PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roland Box (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul The Ribber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying The Ribber's choice of entrance music: Oh no you didn't. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Box
vs
The Ribber

193 cm
19
221 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
22
210 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roland Box!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paul The Ribber!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Arvi Lind and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The Ribber throws a head kick that misses.
The Ribber avoids the body shot from Box.
Box bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
The Ribber shoots for a double leg takedown but Box sprawls well. He's pushed The Ribber's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Box scores with a hook.

The Ribber shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Box is trying to defend but The Ribber finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Box wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The Ribber trying to control the pace.
The Ribber wants to stand up but Box is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The Ribber passes to side control.
Box on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Box tries to get out of the position.

The Ribber looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Box is trying to get back to his feet.

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.

Box throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
The Ribber tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Box paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The Ribber wants to clinch.
The Ribber walks into a stiff left hand from Box.
A slow jab from Box misses its intended target.
Horrible takedown by The Ribber or perhaps it was just good defense by Box which made him look bad.
A left lands for Box.
Some wild striking there from The Ribber.
No joy there for Box, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Box. The Ribber does a little dance to reset his feet.

Box gets the takedown into side control.
Box lands an elbow.
An elbow from Box crashes against the mat.
Box will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
You can see the frustration on The Ribber's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Sloppy strikes there by Box.
The Ribber managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Box.
The Ribber sneaks back into half guard.
The Ribber is looking for a sweep. Box is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Box is nestled in close to The Ribber, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Box is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for The Ribber!
The Ribber really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Box pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The Ribber tries to reverse the position but Box maintains control.
The Ribber tries to hold on but Box pushes him away.
The Ribber is in a horrible position here. Box smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The Ribber 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The Ribber walks into a straight right hand from Box.
Box circles away from the clinch attempt.
A nice inside leg kick there by The Ribber. That's going to slow Box down.
Box throws a body punch but The Ribber moves out of range.
Box misses with a two punch combination.
Box has a takedown stuffed.

The Ribber shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Box is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
The Ribber scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Box wants to get back to his feet.
The Ribber misses with a head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The Ribber fails to move to back control.
Box is bucking up trying to escape but The Ribber cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The Ribber looking to control but Box is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two 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.
The Ribber throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
The Ribber trying to control but Box is having none of it.
The Ribber controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The Ribber is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Box misses with an uppercut.

The Ribber darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The Ribber trying to control from half guard but Box is working away.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Paul The Ribber.
The Ribber shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Box counter with a right hand.
Box tries to bum rush The Ribber with a series of wild strikes but The Ribber uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Box swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by The Ribber.
The Ribber shoots in for a takedown but Box shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Box is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
The Ribber blocks a jab.
Box throws a body punch but The Ribber moves out of range.
The Ribber tries to close the distance and clinch up but Box swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul The Ribber 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!

Box shoots in and bounces The Ribber off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The Ribber working a defensive guard here.
Box has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The Ribber lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Box!
The Ribber trying to control but Box is having none of it.
Box's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Box is squirming around, avoiding The Ribber's attempts to control the action.
Box really wants to buck The Ribber off and get back to his feet.
Box really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

The Ribber stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

The Ribber bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Box manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
The Ribber is looking to take a break and control but Box is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The Ribber sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Box defending well though.
The Ribber is controlling the pace.
The Ribber thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Well, if The Ribber 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.

Box pushes The Ribber off and gets back to his feet.
The Ribber shoots in for a takedown but Box shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
The Ribber moves in looking to clinch but Box pushes him off.

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.
The Ribber tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Box paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Box rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but The Ribber moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Box.
Check out the look on Box's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The Ribber can't do much from the bottom here.

Box goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, The Ribber rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Box's guard! Nice work there by The Ribber!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

The Ribber gets to his feet - Box follows without any prompting.

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 Roland Box.
I think Box 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Roland Box!