PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Koji Kobayashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tomi Rajala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kobayashi
vs
Rajala

190 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Koji Kobayashi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tomi Rajala!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shirou Masuda and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Kobayashi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kobayashi shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rajala as he avoids it easily.

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

Rajala gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Kobayashi regains guard.

Kobayashi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rajala looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Rajala must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Rajala connects with a couple of short punches.

Kobayashi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rajala can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Rajala drops back looking for a leg! Kobayashi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kobayashi manages to kick Rajala off! Rajala jumps back into Kobayashi's guard.
Kobayashi has momentary wrist control but Rajala slips an elbow through the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rajala scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Kobayashi is trying to keep Rajala in close.
Rajala wants to pass the guard but Kobayashi is keeping the position.
Rajala preventing the sweep.
Rajala controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Kobayashi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rajala sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kobayashi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kobayashi has momentary wrist control but Rajala slips an elbow through the middle.
Rajala preventing the sweep.
Rajala tries to free his leg and advance position but Kobayashi is retaining full guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rajala passes into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rajala blocks the strikes from Kobayashi.
Kobayashi is breathing heavily.
Rajala winds up and cracks Kobayashi with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Rajala lands strikes from half guard.
Kobayashi tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Rajala controlling the pace.
Kobayashi is looking to improve his position.
Rajala wants to pass the guard but Kobayashi is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kobayashi tries to get to full guard but Rajala has control of the leg.
Nice strikes from Rajala there.
Rajala lands strikes from half guard.
Kobayashi is looking to improve his position.
Well, if Rajala is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Kobayashi has hold of Rajala's hands but Rajala slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kobayashi won't allow Rajala to pass to mount.
Kobayashi tries to roll over but Rajala keeps him under control.
Well, if Rajala is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kobayashi wants to get back to full guard.
Rajala content to control rather than advance.
Rajala working Kobayashi over with strikes.
Rajala not doing much here.
Kobayashi wants to get back to full guard.
Kobayashi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rajala distracts Kobayashi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Kobayashi not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomi Rajala dominated that round.
That's time! Kobayashi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rajala looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kobayashi!
Kobayashi is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rajala controlling the pace for now.
Kobayashi can't escape the position.
Rajala landing strikes, looking to finish!
Rajala looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rajala lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kobayashi hang on?
Rajala looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rajala landing shots from mount.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
BOOM! Rajala connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rajala unloading with bombs!
Rajala lands a big shot there that rocks Kobayashi but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Kobayashi is rocked!
Rajala content just to control the position here.
Oh Kobayashi is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rajala with a couple of short strikes.
Rajala in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kobayashi wants to hold on but Rajala pushes him away.
Kobayashi is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Tomi Rajala has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rajala with good strikes from the mount here!
Kobayashi is working to get back to half guard.
Kobayashi is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rajala controlling from the full mount.
Kobayashi seems to have got his legs back now.
Rajala prevents Kobayashi from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Kobayashi that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rajala takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kobayashi in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Kobayashi wants to control but Rajala is having none of it.
Rajala lands a big elbow.
Rajala cracks Kobayashi with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Kobayashi gets back to half guard.
Kobayashi is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rajala scores with a couple of nice shots.
Rajala scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rajala prevents Kobayashi from improving his position.
Rajala controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kobayashi looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Kobayashi looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Kobayashi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Kobayashi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kobayashi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kobayashi is working hard here to advance position.
Rajala throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rajala takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rajala has his takedown stuffed
and Kobayashi counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Tomi Rajala seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kobayashi connects with a vicious head kick that knocks Rajala to the floor! Kobayashi dives in looking for the finish!

Rajala is rocked!
Rajala has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kobayashi is working away from the top position though.
Rajala is still in real trouble! Can Kobayashi finish him?
Rajala manages to get to full guard.
Rajala wants to sweep here but Kobayashi controlling him for the moment.
Rajala wants to hit a switch here but Kobayashi passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Rajala there!
Rajala manages to control the position for a moment.
Rajala seems to have recovered his senses.
Rajala slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomi Rajala 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! This is the final round!

Kobayashi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Rajala gets the takedown into side control.
Rajala works to advance to full mount. Kobayashi defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

Rajala is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Kobayashi has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Rajala cracks Kobayashi with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Kobayashi is looking to get to half guard.
Kobayashi gets back to half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rajala lands a nice short elbow.

Rajala is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Kobayashi gets full guard.
Rajala makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Kobayashi working a defensive guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rajala trying to control but Kobayashi is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rajala keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kobayashi's head.

Kobayashi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Kobayashi had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Rajala is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Kobayashi Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Rajala's back instead.
Kobayashi is looking to control Rajala but Rajala is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Kobayashi.
Kobayashi is looking to control Rajala but Rajala is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Kobayashi has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Rajala.
Kobayashi avoiding Rajala 's attempts to control his hands.
Kobayashi doesn't have the hooks in and Rajala manages to turn into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kobayashi looking for a guillotine here but Rajala defends easily.
Rajala stays in close to Kobayashi's body and controls the position.
Rajala's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Kobayashi looking to control.
Rajala lands a couple of elbows.
Kobayashi working a defensive guard but Rajala passes into half guard.
Nice strikes from Rajala there.
Kobayashi on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rajala is thwarting Kobayashi's attempts to control the position.
Rajala controlling the action here.
Let's hope that Rajala has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Despite being in the dominant position, Tomi Rajala just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kobayashi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rajala swats away the attempt to clinch by Kobayashi.
Kobayashi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rajala is fending him off so far but Kobayashi persists. Nope, Rajala circles away and we're back to standing.

Rajala scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Rajala staying calm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kobayashi wants to control but Rajala postures up.
Kobayashi is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Kobayashi tries to buck Rajala off but Rajala is having none of it.
Rajala working away.
Kobayashi is trying to get back to half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rajala gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Kobayashi counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Kobayashi lands strikes from half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rajala is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rajala gets full guard.
Koji Kobayashi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rajala pulls Kobayashi in to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tomi Rajala.
I've got Rajala 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tomi Rajala!