PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Roope Rautakoura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavi Fernando (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Xavi Fernando will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Rautakoura
vs
Fernando

177 cm
23
185 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

185 cm
18
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Prefers standup

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, Roope Rautakoura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Xavi Fernando!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fernando tries to clinch up.
Fernando circles away from the clinch attempt
and Fernando connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Fernando tries to clinch

and Rautakoura counters with a nice double leg into side control. Fernando won't be happy with that.
Rautakoura sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Fernando is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Fernando taking a bit of punishment here - Rautakoura scoring with strikes.
Fernando tries to escape but Rautakoura is in control.
Rautakoura misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Rautakoura working the head and body with strikes.
Rautakoura misses with the ground and pound.
Rautakoura throws an elbow but Fernando slips to the side and avoids it well.
Rautakoura has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Fernando wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Fernando. No joy for Rautakoura on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rautakoura moves away from the strike by Fernando.

Rautakoura changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Fernando looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rautakoura throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Fernando works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Fernando is trying to stand.
Rautakoura thows a huge punch but Fernando dodges it nicely.
Rautakoura uses his free foot to push down on Fernando's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Fernando.
Fernando in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Fernando really wants to buck Rautakoura off and get back to his feet.

Fernando bucks Rautakoura off and manages to get back to his feet!
Fernando darts in trying to clinch
and Rautakoura counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fernando throws a combination that misses

and Rautakoura counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rautakoura throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Fernando keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rautakoura wants to pass to mount but Fernando is defending the position.
Rautakoura is breathing heavily.
Rautakoura prevents Fernando from standing back up.
Fernando scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Rautakoura manages to mount him!
Rautakoura postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Fernando looks a forlorn figure.
Rautakoura postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Fernando looks a forlorn figure.
A nice elbow there by Rautakoura.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Fernando is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rautakoura landing strikes from the mount and Fernando is in trouble!
Fernando'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.
Rautakoura landing strikes, looking to finish!
Rautakoura lands a nice shot to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poor strikes thrown by Rautakoura there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fernando can do anything to dispel that myth.
Fernando is trying to stand.
Rautakoura with a couple of short strikes.
Rautakoura working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Fernando is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Rautakoura landing strikes from the mount.
Rautakoura throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
The referee warns Fernando that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Rautakoura looking to secure an arm triangle but Fernando defends it well.
Rautakoura won't let Fernando get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fernando is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Rautakoura connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Fernando is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Rautakoura in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Rautakoura thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Fernando is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rautakoura cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Rautakoura won't let Fernando get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Rautakoura connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Fernando throws a predictable looking body shot

and Rautakoura decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Fernando's guard.
Fernando preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rautakoura pushes down on Fernando's leg and manages to get into half guard.

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

Fernando kicks Rautakoura off and gets back to his feet.

Fernando clinches up against the cage.
Fernando gets underhooks to prevent Rautakoura's takedown attempt.

Fernando breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rautakoura slips a jab and a cross from Fernando.
Fernando connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rautakoura momentarily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fernando tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rautakoura paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Fernando scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernando darts in trying to clinch

and Rautakoura counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Fernando's guard now.

Fernando pushes Rautakoura off and gets back to his feet.
No joy there for Fernando, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Fernando fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fernando looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rautakoura shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Fernando pinned against the cage. Fernando gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fernando lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rautakoura backs up against the cage.

Fernando instigates a clinch.

Fernando escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fernando moves in looking to clinch but Rautakoura pushes him off.
Fernando misses with a jab, cross combination.
A big right from Fernando misses.
Rautakoura is trying hard to land a takedown here. Fernando sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roope Rautakoura. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fernando throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Rautakoura blocks a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rautakoura throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Fernando's waist but Fernando gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rautakoura off to one side.
Some wild striking there from Fernando.
A combination from Fernando does no damage.
Fernando fails to land with a series of punches.
Roope Rautakoura is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rautakoura steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Fernando.
Rautakoura circles away from the clinch attempt.
Fernando throws a right and a left that Rautakoura avoids nicely.
Fernando will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Fernando bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Rautakoura's head backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rautakoura shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fernando as he avoids it easily.
Rautakoura fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Fernando avoids it really well and circles away.
Donk. Fernando catches Rautakoura right on the button with a cross.
Fernando fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Fernando throws a right and a left that Rautakoura avoids nicely.
A big right from Fernando misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rautakoura will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rautakoura circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rautakoura dodges the punch combination from Fernando.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavi Fernando showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Fernando misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Fernando gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rautakoura changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Fernando fights it off and pushes away nicely.
No joy there for Fernando, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rautakoura shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fernando as he avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No joy there for Fernando, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Fernando scores with the left hand. Rautakoura knows he should have avoided that one.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fernando closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rautakoura counters with a takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernando is pushing Rautakoura's head away, looking to escape. Rautakoura manages to hold on to the position though.
Fernando takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Rautakoura lands an elbow.
Fernando is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Rautakoura has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Rautakoura cracks Fernando with a big right hand but Fernando just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Fernando dodges the ground and pound from Rautakoura.
Fernando is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Rautakoura is controlling him well.
An elbow from Rautakoura crashes against the mat.
Rautakoura throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Fernando really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rautakoura. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Fernando misses with a straight left.
Some wild striking there from Fernando.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rautakoura tries to clinch up.
Rautakoura circles away from the clinch attempt

and Rautakoura counters with a shoot takedown. Fernando fights it but they end up in guard.
Fernando is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rautakoura is controlling him.
Rautakoura scoring with some ground and pound.
Fernando is looking to stand up but Rautakoura isn't so interested in that idea.
Rautakoura content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Fernando has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Rautakoura off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rautakoura closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Fernando to the mat! Fernando manages to get full guard.
Rautakoura throws a big right hand that misses.
Rautakoura missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rautakoura stops Fernando from standing up.
Rautakoura throws a big right hand that misses.
Rautakoura stands up over Fernando, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rautakoura throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rautakoura throws a big right hand that misses.
Fernando is looking to stand up but Rautakoura isn't so interested in that idea.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Fernando throws a series of punches but Rautakoura avoids them all with ease.
Xavi Fernando seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rautakoura closes the distance and clinches up with Fernando, looking for a takedown. Rautakoura pushes Fernando against the cage but Fernando circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roope Rautakoura. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rautakoura shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Fernando counters with a nice uppercut.
Fernando looks to land a left hand but Rautakoura moved out of range nicely.
Fernando tries to close the distance and clinch but Rautakoura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Fernando swinging wildly here.
Fernando moves in looking to clinch but Rautakoura pushes him off.
Rautakoura shoots for a takedown but Fernando saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Fernando swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Rautakoura moves into the clinch.
Fernando prevents the takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roope Rautakoura showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rautakoura 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roope Rautakoura!