PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Teo Rantanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Rambo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rantanen comes to the cage accompanied by Bats of love. John Rambo has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Teo Rantanen's chin.

Rantanen
vs
Rambo

187 cm
24
203 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

180 cm
24
205 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Knockout power

Red Light Clothing ► Amsterdam!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Teo Rantanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Rambo!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rambo swings for the body but Rantanen moves out of range.
Rantanen throws a right hand that Rambo ducks under and follows up with a left that Rambo also avoids with ease.

Rantanen gets the takedown into side control.
Rambo is trying to control Rantanen's posture but Rantanen avoids it.

Rantanen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rantanen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rambo tries to improve position but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sloppy strikes there by Rantanen.
Rambo sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Rantanen prevents Rambo from improving his position.

Rantanen is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Rambo lands with a few short shots to the body.
Rantanen wants to take a breather but Rambo is having none of it.
Rambo gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rantanen trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rambo's guard.

Rambo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rambo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rantanen is one step ahead there.
Rambo trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Rantanen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rantanen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Rambo looking for a guillotine here but Rantanen defends easily.
Rambo throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rambo thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

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.

Rambo working for a triangle but Rantanen defends it easily.
Rantanen throws a big right hand that misses.
Rantanen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rambo is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rambo 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.
Rambo will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Rantanen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rantanen swinging wilding here.
Rambo walks into a straight right hand from Rantanen.
Rantanen misses with a hook to the body

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rantanen can't keep his opponent in guard - Rambo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Rantanen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rantanen is breathing heavily.
Rantanen is looking to improve his position.
Rambo slips a nice elbow through Rantanen's hands, connecting with Rantanen's forehead.
Rambo thows a huge punch but Rantanen dodges it nicely.
Rantanen slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Rantanen had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Rambo is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Rantanen Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Rambo's back instead.
Rantanen doesn't have the hooks in and Rambo manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rambo is in close to Rantanen's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Rantanen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rambo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rambo pushing down on Rantanen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rambo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rantanen keeps working.
Rambo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rantanen punching from the bottom.
Rambo looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Rantanen is looking for a sweep. Rambo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rambo lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Rantanen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rambo working over Rantanen with some ground and pound. Rantanen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Rambo dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rantanen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rambo counters with a shoot takedown. Rantanen fights it but they end up in guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rambo's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Rantanen has his foot on Rambo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rambo works his way back into a safe position though.

Rantanen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rambo is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rambo slips nicely into half guard.
Rambo passes to side control.
Rambo working the head with strikes.
Rambo cracks Rantanen with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rantanen is looking to regain half guard here but Rambo keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rantanen taking punishment in the form of punches.

Rambo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Rambo is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Rantanen's shoulder. That is not cool.
Rambo creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Rantanen is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Rantanen is not content to let Rambo control the position.
Rantanen wants to improve his position but Rambo is controlling well.

Rambo is trying to work for a kimura but Rantanen is defending well.
John Rambo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rambo prevents Rantanen from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rantanen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rambo.

Rantanen looking for submissions off his back.
Rantanen gets back to full guard.
Rambo slips nicely into half guard.
Rantanen tries to roll over but Rambo keeps him under control.
Nice strikes from Rambo there.
Rantanen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Rantanen has hold of Rambo's hands but Rambo slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Rantanen looking for submissions off his back.
Rambo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rambo drops an elbow to the side of Rantanen's head.
Rambo working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Rambo prevents Rantanen from improving his position.
Rambo is looking to take a break and control but Rantanen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rantanen gets full guard.
Rambo works over Rantanen with some ground and pound from guard.
Rambo connects with a couple of short punches.
Rantanen is trying to keep Rambo in close.

Rambo thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Rantanen has an active guard here but Rambo has managed to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rambo is controlling the pace.
Rambo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rantanen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rantanen.
Rantanen keeping moving, preventing Rambo from controlling successfully.

Rantanen looking for a guillotine here but Rambo defends easily.
Rambo pushing down on Rantanen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Rambo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rambo cracks a nice hook into Rantanen's ribs.

Rambo looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rantanen!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rambo raining down shots from the mount!
Rantanen is in a horrible position here. Rambo smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Rambo cracks Rantanen with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Rambo with a couple of short strikes.
Rambo pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Rambo prevents Rantanen from getting the reversal.
Rambo wants to control the pace but Rantanen is squirming around nicely.
Rambo lands with some strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rantanen takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rantanen can't escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Rambo.
Rantanen tries to hold on but Rambo postures up.
Rantanen is trying to stand up.
Rambo controlling the position easily from mount.
Rantanen is desperately trying to improve his position but Rambo has a good base and remains in mount.
Rambo controlling the position easily from mount.
Rantanen tries to reverse the position but Rambo maintains control.
Rantanen sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Rambo lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rantanen trying to get back to full guard but Rambo takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Rambo dominating with strikes here.
Rambo scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rantanen?
BOOM! Rambo connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Rantanen tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Rambo has control of Rantanen's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rantanen regains control of the situation pretty easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rambo with good strikes from the mount here!
Rantanen working to try and regain half guard.
Rambo wants to control the pace but Rantanen is squirming around nicely.
Rantanen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rantanen sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Rambo landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rambo lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Rantanen tries to roll over but Rambo keeps him under control.
Rambo is keen to just control but Rantanen is a slippery customer.

Rambo is looking for a kimura here.

Rambo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Teo Rantanen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rambo trying to mount his opponent but Rantanen defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rantanen tries to get to full guard but Rambo has control of the leg.
Rantanen regains full guard. Nicely done.

Rantanen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

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

Rantanen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rambo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
John Rambo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rantanen has momentary wrist control but Rambo slips an elbow through the middle.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rambo is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Rambo advances to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Rambo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rambo 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for John Rambo!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for John Rambo!
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight for John Rambo!

John Rambo wins by unanimous decision!