PBP Commentary

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

Hammer
vs
Rautakoura

185 cm
19
195 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

177 cm
23
185 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thomas Hammer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roope Rautakoura!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rautakoura drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Rautakoura landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Rautakoura lands a few punches from side control.
Rautakoura trying to control the action but Hammer is working from the bottom.
Hammer manages to get back to half guard.
Rautakoura lands strikes from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rautakoura misses with a head shot. Hammer uses the momentum to regain guard.
Rautakoura cracks Hammer with a solid left hand.
Rautakoura missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rautakoura stands and throws Hammer's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Rautakoura.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rautakoura lands a decent elbow from side control.
Rautakoura landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Rautakoura creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Hammer sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Rautakoura working away.
Rautakoura creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Hammer tries to improve position but can't.
Check out the look on Rautakoura's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Hammer is looking for a sweep.
Rautakoura in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Hammer dodges the ground and pound from Rautakoura.
Rautakoura looks gassed!
Rautakoura in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hammer parries the strikes from Rautakoura easily there. Rautakoura is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Hammer to escape.
Hammer is looking to reverse the position.
Rautakoura has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammer parries the strikes from Rautakoura easily there. Rautakoura is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Hammer to escape.
Hammer takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Rautakoura landing a few strikes.
Hammer wants to control but Rautakoura postures up.
Hammer is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Hammer is working to avoid the ground and pound but Rautakoura connects with a decent elbow.
Rautakoura in side control lands a decent elbow.
Hammer defending against the ground and pound.
Hammer tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rautakoura wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rautakoura creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Hammer sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammer gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Hammer looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Hammer wants to control but Rautakoura is keeping busy.
Rautakoura works his foot free and advances to mount.
Hammer is in a horrible position here. Rautakoura smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Hammer can't escape 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.
A nice elbow there by Rautakoura.
Rautakoura working the ground and pound effectively.
Hammer is bucking up trying to escape but Rautakoura cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Hammer is bucking up trying to escape but Rautakoura cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Hammer taking shots to the head.
Hammer wants to try and get back to his feet.
Rautakoura working the ground and pound effectively.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rautakoura with good strikes from the mount here!
A nice elbow there by Rautakoura.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roope Rautakoura dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rautakoura shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Hammer is trying to defend but Rautakoura finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rautakoura not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hammer trying to control from the bottom.
Hammer won't allow Rautakoura to pass to mount.
Hammer tries to roll over but Rautakoura keeps him under control.
Rautakoura is nestled in close to Hammer, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Hammer trying to control from the bottom.
Hammer is trying to get back to full guard.
Rautakoura slips a nice elbow through Hammer's hands, connecting with Hammer's forehead.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammer wants to control but Rautakoura is keeping busy.
Rautakoura missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rautakoura throwing shots but Hammer is blocking nicely.
Hammer missing with punches from the bottom.
Rautakoura thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hammer is looking to clinch but Rautakoura is avoiding it.

Rautakoura closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Rautakoura looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Hammer manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rautakoura throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hammer trying to control from the bottom.
Rautakoura trying to pass the guard but Hammer defending well.
Hammer wants to get back to full guard.
Rautakoura trying to control the action but Hammer is working from the bottom.
Hammer keeping control of the position.
Rautakoura is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rautakoura throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A combination from Hammer does no damage.
Hammer throws a sloppy head kick and Rautakoura moves out of range easily.

Rautakoura fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hammer sprawls well initially but Rautakoura persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Rautakoura landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rautakoura is thwarting Hammer's attempts to control the position.
Ground and pound from Rautakoura.
Rautakoura scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rautakoura throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hammer avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rautakoura.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rautakoura is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rautakoura thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hammer's head.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hammer tries to clinch but Rautakoura is having none of it.
Hammer with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rautakoura decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hammer's guard.
Rautakoura throwing strikes from guard but Hammer blocks nicely.
Rautakoura throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hammer works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rautakoura working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hammer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rautakoura postures up in Hammer's guard and throws a big left but Hammer blocks it.
Rautakoura stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hammer swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hammer tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roope Rautakoura showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rautakoura shoots in and bounces Hammer off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rautakoura throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rautakoura lands a couple of digs.
Hammer is trying to keep Rautakoura in close.
Hammer preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hammer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rautakoura makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hammer manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rautakoura is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rautakoura is squirming around, avoiding Hammer's attempts to control the action.
Rautakoura is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rautakoura tries to lock up and control but Hammer gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Hammer gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

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.
Both fighters circling a little - Hammer finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Hammer with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rautakoura counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rautakoura not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rautakoura is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Roope Rautakoura has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hammer is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rautakoura scores with a couple of nice shots.
Rautakoura working over Hammer with some ground and pound. Hammer looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hammer tries to get to full guard but Rautakoura has control of the leg.
Rautakoura lands with a punch from half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rautakoura lands a nice short elbow.
Rautakoura blocks the strikes from Hammer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammer is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rautakoura scores with a couple of nice shots.
Rautakoura works his way into side control.
Rautakoura working the head with strikes.
Hammer tries to buck Rautakoura off but Rautakoura is having none of it.
Rautakoura scoring with punches and elbows.
Hammer tries to buck Rautakoura off but Rautakoura is having none of it.

Rautakoura has an Americana. Hammer didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Rautakoura is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Rautakoura hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Roope Rautakoura!