PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Niko Rupponen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cranium Cruncher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rupponen's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, SMC Hoodrats. Niko Rupponen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rupponen
vs
Cruncher

160 cm
22
155 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

170 cm
21
150 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niko Rupponen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cranium Cruncher!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rupponen throws a series of punches but Cruncher moves out of range.
Cruncher shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rupponen as he jumps to the side.
Cruncher fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cruncher uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rupponen.
Cruncher tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rupponen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rupponen throws a series of punches but Cruncher avoids them all with ease.

Rupponen throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Cruncher tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Rupponen is in Cruncher's guard.
Rupponen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Cruncher working a defensive guard here.
Rupponen trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruncher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rupponen stopping the sweep attempt from Cruncher.

Cruncher escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rupponen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruncher avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rupponen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cruncher has momentary wrist control but Rupponen slips an elbow through the middle.
Rupponen is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rupponen throws a strike but Cruncher rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Rupponen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cruncher is one step ahead there.

Cruncher drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rupponen manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Cruncher has Rupponen in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rupponen preventing the sweep.
Cruncher controlling Rupponen's posture.
Cruncher preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Cruncher is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rupponen defends well.
Rupponen 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.
Rupponen is stalling in the full guard.
Rupponen is in close to Cruncher's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruncher trying to control the position.
Rupponen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Rupponen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rupponen stopping the sweep attempt from Cruncher.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rupponen's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Rupponen trying to control but Cruncher is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Cruncher is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Cruncher wants to sweep but no luck.
Rupponen wants to control from the top but Cruncher keeps moving.
Rupponen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Rupponen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rupponen working some strikes from top position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rupponen with a nice head shot there.
Rupponen trying to control but Cruncher is working from the bottom.
Cruncher trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niko Rupponen dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Rupponen looks to land a combination. Cruncher sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Rupponen scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Cruncher works his way to full guard. Good work.

Cruncher had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rupponen defends it easily.
Rupponen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rupponen cracks Cruncher with a solid left hand.
Rupponen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rupponen wants to control from the top but Cruncher keeps moving.
Rupponen is really struggling to control Cruncher but he's trying to hold on to the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rupponen is stalling in the full guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Niko Rupponen has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Rupponen drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rupponen wants to control from the top but Cruncher keeps moving.
Rupponen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Cruncher looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rupponen being controlled here momentarily.
Rupponen trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruncher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruncher controls Rupponen momentarily but Rupponen frees himself.
Rupponen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Cruncher is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rupponen defends well.
Cruncher not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rupponen trying to control but Cruncher is working from the bottom.
Rupponen's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Rupponen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cruncher is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rupponen controlling the position.
Cruncher pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rupponen is keeping the position for now.
Cruncher trying to control but Rupponen is working from the bottom.
Cruncher looking to sit in guard and control but Rupponen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rupponen stays in close to Cruncher's body and controls the position.
Cruncher keeping moving, preventing Rupponen from controlling successfully.

Cruncher is looking for a triangle but Rupponen pushes his legs off easily.

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.

Cruncher is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rupponen is aware though and is defending well.
Cruncher is breathing heavily.
Rupponen is stalling in the full guard.
Rupponen wants to control from the top but Cruncher keeps moving.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Rupponen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rupponen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rupponen's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rupponen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niko Rupponen dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Cruncher fails with the takedown

and Rupponen counters with a takedown into side control.
Rupponen looks up at the clock and then as Cruncher takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Rupponen smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Cruncher regains half guard.
Rupponen moves into full mount! Cruncher won't be happy about that!
Cruncher tries to reverse the position but Rupponen maintains control.
Niko Rupponen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cruncher tries to lock up and control but Rupponen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Rupponen raining down hammerfists from mount.
Rupponen lands a big elbow.
Cruncher is squirming around, avoiding Rupponen's attempts to control the action.
Cruncher takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rupponen is landing with some decent strikes but Cruncher is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruncher is trying desperately to improve position.
Rupponen tries to control but Cruncher wriggling away.
Cruncher tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cruncher wants to control but Rupponen is having none of it.
Cruncher regains half guard.
Rupponen seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The fighters are battling for position here. Cruncher manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rupponen postures up.
Rupponen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Cruncher working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rupponen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rupponen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rupponen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Cruncher escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rupponen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rupponen trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruncher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruncher is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Rupponen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rupponen trying to control but Cruncher is working from the bottom.

Cruncher working for a triangle but Rupponen defends it easily.

That's four 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.

Cruncher is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rupponen trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruncher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rupponen throwing strikes but missing.
Rupponen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Niko Rupponen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rupponen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Niko Rupponen!