PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ceg Maak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roope Rautakoura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Maak
vs
Rautakoura

182 cm
22
183 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

177 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ceg Maak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roope Rautakoura!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maak throws a shot from downtown. Rautakoura moves away and avoids it.
Maak tries to close the distance and clinch but Rautakoura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rautakoura avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rautakoura is defended easily by Maak.
Nice sprawl there from Maak as Rautakoura shoots in.
Maak takes a swing at Rautakoura's ribcage but misses.

Maak closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Maak trying to control the action but Rautakoura is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Maak is looking for a kimura but Rautakoura is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Maak to get the leverage.

Maak seems to be working for a kimura but Rautakoura defends the submission attempt.
Rautakoura trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maak missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Maak stops Rautakoura from getting back to his feet.
Rautakoura looks gassed!

Maak is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rautakoura is just riding it out for now. Maak eventually gives up the hold.

Maak is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rautakoura stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Maak.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Maak throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Rautakoura blocks a head kick by Maak.
Maak throws a head kick that half lands.
Maak throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Maak tries to clinch but Rautakoura is having none of it.
Rautakoura throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Maak's waist but Maak gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rautakoura off to one side.
Ceg Maak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roope Rautakoura.
Maak lands with an overhand left.
Rautakoura displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Maak throws out the jab.
Maak works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Maak is looking to clinch.
Ceg Maak seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maak connects with the punch.
Maak takes a swing at Rautakoura's ribcage but misses.
Maak tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rautakoura paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Maak lands with a shot to the body.
Maak fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Maak chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rautakoura takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Maak shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Maak wants to free his trapped foot but Rautakoura is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maak is trying to work for a kimura but Rautakoura is defending well.
Rautakoura is trying to stand.

Maak seems to be looking for submissions.
Maak is trying to control the action in half guard but Rautakoura is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Maak postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Rautakoura to stand up.
Maak connects with a solid leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Maak throws a head kick that half lands.
Roope Rautakoura is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maak chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Nice body kick from Maak.
Maak lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rautakoura's sensitive parts.
Maak dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rautakoura. That did some damage!
Maak throws a head kick that Rautakoura semi-blocks.
Maak thows a body kick. Rautakoura tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Maak with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Maak - that will leave a mark!
Maak tries to clinch but Rautakoura is having none of it.
Rautakoura is breathing heavily.
An inside leg kick from Maak misses.
Rautakoura tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maak looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Maak pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rautakoura is keeping the position for now.
Maak is working hard here to advance position.
Maak trying to control the position from guard on top but Rautakoura is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Maak is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maak advances position into side control!
Maak is looking to take a break and control but Rautakoura is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Maak is trying to get an arm triangle but Rautakoura is defending well.

Maak wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rautakoura, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rautakoura is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Maak asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Maak advances to mount.
Maak throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Maak is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Rautakoura is surviving well by controlling Maak's body position as best he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Maak tries to control but Rautakoura wriggling away.

Maak looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Maak stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Maak throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rautakoura's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ceg Maak 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!

Maak tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Good leg kick by Maak there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Rautakoura bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Maak gets back to half guard.

Maak looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rautakoura thows a huge punch but Maak dodges it nicely.
Maak is pressing down on Rautakoura's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rautakoura postures up.

Maak looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Maak utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Rautakoura avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rautakoura cracks Maak with a solid left hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maak utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rautakoura looking to pass the guard.

Maak is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Maak trying to control the position.

Maak had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rautakoura defends it easily.
Rautakoura chips away with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Maak is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Maak is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Maak trying to control the position.

Maak is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rautakoura is aware though and is defending well.
Rautakoura lands a couple of elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rautakoura is looking to work some ground and pound but Maak has wrist control.

Maak is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Maak working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rautakoura.
Rautakoura thows a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rautakoura accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maak scoring well with a low kick there.
Maak chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Maak comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Rautakoura takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Maak tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Maak turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Maak throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Maak gets a takedown into half guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maak wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rautakoura keeps working.
Ceg Maak is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Maak is really struggling to control Rautakoura but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Roope Rautakoura has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Maak is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Rautakoura has managed to free his arm - good work.
Rautakoura throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ceg Maak showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Maak 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 30:25
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ceg Maak!