PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Vinny Epeen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Rolston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Epeen
vs
Rolston

182 cm
21
140 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

170 cm
26
150 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vinny Epeen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ricky Rolston!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Epeen misses with a low kick as Rolston jumps back.
Epeen throws a quick inside leg kick.
Rolston misses the shot to the body.
Epeen really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rolston lands a slapping body shot.

Epeen darts in and clinches Rolston up against the cage.
The referee calls for Epeen to work.
Epeen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rolston.
Epeen stalling against the cage.

Epeen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A shot to the body from Rolston misses
and Epeen counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Epeen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rolston.
Rolston throws a body punch but Epeen moves out of range.
Rolston looks to score with a jab to the body but Epeen is just out of range.
Epeen avoids the body shot from Rolston.
Epeen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ricky Rolston seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rolston swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Epeen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rolston waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Epeen.
Epeen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rolston moves away.

Epeen closes the distance and clinches.
Rolston looking for a takedown.
Rolston tries for a takedown but Epeen manages to get underhooks.
Vinny Epeen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricky Rolston.

Epeen breaks from the clinch.
Epeen walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rolston checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Epeen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rolston.
Rolston takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Epeen, right into the meat.
A shot to the liver by Epeen. Beautiful body shot.
Rolston tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Epeen was well out of range. Poor timing from Rolston.
Epeen just misses with a punch to the body.
Rolston takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rolston throws the left hand but Epeen avoids the punch easily.
Epeen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rolston lands a head shot.
A nice inside leg kick there by Epeen. That's going to slow Rolston down.

Epeen rushes Rolston and presses him up against the cage.
Epeen lands a knee to the body.
Rolston wants a takedown but no success here.
Rolston looking for a takedown.
Rolston is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rolston looks gassed!
Rolston drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Epeen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Epeen gets underhooks to prevent Rolston's takedown attempt.
Epeen is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Rolston is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Epeen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Epeen slows down the pace here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Epeen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Epeen throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Epeen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rolston.
Epeen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rolston.
Epeen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rolston throws a right and a left that both miss.
Epeen thows a body shot but no joy.
A chopping leg kick lands by Epeen.
A combination from Rolston does no damage.
Epeen misses with a double jab
and Rolston connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
An inside leg kick lands from Epeen.
Epeen lets loose with a powerful body kick. Rolston will feel that in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Epeen - that will leave a mark!
Epeen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rolston.
Epeen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Epeen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rolston's sensitive parts.
Epeen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Epeen throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Epeen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rolston avoids the body shot from Epeen.

Epeen rushes Rolston and presses him up against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Epeen gets underhooks to prevent Rolston's takedown attempt.
Rolston goes for a takedown attempt but Epeen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rolston avoids the body shot from Epeen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vinny Epeen dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Epeen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rolston tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Epeen throws a leg kick but Rolston sees it coming and moves out of range.
Rolston on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Epeen. Epeen obviously looking to wear him down.
Rolston throws a shot to the body.
Epeen lands a head kick!
Good leg kick by Epeen there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Rolston thows a body shot but no joy.
Rolston throws a predictable looking body shot
and Epeen counters with a leg kick.
Rolston throws a jab when Epeen was well out of range.
Rolston is breathing heavily.
Epeen misses the shot to the body.
Rolston waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Epeen.
A combination from Rolston does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rolston thows a body shot but no joy.
Epeen looks to score with a jab to the body but Rolston is just out of range.
Epeen connects with a leg kick. Rolston looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Epeen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ricky Rolston is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Epeen misses the shot to the body.
Epeen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rolston misses with a jab to the body
and Epeen counters with an outside leg kick.
Epeen misses with a body shot.
Rolston throws a body punch but Epeen moves out of range.
Rolston's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Epeen avoids the body shot from Rolston.
Epeen moves away from the strike by Rolston.

Epeen closes the distance and clinches.
Rolston has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Epeen avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Epeen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Epeen fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Epeen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Epeen takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Epeen ducks under a wild hook from Rolston.
Epeen connects with a solid leg kick.
Rolston misses with a hook
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Epeen thows a body shot but no joy.
Epeen misses with a low kick.
Epeen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Epeen dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rolston. That did some damage!
Epeen cracks the inside of Rolston's front leg.
Rolston fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Epeen manages to avoid it.
Epeen lands a high kick!
Epeen connects with a solid leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Epeen. That's going to slow Rolston down.
Epeen is looking to wear down Rolston with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Epeen connects with a high kick.
Epeen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rolston was well out of range. Poor timing from Epeen.
Epeen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rolston swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Epeen throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Epeen is looking to clinch.
Epeen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rolston fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Epeen on the side of the head.
Rolston on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Rolston misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Epeen.
A head kick misses from Epeen.
Rolston misses the shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Epeen. Rolston does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rolston lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Epeen at a distance.
Rolston throws a left and a right that both miss
and Epeen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Rolston misses with a jab to the body
and Epeen counters with a head kick. That will keep Rolston thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
A telegraphed right hand from Rolston misses the target.
Epeen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rolston throws out the jab.
Epeen throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Rolston swats away the attempt to clinch by Epeen.
Epeen throws a leg kick but Rolston checks it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Epeen scores with a leg kick.
Epeen takes a swing at Rolston's ribcage but misses.
Rolston takes a head kick and keeps coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vinny Epeen dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Epeen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rolston.
Epeen throws a low kick but Rolston avoids it.
Epeen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rolston.
Epeen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rolston can do to turn this around?
Epeen thumps Rolston with a low kick.
Epeen is looking to chop away at Rolston's legs.
Vinny Epeen is winning the standup battle so far.
Epeen tries to land a leg kick but Rolston saw it coming and moves away.
Rolston ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Epeen is looking to slow Rolston down with leg kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice cross by Rolston.
Rolston avoids the head kick by Epeen.
Epeen takes a swing at Rolston's ribcage but misses.
Rolston chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Epeen can pounce on him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Epeen throws a head kick that misses.
Epeen misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Rolston makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Rolston throws out a loose jab but Epeen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Epeen throws a leg kick but Rolston checks it.
Epeen dodges the punch combination from Rolston.
Epeen looks to score with a jab to the body but Rolston is just out of range.
Rolston lands a nice shot to the body.
Epeen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rolston manages to avoid it.
Rolston throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Epeen stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Epeen throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Epeen is looking to score with low kicks.
Epeen connects with a solid leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rolston keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rolston scores with a three punch combo!
Epeen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Epeen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Epeen misses with a kick to the body.
Epeen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rolston manages to avoid it.
Rolston has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Epeen.
Rolston lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Rolston lands with a good body shot.
Epeen misses the shot to the body.
Rolston lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Epeen is looking to chop away at Rolston's legs.
Rolston misses the shot to the body.
Rolston tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Epeen was well out of range. Poor timing from Rolston.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Epeen, right into the meat.
Rolston tries to bum rush Epeen with a series of wild strikes but Epeen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Epeen misses with a body shot.
Rolston misses with a wild body shot.
A combination from Rolston does no damage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Epeen. Rolston does a little dance to reset his feet.
Epeen shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Rolston scores with a shot to the body.
Rolston takes a swing at Epeen's ribcage but misses.
Rolston thows a body shot but no joy.
Epeen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rolston moves away.
Rolston misses with a series of wild punches.

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.
Epeen is looking to slow Rolston down with leg kicks.
Rolston loads up on a big right hand but Epeen slips the punch.
Epeen misses with a body shot.
Epeen takes a swing at Rolston's ribcage but misses.
Epeen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rolston throws a series of strikes that have Epeen backpedaling.
Epeen swings away with a body shot that misses
enabling Rolston to counter with a crisp jab.
Epeen lands a leg kick that knocks Rolston off balance momentarily.
A combination from Rolston does no damage.
Epeen throws a leg kick which misses Rolston's front leg but catches the back leg as Rolston tries to avoid it.
Rolston takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Epeen misses with a wild body shot.
Ricky Rolston has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Epeen connects with a solid leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Vinny Epeen.
Well Epeen 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vinny Epeen!