PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sergey Aksenov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jere Ruutikainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aksenov kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is "Only Tools And Corpses" by Gorerotted. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Aksenov
vs
Ruutikainen

180 cm
20
190 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

182 cm
21
195 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sergey Aksenov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jere Ruutikainen!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruutikainen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Aksenov fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Ruutikainen checks it well.
Nice sprawl there from Ruutikainen as Aksenov shoots in.

Ruutikainen throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Aksenov was covering up waiting for the punch and Ruutikainen finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Ruutikainen wants to control from the top but Aksenov keeps moving.

Aksenov throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ruutikainen stands up over Aksenov, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Ruutikainen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruutikainen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Aksenov is keeping the position for now.
Aksenov keeping moving, preventing Ruutikainen from controlling successfully.
Ruutikainen thows a big elbow that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Aksenov isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Ruutikainen stacks Aksenov on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Ruutikainen!
Ruutikainen scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Aksenov to see if he's OK.
Ruutikainen working the ground and pound from side control.
Aksenov is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Ruutikainen fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruutikainen trying to control the position but Aksenov is working away.
Ruutikainen scores with a couple of short elbows.
Ruutikainen takes a little break here. Aksenov wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ruutikainen trying to control the position but Aksenov is working away.
Ruutikainen cracks Aksenov with a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aksenov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ruutikainen wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Ruutikainen wants to control but Aksenov is keeping him busy.
Aksenov taking punishment in the form of punches.
Ruutikainen wants to control but Aksenov is keeping him busy.
Ruutikainen works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Ruutikainen working the ground and pound.
Ruutikainen is looking to take a break and control but Aksenov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ruutikainen working the ground and pound from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruutikainen scores with punches from side control.
Ruutikainen works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Ruutikainen scores with a couple of short elbows.
Ruutikainen controls the position from side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Jere Ruutikainen.
Ruutikainen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Ruutikainen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Aksenov napping and manages to drive through into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jere Ruutikainen 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.

Ruutikainen tests Aksenov's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ruutikainen scores with a hook.
Ruutikainen throws out a leg kick but Aksenov moves out of range and Ruutikainen only half commits.
Ruutikainen fails with the takedown

and Aksenov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Ruutikainen has his hands on Aksenov's head, controlling the position.
Ruutikainen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Aksenov seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Ruutikainen keeping full guard, as Aksenov tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aksenov is working hard here to advance position.
Aksenov trying to control but Ruutikainen is working from the bottom.
Aksenov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ruutikainen is keeping the position for now.
Ruutikainen is pulling down on Aksenov's head to control his posture.
Aksenov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ruutikainen misses with a body shot.
Ruutikainen throws out a loose jab but Aksenov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Jere Ruutikainen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ruutikainen lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ruutikainen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Aksenov but Aksenov pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ruutikainen dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Aksenov. That did some damage!
Ruutikainen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Ruutikainen is looking to land body kicks.
Ruutikainen scores with a jab to the head.
Ruutikainen misses with a takedown

and Aksenov counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ruutikainen's guard now.
Sergey Aksenov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jere Ruutikainen.
Aksenov preventing the sweep.
Ruutikainen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Aksenov's guard.

Aksenov looking for subs off his back but Ruutikainen has passed one foot through into half guard.
Ruutikainen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Aksenov with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruutikainen working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ruutikainen is stalling here. Aksenov is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Ruutikainen seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Aksenov has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Aksenov is trying to move to mount but Ruutikainen reverses beautifully and ends up in Aksenov's guard.
Ruutikainen throws a big right hand that misses.
Ruutikainen works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ruutikainen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruutikainen trying to control the action but Aksenov is working from the bottom.
Ruutikainen is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Aksenov is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ruutikainen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ruutikainen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Aksenov looking for submissions off his back.
Ruutikainen passes to full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jere Ruutikainen 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!

The fighters circling - Ruutikainen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Ruutikainen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Aksenov!
Ruutikainen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Aksenov?
Aksenov is in all sorts of trouble here.
Aksenov takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Ruutikainen breaks from Aksenov's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Aksenov is in a horrible position here. Ruutikainen smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Aksenov is rocked!
Jere Ruutikainen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ruutikainen lands a big elbow - Aksenov is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Aksenov is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Jere Ruutikainen!