a hook but Rauta avoids it easily.
Rivers uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rauta.
Rivers throws a right hand that misses
letting Rauta counter with a right hand.
Rivers lands with a good body shot.
Rauta connects with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rauta slips under a jab from Rivers.
Rivers throws a body punch but Rauta moves out of range.
Rauta scores with a nice head shot.
Rauta is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Good leg kick by Rauta.
Rauta on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Rauta misses with an attempted mid kick.
Rivers looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A slow jab from Rauta misses its intended target.
Rauta connects with a body shot that sends Rivers's belly button to the back.
Rauta connects with a leg kick.
Rivers misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rauta.
Rauta connects with a good right hand that stumbles Rivers. Rivers circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Rauta ducks right into an uppercut from Rivers.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rauta displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rivers throws out the jab.
Rivers tries to clinch up
and Rivers takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rauta lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Rivers on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Rivers scores with a jab to the body.
Rauta is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Rauta slips a jab from Rivers.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Rivers checks a leg kick.
Rivers checks a low kick from Rauta.
Rivers stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rauta.
Rivers checks a low kick from Rauta.
Rauta on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kulma Rauta dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rivers misses the jab.
Rauta keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice body punch from Rauta.
Rauta lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Rivers dips to his left and cracks Rauta with an uppercut!
Rivers with a jab.
Rauta gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Rivers counters with a nice body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rivers. Rauta does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rivers misses the body punch
and Rauta counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rauta scores with a leg kick.
Rivers walks into a left hand.
Rauta ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
An attempted straight right counter from Rauta misses the target.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rivers throws a right hand that Rauta ducks under and follows up with a left that Rauta also avoids with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivers throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rivers misses the jab.
Rauta tried to counter with a leg kick but Rivers avoided it.
Rauta throws a big shot that misses.
Rivers has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Rivers there as he acknowledges the shot.
Rauta scores with a hook.
Decent striking displayed by Rauta there.
Rauta lands a head shot.
Rauta lands a jab to Rivers's midsection.
Rivers blocks a leg kick.
Rivers chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rauta can pounce on him.
Rivers avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rivers staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rauta throws a big shot that misses.
Rauta misses with a hook
and Rivers connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rivers doesn't manage to clinch there - Rauta circles away.
Rivers moves out of range as Rauta throws a body kick.
Rivers throws a body shot but no joy.
A low kick lands for Rauta.
Rivers just misses with a punch to the body.
Rauta throws a jab when Rivers was well out of range.
Rauta misses with a hook.
A nice side step and Rivers releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Rauta throws a lazy right hand but Rivers sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kulma Rauta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rauta tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rivers was well out of range. Poor timing from Rauta.
It seemed like Rivers was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Rauta connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers throws a series of punches but Rauta moves out of range.
Rivers throws a right hand that misses
and Rauta counters with a straight right hand.
Rivers uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rauta.
Rauta thows a leg kick but Rivers checks it
and Rauta takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rivers misses with a straight right.
Rauta lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Kulma Rauta is winning the standup battle so far.
Rauta throws the left hand but Rivers avoids the punch easily.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Rivers might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Rauta has got the better of the exchanges.
Rivers scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A slow jab from Rauta misses its intended target.
Rivers misses with a body shot
and Rauta cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rauta throws a hook to the side of Rivers's head but Rivers sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A little jabbing left from Rivers on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Rauta on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Rauta is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rivers can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheers as Rauta lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rivers doesn't seem phased though.
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!
Rivers throws a body punch but Rauta moves out of range.
Rivers gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Rivers has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rauta.
Rauta connects with an inside leg kick.
Rauta misses with a hook
enabling Rivers to counter with a crisp jab.
Rivers stuns Rauta with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Rivers on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rauta. Rauta obviously looking to wear him down.
Rauta lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Rivers misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rauta.
Rauta dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rivers. That did some damage!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kulma Rauta dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rivers tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rauta on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Rivers blocks a jab.
Rivers is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rauta.
Rivers throws an overhand right that lands on Rauta's shoulder, as Rauta tries to avoid the shot.
Rivers throws a jab but it's blocked by Rauta.
Rauta looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Rivers fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Rauta looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Rivers connects with a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rauta misses with a straight right.
Rauta misses with an uppercut.
Nice body punch from Rivers.
Rauta scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Rauta.
Rauta ducks under a wild hook from Rivers.
That kick from Rauta tenderised Rivers's leg. Rivers is trying to keep his angry face on.
Rivers keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rauta.
Rivers connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
The fighters circling - Rauta throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rauta dips to his left and cracks Rivers with an uppercut!
Rauta ducks under a wild hook from Rivers.
Rivers has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
A slapping leg kick lands for Rauta.
Rivers misses with a hook.
Rauta chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rauta feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Riverss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivers looks to score with a jab to the body but Rauta is just out of range.
Rauta thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rivers lands a right hook to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rivers ducks under a wild hook from Rauta.
Rauta catches Rivers with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rivers thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rauta connects with an inside leg kick.
Rauta lunges at Rivers with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rivers's hand.
Rauta attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Rivers let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Rauta connects with a single shot there.
Sean Rivers has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rivers scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rauta misses with an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rivers tries to bum rush Rauta with a series of wild strikes but Rauta uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rauta looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rauta throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rauta.
Rauta misses with a straight left.
Rauta scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Rivers doesn't seem bothered though.
Nice body kick from Rauta.
Rauta swats away the attempt to clinch by Rivers.
Rivers swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
letting Rauta counter with a right hand.
A big left from Rauta misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivers on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Rauta thows a body kick. Rivers tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Rivers takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Rauta with a body punch. A glancing blow.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rivers moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Rivers loads up on a big right hand but Rauta slips the punch.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Rauta. Rivers shrugs it off though.
Rauta lands with a kick to the ribs.
Rivers ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rauta walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rivers checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Rivers looks to land a left hand but Rauta moved out of range nicely.
Rivers throws a body punch but Rauta moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kulma Rauta showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rauta 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kulma Rauta!
Kulma Rauta thanked the fans post fight for their support.