PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sauli Niinisto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronnie Diehl (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ronnie Diehl looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Niinisto
vs
Diehl

175 cm
18
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

187 cm
19
186 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sauli Niinisto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ronnie Diehl!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Cecil Peabody and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Niinisto tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Diehl fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Niinisto is looking to clinch but Diehl is avoiding it.
Niinisto tries to clinch there but Diehl circles away.
Diehl circles away from the clinch attempt.
Diehl shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Niinisto pinned against the cage. Niinisto gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Niinisto looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Diehl keeps the fight on the outside.
Diehl avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diehl keeps the fight on the outside.
Niinisto tries to clinch there but Diehl circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Niinisto landing knees to the head.
Diehl drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sauli Niinisto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronnie Diehl.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diehl looking for a takedown.
Niinisto stalling.
Diehl wants to break free but Niinisto has control.

Niinisto manages to break the clinch.

Diehl fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Niinisto sprawls well initially but Diehl persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Diehl looks gassed!
Niinisto blocking the ground and pound attempt from Diehl.
Niinisto is looking to improve his position.
Niinisto might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Diehl tries to stand and escape but Niinisto is controlling the position.
Niinisto tries to get to full guard but Diehl has control of the leg.
Diehl seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Diehl wants to pass the guard but Niinisto is defending well.

Niinisto is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Diehl pulls his head out easily.
Niinisto regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diehl stopping the sweep attempt from Niinisto.

Niinisto is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Diehl trying to control but Niinisto is working from the bottom.
Diehl tries to free his leg and advance position but Niinisto is retaining full guard.
Niinisto is trying to control the position but Diehl postures up.
Niinisto doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Niinisto keeping moving, preventing Diehl from controlling successfully.

Niinisto looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Diehl passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diehl looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Check out the look on Diehl's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Diehl looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Niinisto tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Niinisto gets back to half guard.
Diehl frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Diehl with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diehl putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Niinisto is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Diehl with the ground and pound from mount.
Diehl forces the positional change into back control.

Diehl has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Niinisto has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Niinisto just trying to survive but Diehl is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Diehl has Niinisto flattened out and is raining down punches.
Niinisto is covering up but some of the strikes from Diehl are getting through and doing damage.
Diehl is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Diehl working for the choke.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diehl struggling to keep hold of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronnie Diehl dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Diehl shoots in for a takedown but Niinisto shows good takedown defense.
Niinisto wants to clinch.
Diehl blocks a head kick by Niinisto.
Sauli Niinisto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diehl shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Niinisto as he jumps to the side.
Niinisto misses with a low kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Niinisto, right into the meat.
Diehl will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sauli Niinisto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronnie Diehl.
Niinisto is looking to clinch.
Ronnie Diehl seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diehl keeps the fight on the outside.
Diehl is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Niinisto tries to clinch there but Diehl circles away.
Niinisto fails in his attempt to clinch.
Diehl swats away the attempt to clinch by Niinisto.
Niinisto tries to clinch but Diehl is having none of it.
Diehl swats away the attempt to clinch by Niinisto.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niinisto tries to clinch there but Diehl circles away.
Niinisto tries to clinch up.
Diehl tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Niinisto swivels and escapes.
Niinisto is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Niinisto is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Diehl closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Diehl lands in his opponent's guard.
Niinisto manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Diehl manages to get himself to full guard.
Diehl manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Diehl jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Niinisto is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Niinisto and Diehl has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diehl is putting a hurting on Niinisto here, landing some big shots from side control.
Diehl trying to control the action but Niinisto is working from the bottom.

Diehl decides to stand back up. Diehl steps back and let's Niinisto get back to his feet.
Diehl fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Diehl fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Niinisto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Diehl staying out of range there.

Diehl scores with a takedown into Niinisto's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diehl stands and throws Niinisto's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niinisto taking punishment in the form of punches.
Diehl advances nicely into full mount.

Diehl goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Niinisto is on top in guard.
Niinisto working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Niinisto throws a strike but Diehl rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Diehl postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Niinisto is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Diehl, into his guard.
Diehl keeping moving, preventing Niinisto from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niinisto won't allow Diehl to sweep him here.

Niinisto avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Diehl looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Diehl looking to control.

Diehl looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Niinisto with a flurry of punches that miss.
Diehl managing to control the position.

Diehl looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronnie Diehl showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Niinisto tries to clinch but Diehl moves out of range.
Horrible takedown by Diehl or perhaps it was just good defense by Niinisto which made him look bad.
Diehl drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Niinisto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Diehl shoots in but Niinisto avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Niinisto tries to land a front kick but Diehl steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Nice uppercut lands for Diehl. That snapped Niinisto's head back.
Diehl swats away the attempt to clinch by Niinisto.

Niinisto gets a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Niinisto lands a damaging elbow.

Niinisto escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Diehl gets a takedown into half guard.
Niinisto is looking to control Diehl's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Niinisto avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diehl is tying to control. Niinisto wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Diehl is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Niinisto doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Diehl.

Diehl is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Niinisto is just riding it out for now. Diehl eventually gives up the hold.
Ronnie Diehl has got the better of the ground game so far.
Diehl moves nicely into side control.
Diehl advances to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Diehl punishing his opponent with strikes.
Diehl with a couple of short strikes.
Niinisto is working to get back to half guard.
Niinisto taking shots to the head.
Diehl with a couple of short strikes.
Diehl with shots to the head and body - Niinisto looks very uncomfortable down there.
Niinisto is squirming around, avoiding Diehl's attempts to control the action.
Diehl sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Diehl has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Niinisto's face.
Niinisto is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niinisto tries to hold on but Diehl postures up.
Diehl tries to control but Niinisto wriggling away.
Diehl looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Diehl controlling his opponent.
Niinisto working to try and regain half guard.
Diehl looking to finish Niinisto with some ground and pound. This is bad for Niinisto!
Niinisto tries to hold on but Diehl postures up.
Niinisto is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Niinisto is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's four 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.
Diehl has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Niinisto's face.
Diehl looking to finish Niinisto with some ground and pound. This is bad for Niinisto!
Niinisto can't escape the position.
Diehl can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Niinisto is looking to escape.
Niinisto is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Sauli Niinisto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Diehl is trying to take his opponent's back.
Niinisto swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Diehl has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Niinisto's face.
Niinisto in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Diehl working the ground and pound effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ronnie Diehl comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Diehl winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ronnie Diehl!