PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Riku Reipas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven de Pina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Riku Reipas has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Reipas
vs
de Pina

175 cm
23
148 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

175 cm
28
152 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Riku Reipas!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Steven de Pina!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Patrick Alders and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
de Pina throws a jab when Reipas was well out of range.
de Pina swings for the body but Reipas moves out of range.
Reipas shoots for a takedown but de Pina saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Reipas fakes high and swings low for a body shot but de Pina manages to avoid it.
Reipas shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and de Pina counters with a right hand to the body.
A head kick misses from de Pina.
Reipas checks a leg kick nicely.
de Pina throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Reipas fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Riku Reipas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reipas gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
enabling de Pina to counter with a crisp jab.
de Pina feints and then cracks Reipas's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Reipas down.
de Pina misses with a low kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Reipas is defended easily by de Pina.
de Pina lands a nice shot that snaps Reipas's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
de Pina tests Reipas's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Reipas swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Reipas shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and de Pina cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Reipas has his takedown stuffed
and de Pina counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Reipas chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before de Pina can pounce on him.
de Pina darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Nice sprawl there from de Pina as Reipas shoots in.
Reipas is breathing heavily.
Reipas moves away from the strike by de Pina.
Nice uppercut there from de Pina.
Reipas takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reipas will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
de Pina scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
de Pina motions for Reipas to come forward. de Pina throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Reipas takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Reipas is rocked!
Reipas takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Oh Reipas is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Reipas doesn't succeed with the takedown
and de Pina counters with a stiff right hand.
Reipas takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Reipas seems to have got his legs back now.
Reipas tries to clinch there but de Pina circles away.
Reipas fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but de Pina avoids it really well and circles away.
Riku Reipas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Oooooh!!! de Pina has knocked Reipas down with a huge combo! de Pina steps away and waves a wobbly Reipas back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

It looks like Riku Reipas has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reipas shoots in for a takedown but de Pina shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
de Pina throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jab from de Pina.
de Pina misses with a jab, cross combination.
Reipas takes a body punch but keeps moving.
de Pina lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Reipas circles away quickly and effectively.
Steven de Pina is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
de Pina scores with a jab.
de Pina throws a jab when Reipas was well out of range.

Reipas looking to score a takedown here. de Pina is defending well but Reipas drives through and ends up in de Pina's guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Reipas trying to control but de Pina is working from the bottom.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Reipas controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
de Pina keeping moving, preventing Reipas from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Riku Reipas wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Reipas fails with the takedown.
de Pina slaps away a takedown attempt from Reipas, before circling back to the center of the mat.
de Pina's corner calls for a 1-2. de Pina obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Reipas ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Reipas doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
de Pina avoids the body shot from Reipas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven de Pina dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Riku Reipas's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Reipas looks to clinch

and de Pina counters with a head kick that drops Reipas to the mat! Reipas scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
de Pina lands a jab to the head.

Reipas closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Reipas lands in his opponent's guard.
Reipas trying to control but de Pina is working from the bottom.
de Pina avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reipas passes de Pina's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Reipas looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Reipas perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Reipas not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
de Pina is staying active underneath Reipas, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Reipas thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
de Pina is trying to maintain the position but Reipas is very close to passing his half guard.
Reipas is keen to just control but de Pina is a slippery customer.
de Pina really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Reipas. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
de Pina ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Reipas scores with a takedown into de Pina's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Reipas trying to control the position from guard on top but de Pina is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
de Pina is trying to keep Reipas in close.

Reipas drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but de Pina manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Reipas has de Pina in his guard.
Reipas thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

de Pina got a little sloppy there for a moment and Reipas has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, de Pina has managed to get both his arms back between Reipas's legs - danger averted.
de Pina trying to stand up but can't free himself from Reipas's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

de Pina avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

de Pina is sitting in close to Reipas's body. Reipas has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! de Pina is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, de Pina is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Reipas.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Riku Reipas!
Riku Reipas retains his featherweight title!