PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jon Waters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roope Tarvainen (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.

Waters
vs
Tarvainen

180 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

178 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jon Waters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roope Tarvainen!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tarvainen dodges the punch combination from Waters.
Tarvainen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Waters throws a jab when Tarvainen was well out of range.
Jon Waters seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Waters connects with the punch.
Tarvainen is looking to clinch.
Tarvainen avoids the head kick by Waters.
Waters takes a swing at Tarvainen's ribcage but misses.
Waters cracks Tarvainen with an open hand slap.
Tarvainen moves out of range of the leg kick from Waters.
Waters shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Tarvainen eats them both and turns towards Waters to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tarvainen blocks a low kick nicely.
Tarvainen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Waters swivels and escapes.
Waters misses with a combination

and Tarvainen counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Waters is looking to stand up but Tarvainen isn't so interested in that idea.
Waters avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tarvainen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Tarvainen trying to control but Waters is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tarvainen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tarvainen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Waters lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Tarvainen!
Waters can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tarvainen is looking to escape.
Poor strikes thrown by Waters there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Waters looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tarvainen is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Tarvainen tries to hold on but Waters pushes him away.

Waters has hold of Tarvainen's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Tarvainen manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Waters jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Tarvainen is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Tarvainen and Waters has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Waters wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Tarvainen, who protects the arm well.
Waters wants to control but Tarvainen is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tarvainen manages to get back to half guard.

Waters is looking for a kimura here.
Tarvainen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Waters looking to sit in guard and control but Tarvainen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Waters isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Tarvainen stacks Waters on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Tarvainen!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tarvainen stands up.
Tarvainen checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

Tarvainen drives through with a takedown into Waters's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Tarvainen postures up in Waters's guard and throws a big left but Waters blocks it.
Tarvainen trying to control the position from guard on top but Waters is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tarvainen scoring with some ground and pound.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tarvainen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Waters works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Tarvainen passes Waters's left leg - he's now in half guard.
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 Jon Waters will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tarvainen doesn't manage to clinch there - Waters circles away.
Tarvainen wants to clinch up but Waters keeps it at a distance.
Waters throws a hook but Tarvainen avoids it easily.
Waters misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tarvainen.
Waters throws a push kick but Tarvainen slaps the foot to one side.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tarvainen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Waters misses with a hook.
Waters lunges at Tarvainen with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Tarvainen's hand.
Waters tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tarvainen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Waters misses with the combination.
Waters takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waters ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Waters thows a body shot but no joy.
A head kick misses from Waters.

Tarvainen dives in and scores a takedown into Waters's guard.
Tarvainen distracts Waters with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Waters can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tarvainen controls the pace.

Waters looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Tarvainen has picked Waters up and slammed him! Waters can't keep hold of the triangle and Tarvainen manages to pass to side control!
Waters takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Tarvainen working the head with strikes.
Roope Tarvainen has got the better of the ground game so far.

Tarvainen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Tarvainen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tarvainen is looking to take a break and control but Waters is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Waters takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Waters tries to control but Tarvainen manages to take his back.
A lull in the action here.
Waters trying to get back to his feet but Tarvainen is in full control for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waters turns into Tarvainen and is now in his guard.
Tarvainen looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Tarvainen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tarvainen is landing with some decent strikes but Waters is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Tarvainen scoring with strikes but Waters is staying in there.

Tarvainen swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Waters is now in Tarvainen's guard. A big mistake from Tarvainen there, giving up the dominant position!
Tarvainen keeping moving, preventing Waters from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Waters pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tarvainen is keeping the position for now.

Waters drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Tarvainen manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Waters has Tarvainen in his guard.
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!
Waters bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tarvainen's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Waters throws an elbow that misses. Tarvainen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Waters's guard. Nice move by Tarvainen!
Tarvainen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tarvainen lands a couple of elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roope Tarvainen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A right-left combo lands from Waters.
Waters throws a looping overhand right but Tarvainen ducks down to avoid it.
Waters is looking to land body kicks.

Tarvainen rushes Waters and presses him up against the cage.
Waters has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Waters gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tarvainen.
Tarvainen is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Waters gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Waters is trying to break the clinch but Tarvainen has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waters wants to break free but Tarvainen has control.
Waters is trying to push Tarvainen away but Tarvainen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Tarvainen tries for a takedown but Waters manages to get underhooks.
Jon Waters has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roope Tarvainen.
Waters looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Tarvainen tries for a takedown. No joy.

Tarvainen jumps guard and drags Waters to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Waters controls from within his opponent's guard.
Waters stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tarvainen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Waters working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tarvainen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tarvainen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Waters not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tarvainen wants to pass the guard but Waters is keeping the position.
Tarvainen slips nicely into half guard.

Tarvainen is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Tarvainen thows a huge punch but Waters dodges it nicely.
Tarvainen tries to pass to full mount but Waters defends it.
Waters wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Tarvainen lands a nice short elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Waters is trying to stand.
Tarvainen slips a nice elbow through Waters's hands, connecting with Waters's forehead.
Tarvainen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Tarvainen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Waters is trying to stand back up but Tarvainen is controlling him
Tarvainen slips a nice elbow through Waters's hands, connecting with Waters's forehead.
Tarvainen frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tarvainen controlling the position easily from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Waters takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tarvainen dominating with strikes here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roope Tarvainen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tarvainen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roope Tarvainen!