PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Taisto Rakuuna (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maximus Manhoef (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rakuuna comes to the cage accompanied by Bad Company - Bad Company. Manhoef has chosen Minowaman Style as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rakuuna
vs
Manhoef

184 cm
21
159 lbs
7 - 2 - 1

178 cm
28
166 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Taisto Rakuuna!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Maximus Manhoef!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sloppy strikes from Rakuuna. Those never looked like landing.
Rakuuna bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Manhoef's head backwards.
Manhoef uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rakuuna.
Rakuuna lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Manhoef at a distance.
Manhoef fails with a takedown attempt.
Rakuuna thows a body shot but no joy.
Rakuuna rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Manhoef counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rakuuna looking to control.
Rakuuna pulls Manhoef in close to his closed guard and prevents Manhoef from doing any damage or advancing position.
Rakuuna's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Rakuuna tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Manhoef being controlled here momentarily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Taisto Rakuuna.
Rakuuna looks to land a right hand but Manhoef moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakuuna scores with a nice strike.
Rakuuna lands an overhand right.
Rakuuna will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rakuuna misses with an uppercut

and Manhoef counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rakuuna working a defensive guard here.

Manhoef drops back looking for a leg! Rakuuna is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rakuuna manages to kick Manhoef off! Manhoef jumps back into Rakuuna's guard.
Rakuuna is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rakuuna is on top in guard.
Manhoef wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rakuuna pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Manhoef is keeping the position for now.
Rakuuna postures up in Manhoef's guard and throws a big left but Manhoef blocks it.
Rakuuna throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rakuuna trying to control but Manhoef is working from the bottom.
Manhoef avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rakuuna in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Manhoef escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rakuuna gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Manhoef keeping moving, preventing Rakuuna from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Manhoef has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rakuuna can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rakuuna postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rakuuna has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Manhoef is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rakuuna slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rakuuna scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Manhoef is trying to control the position but Rakuuna postures up.
Manhoef bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rakuuna's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rakuuna looking to control.
Manhoef preventing the sweep.

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

Rakuuna pushes Manhoef off and gets back to his feet.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Manhoef checks a leg kick.
Manhoef checks a leg kick.
Rakuuna swings away with a body shot that misses

and Manhoef counters with a single leg into guard. Rakuuna didn't expect that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Manhoef walks into a left hand.
Rakuuna throws a right hand that misses

and Manhoef counters with a takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rakuuna tries to buck Manhoef off but Manhoef is having none of it.
Rakuuna sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Rakuuna moves into full guard.
Rakuuna has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Maximus Manhoef has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rakuuna 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.
Rakuuna lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Manhoef!
Rakuuna scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakuuna tries to control but Manhoef wriggling away.
Rakuuna punishing his opponent with strikes.
Rakuuna throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Manhoef because Rakuuna loaded up on that one.
Rakuuna thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Rakuuna throws a sloppy strike and Manhoef uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Manhoef has ended up in Rakuuna's guard.
Rakuuna looking to hit a scissor sweep but Manhoef is one step ahead there.
Manhoef trying to control the position from guard on top but Rakuuna is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rakuuna controls Manhoef momentarily but Manhoef frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rakuuna 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.
Manhoef passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Manhoef tries for a kimura but Rakuuna is defending well.
Rakuuna can't do much from the bottom here.

Manhoef wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rakuuna, who protects the arm well.
Rakuuna holding on.
Rakuuna tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Manhoef presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef avoids the attempt from Rakuuna to control.
Rakuuna on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rakuuna tries to get out of the position.

Manhoef has control of Rakuuna's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rakuuna regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Manhoef trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Manhoef working for a guillotine from mount but Rakuuna is in no mood to give up.
Manhoef trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rakuuna wants to control but Manhoef is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Manhoef takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rakuuna manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Rakuuna tries to kick Manhoef off but Manhoef keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Manhoef is looking to advance position but Rakuuna won't allow it.
Rakuuna regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rakuuna keeping moving, preventing Manhoef from controlling successfully.
Rakuuna 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.
Manhoef trying to control the position from guard on top but Rakuuna is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rakuuna 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Maximus Manhoef will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Rakuuna connects with a body shot.
Rakuuna lands a nice shot that snaps Manhoef's head back.
Manhoef walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Rakuuna swings widly with a right hand

and Manhoef counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Manhoef is looking to take a break and control but Rakuuna is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rakuuna keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Manhoef is trying to control the action in half guard but Rakuuna is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rakuuna is trying to maintain the position but Manhoef is very close to passing his half guard.
Rakuuna manages to get to full guard.
Rakuuna looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Manhoef wants to control from the top but Rakuuna keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rakuuna lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Rakuuna stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rakuuna wants it to stay on the feet.
Manhoef needs to keep his hands up - Rakuuna had a free shot at his head there.
Rakuuna looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Manhoef shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Manhoef takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rakuuna tries to roll over but Manhoef keeps him under control.
Rakuuna trying to hold on to Manhoef's head to control him but Manhoef postures up.
Rakuuna controlling the position well.
Taisto Rakuuna has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rakuuna is looking for a sweep. Manhoef is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rakuuna punching from the bottom.
Rakuuna tries to kick Manhoef off but Manhoef keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rakuuna is trying to get back to full guard.
Manhoef wants to take a breather but Rakuuna is having none of it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Good standup being displayed there by Rakuuna as he connects with a hook.
Rakuuna with a hook.
Manhoef has a takedown stuffed.
Rakuuna pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Manhoef back to the cage. Rakuuna follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

Manhoef is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rakuuna lands a monster head kick that reverborates around the arena! The crowd goes wild as Manhoef crumples to the floor! Rakuuna milks the crowd's applause and if that isn't knockout of the night, I will be very surprised!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:07 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Taisto Rakuuna!