PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Urkki Raato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tomi Ekbom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ekbom comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Varrella virran kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Raato
vs
Ekbom

185 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
19
200 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Urkki Raato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tomi Ekbom!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ekbom is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Raato drives through and clinches with Ekbom against the cage.
Raato tries to break the clinch but Ekbom is controlling the position.

Raato jumps guard and drags Ekbom to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Ekbom chips away with some ground and pound.

Ekbom drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ekbom jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ekbom trying to control but Raato is working from the bottom.
Ekbom works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ekbom sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Raato defending well though.
Ekbom trying to control the action but Raato is working from the bottom.
Ekbom stalling.
Raato is looking for a sweep. Ekbom is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekbom seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Raato does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ekbom keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Raato is staying active underneath Ekbom, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Raato is breathing heavily.
Ekbom throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ekbom wants to clinch

and Raato counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Raato.
Raato can't break the clinch.
Ekbom tries to work over Raato's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ekbom misses with a knee to the head.
Ekbom prevents the takedown attempt.
Ekbom is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ekbom tries to pull guard but Raato holds him up against the cage and eventually Ekbom drops back down to his feet.
Ekbom tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Raato is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Ekbom breaks from the clinch.
Ekbom tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Raato counters with a takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekbom stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Raato misses with the ground and pound.
Raato trying to control the action but Ekbom is working from the bottom.

Raato has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Ekbom swats away the attempt to clinch by Raato.
Ekbom throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Raato clinches up against the cage.
Raato throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ekbom drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Raato gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Urkki Raato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tomi Ekbom.

Ekbom ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Ekbom no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raato with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ekbom keeping moving, preventing Raato from controlling successfully.
Raato wants to stand and escape but instead Ekbom has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Raato trying to control the position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ekbom lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ekbom works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ekbom seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Ekbom is working for a kimura but Raato is defending it quite comfortably.
Raato wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raato trying to control here.
Ekbom tries to pass the half guard into mount. Raato knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Raato wants to control but Ekbom passes into side.
Ekbom wants to control but Raato is keeping him busy.
Raato manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Ekbom looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Raato with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Raato manages to get to full guard.
Ekbom stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Raato swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urkki Raato dominated that round.
That's time! Raato's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Raato scores with a takedown into Ekbom's guard.
Raato is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Ekbom throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Ekbom is controlling Raato's posture.

Ekbom working for a triangle but Raato defends it easily.
Raato connects with a couple of short punches.
Raato wants to control from the top but Ekbom keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Ekbom looking for a guillotine here but Raato defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raato sitting in guard here, content to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Raato trying to control but Ekbom is working from the bottom.
Raato is really struggling to control Ekbom but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Raato is working Ekbom over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Raato decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Ekbom, up you get!
Ekbom shoots and misses

and Raato counters by moving into the clinch.
Raato goes for a takedown attempt but Ekbom pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ekbom scores with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Raato drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ekbom tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Raato presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Ekbom tries to hold on but Raato postures up.
Ekbom is desperately trying to improve his position but Raato has a good base and remains in mount.
Raato trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ekbom gets back to half guard.
Urkki Raato overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ekbom manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Ekbom trying to control the position.
Ekbom looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekbom manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ekbom putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Raato is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Ekbom has taken his back!

Ekbom seems to be going for a rear naked choke. He has an arm under Raato's chin but Raato turns very nicely into Ekbom's guard. Good BJJ skills being displayed there by Raato.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ekbom holds on and takes a little breather.
Raato would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Raato stopping the sweep attempt from Ekbom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raato stops Ekbom from standing up.
Ekbom manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Raato manages to get himself to full guard.
Ekbom trying to control but Raato is working from the bottom.
Raato avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Raato scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Ekbom scores with a head kick.

Raato gets a takedown into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ekbom is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Urkki Raato will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Raato scores a takedown into full mount!
Ekbom is trying to escape the mount.
Ekbom in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Raato putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Raato lands a big elbow.

Raato goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Ekbom turns into him and now he's in Raato's guard.
Ekbom pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Raato is keeping the position for now.

Raato is looking for a triangle here but Ekbom uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raato is looking to get back to his feet here but Ekbom is keeping cool and he's managed to take Raato's back.
Ekbom lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Ekbom.
Raato looking very determined here, making life difficult for Ekbom.
Ekbom is trying to stick to Raato's back but Raato is turning into Ekbom. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Ekbom's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Raato.
Ekbom tries to strike from the bottom.
Raato trying to control but Ekbom is working from the bottom.
Raato wants to stand but Ekbom has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

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.

Ekbom is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Raato distracts Ekbom with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Ekbom escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Raato gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Raato is in close to Ekbom's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ekbom wants to sweep here but Raato controlling him for the moment.
Ekbom thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Ekbom looking to hit a scissor sweep but Raato is one step ahead there.
Ekbom is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raato tries to kick Ekbom off but Ekbom keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Ekbom stands up and beckons Raato to join him on the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ekbom looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Raato doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ekbom makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Raato really felt that one!
Ekbom throws a head kick that Raato semi-blocks.

It looks like Urkki Raato has been cut.
Raato avoids the head kick by Ekbom.
Ekbom lands a head kick. Raato smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Ekbom tries to clinch
and Raato counters with a right hand to the body.
Raato scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Raato slows down the pace here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekbom tries to throw a body punch but Raato avoids it by throwing Ekbom back against the cage.
Ekbom tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Raato smiles and moves away.
Ekbom takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!

Raato fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ekbom, pushing him back against the cage.
Tomi Ekbom has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ekbom misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Raato.
Raato goes for a takedown attempt but Ekbom pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ekbom scores with a leg kick.

Raato shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Ekbom's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Raato wants to control from the top but Ekbom keeps moving.
Raato trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tomi Ekbom comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Raato has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Urkki Raato!