PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joey Path (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ville rantanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Path comes into the arena with Robert Tepper - No Easy Way Out blaring out of the sound system. Ville rantanen has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Joey Path's chin.

Path
vs
rantanen

186 cm
21
198 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

194 cm
23
190 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Control Nutrition

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 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joey Path!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ville rantanen!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
rantanen shoots in looking for a takedown. Path tries to sprawl out of it but rantanen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Path manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Path shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts rantanen as he jumps to the side.
rantanen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and rantanen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Path tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but rantanen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
rantanen tries to clinch up.
rantanen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Joey Path has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ville rantanen.
A big left from Path misses.
Path tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
rantanen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
rantanen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nice body punch from Path.
rantanen looks gassed!
rantanen throws a front kick aimed at Path's knee but Path avoids it well.

rantanen drives through and clinches with Path against the cage.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Path slaps away a takedown attempt from rantanen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Path bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps rantanen's head backwards.

Path clinches with his opponent.
rantanen has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Path is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Path wants to break free but rantanen has control.
Path lands a body punch.

Path breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Path ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Path is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in rantanen's half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

rantanen is defending against the submission attempts here by Path.

Path is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Path trying to control from half guard but rantanen is working away.

Path is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
rantanen is looking to escape.
rantanen tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Path manages to move to mount!
rantanen taking shots to the head.

Path is going olschool here, as he tries to force rantanen to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so rantanen shrugs it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
rantanen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Path is trying to take his opponent's back.
rantanen tries to lock up and control but Path gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
rantanen manages to regain half guard. Good work.
rantanen has a hand on Path's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Path takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

Path goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now rantanen is on top in guard.
Path wants to stand up but rantanen is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
rantanen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
rantanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Path is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Path controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

rantanen gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Path dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Path swings for the body but rantanen moves out of range.
Path slips a jab and a cross from rantanen.
rantanen staying out of range there.
Path shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and rantanen counters with a series of strikes. Path will be more careful next time no doubt.
A clash of legs there as rantanen blocks the low kick.
Path throws out a leg kick but rantanen moves out of range and Path only half commits.
Path tries to work over rantanen's front leg with a kick but rantanen checks it.
Ville rantanen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Path misses with an uppercut.
rantanen misses with a takedown attempt

and Path counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
rantanen tries to kick Path off but Path keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Path slips a nice elbow through rantanen's hands, connecting with rantanen's forehead.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Path is pressing down on rantanen's thigh, looking to free his foot. rantanen is holding on for now.
rantanen is pressing down on Path's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Path trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
rantanen keeping moving, preventing Path from controlling successfully.
Path prevents rantanen from getting back to his feet.

Path is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! rantanen is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! rantanen has escaped and now he's on top!
rantanen controlling from the top position.
rantanen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
rantanen stopping the sweep attempt from Path.
Path throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Path had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. rantanen defends it easily.
Path wants to sweep here but rantanen controlling him for the moment.

rantanen drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Path manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now rantanen has Path in his guard.
rantanen wants to stand but Path is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Path is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Path with a nice head shot there.
Path stopping the sweep attempt from rantanen.
rantanen controls Path momentarily but Path frees himself.
rantanen keeping full guard, as Path tries to pass.
Path trying to control the position from guard on top but rantanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Path dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

rantanen stuffs the takedown attempt from Path. Path gets slowly back to his feet.
rantanen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Path.
Path misses with a series of wild punches.
rantanen shoots in for a double leg but Path sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Joey Path seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Path missing with a left hand there. rantanen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Path moves in looking to clinch but rantanen pushes him off.
Nice jab there from Path.
rantanen uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Path.
Path doesn't manage to clinch there - rantanen circles away.
Path tries to clinch there but rantanen circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
rantanen doesn't manage to clinch there - Path circles away.
rantanen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Path paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
rantanen prevents Path from breaking the clinch.
Path wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Path is trying to break free.
Path tries to circle away but rantanen has him pinned against the cage.
rantanen landing some nice looking knees to the body.

rantanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Path bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of rantanen's head.
Path darts in trying to clinch

and rantanen counters with a shoot takedown. Path fights it but they end up in guard.
rantanen wants to control from the top but Path keeps moving.

rantanen has gone for a leg lock! Path slips out almost immediately though and dives into rantanen's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
rantanen keeping moving, preventing Path from controlling successfully.
rantanen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Path trying to control the position from guard on top but rantanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Path wants to pass the guard but rantanen is keeping the position.
Path works a leg free and moves into half guard.
rantanen is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Path wants to pass the guard but rantanen is defending well.
Joey Path overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
It looks like Path is going to stand back up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Path buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Path leaves rantanen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

rantanen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Path looking to pass the guard.
rantanen looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Joey Path is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Path wants to control from the top but rantanen keeps moving.
rantanen looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

rantanen has his foot on Path's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Path works his way back into a safe position though.
rantanen working a defensive guard here.
rantanen keeping moving, preventing Path from controlling successfully.
Ville rantanen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

rantanen throws his legs up looking for a submission but Path uses it to pass to side control.

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 Joey Path.
Well Path 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joey Path!