PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rauta Vaara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Enok Nitti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rauta Vaara could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Enok Nitti's chin.

Vaara
vs
Nitti

182 cm
19
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Powerful

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 Helsinki, Rauta Vaara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Enok Nitti!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vaara tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nitti swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Vaara misses with a series of wild punches.
Vaara tries for a takedown but Nitti sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Nitti moves out of range of the body kick.
Vaara doesn't manage to clinch there - Nitti circles away.

Vaara darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Vaara is thwarting Nitti's attempts to control the position.
Vaara trying to pass the guard but Nitti defending well.
Vaara is stalling here. Nitti is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Vaara seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Nitti has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Nitti working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nitti is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Vaara has escaped the position, nice work there.
Nitti working away.

Nitti is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Vaara is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Nitti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vaara keeps working.
Vaara is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Nitti wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Vaara, who protects the arm well.
Vaara wants to control but Nitti postures up.
Vaara manages to work his way to half guard, despite Nitti's best efforts.
Vaara trying to control from the bottom.
Nitti trying to control the action but Vaara is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vaara has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nitti is working away from the top position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Vaara shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Vaara wants to pass to mount but Nitti is defending the position.
Nitti wants to improve his position but Vaara is controlling well.
Vaara performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vaara is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Vaara is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Nitti!
Vaara controlling the pace for now.
Nitti tries to lock up and control but Vaara gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vaara is stalling here but it's allowed Nitti to get half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rauta Vaara dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Nitti. Vaara shrugs it off though.
Vaara shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Nitti as he jumps to the side.
Nitti gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Vaara holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Nitti is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vaara is defending well for now.

Vaara turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Vaara tries to advance to mount but can't.
Nitti misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Nitti managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Vaara.
Vaara is looking to take a break and control but Nitti is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Vaara decides to stand up, so the ref orders Nitti to his feet.
Enok Nitti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nitti defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Vaara.
Vaara throws a series of punches but Nitti moves out of range.
Horrible takedown by Vaara or perhaps it was just good defense by Nitti which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rauta Vaara. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Nitti gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Nitti will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Nitti trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Nitti not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nitti wriggles free and stands up.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Vaara.

Nitti feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Vaara is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nitti wants to control from the top but Vaara keeps moving.
Vaara not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Vaara is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vaara throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nitti works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Vaara throwing strikes but missing.
Vaara looking to pass the guard.
Vaara trying to control the position from guard on top but Nitti is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nitti is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Vaara stands up from Nitti's guard - Vaara perhaps looking for a knockout.

Nitti scores a takedown into full mount!
Vaara is looking to improve his position but Nitti isn't that keen on the idea.
Vaara tries to hold on but Nitti postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Enok Nitti will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Vaara's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Vaara fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Vaara fails with the takedown
and Nitti counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Vaara is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Vaara shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Nitti napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Nitti regains half guard.
Vaara prevents Nitti from improving his position.
Vaara frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Nitti takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nitti trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaara controlling his opponent.
Vaara throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Vaara trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rauta Vaara overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

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.
Vaara is really struggling to control Nitti but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Vaara gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Vaara works over Nitti's head and body with a nice combination.
Vaara fails with the takedown

and Nitti counters with a takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nitti sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Vaara is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
You can see the frustration on Vaara's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Nitti goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Vaara has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Nitti but great work by Vaara.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rauta Vaara.

Vaara shoots in and bounces Nitti off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Vaara loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Vaara trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Nitti manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Nitti trying to stand up but can't free himself from Vaara's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nitti prevents Vaara from getting back to his feet.
Vaara is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Vaara is pressing down on Nitti's thigh, looking to free his foot. Nitti is holding on for now.
Nitti wants to control the action here but instead Vaara manages to pass to full mount!
Vaara wants to control the pace but Nitti is squirming around nicely.

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 Rauta Vaara.
I think Vaara has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rauta Vaara!