PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gugo Ograni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and mika niemi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ograni comes to the cage accompanied by Ameno - Era . Gugo Ograni has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ograni
vs
niemi

183 cm
26
195 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

181 cm
26
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gugo Ograni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, mika niemi!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Aleksandr Martynov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ograni defends well against a solid takedown attempt from niemi.
Ograni tries a head kick but it misses.
Ograni throws a hook to the side of niemi's head but niemi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
niemi shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ograni sprawls well. Ograni wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. niemi gets slowly back to his feet.
Ograni throws a half hearted mid kick.
niemi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ograni defends it nicely.
Gugo Ograni has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of mika niemi.
Nice takedown defense from Ograni. No joy for niemi on that attempt.
niemi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
niemi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ograni.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ograni. niemi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ograni swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ograni misses with a series of wild punches.
niemi shoots in but Ograni avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ograni misses the shot to the body.
Ograni throws a hook but niemi blocks it.
niemi shoots in for a double leg but Ograni sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

niemi shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ograni napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Ograni tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but niemi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Ograni is working hard here to advance position.
You can see the frustration on Ograni's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ograni tries to improve position but can't.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

niemi is trying to get an arm triangle but Ograni is defending well.

niemi is trying to get an arm triangle but Ograni is defending well.
niemi looks gassed!
Ograni sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Ograni trying to control from the bottom.
niemi prevents Ograni from improving his position.

Ograni looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Ograni looking for submissions off his back.

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.

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

niemi is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Ograni doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time niemi.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ograni wants to get back to full guard.

Ograni looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ograni works his way to full guard. Good work.

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

niemi drops back looking for a leg! Ograni is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ograni manages to kick niemi off! niemi jumps back into Ograni's guard.

niemi 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

niemi drops back, looking for a kneebar! Ograni looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Ograni looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Ograni!
niemi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ograni tries to move to mount but niemi blocks the move with his legs.
niemi manages to get back to half guard.
Ograni sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. niemi defending well though.

niemi actively working from the bottom here.
Ograni wants to stand up but niemi is controlling the position.

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.
Ograni is trying to control. niemi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ograni missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

niemi actively working from the bottom here.
Ograni prevents niemi from improving his position.

niemi looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Ograni is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and niemi defends it well.
Ograni not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
niemi is looking to improve his position.

Ograni is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so niemi is just riding it out for now. Ograni eventually gives up the hold.
Ograni throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Gugo Ograni will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

niemi shoots in for a takedown but Ograni shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

niemi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ograni looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ograni can't do much from the bottom here.

niemi is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ograni is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

niemi tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Ograni is trying to control niemi's posture but niemi avoids it.

niemi tries for a kimura but Ograni is defending well.
niemi is breathing heavily.
Ograni manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Ograni works his way to full guard. Good work.

Ograni is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a tringle but niemi frees his head nicely. Oh but Ograni has switched to an armbar! niemi is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Gugo Ograni!