PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Urkki Raato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Drew Monroe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Monroe has chosen Onyx - Atak of da Bal-Hedz as his entrance music. Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Drew Monroe enters the cage!

Raato
vs
Monroe

185 cm
18
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

182 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 2 - 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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Drew Monroe!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Monroe avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Raato wants to clinch up but Monroe keeps it at a distance.
Raato throws and low kick but Monroe moves out of range easily.
Monroe throws a nice looking combination but Raato bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Monroe scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Raato dodges the punch combination from Monroe.
Monroe connects with a high kick.
Monroe getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Monroe swinging wilding here.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Monroe.
Raato avoids a punch combination nicely.
Monroe rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Raato moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Monroe tries to bum rush Raato with a series of wild strikes but Raato uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monroe throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Horrible takedown by Monroe or perhaps it was just good defense by Raato which made him look bad.
Raato shoots in and drives through. Monroe sprawls well.
Monroe misses with an uppercut.

Raato closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Raato lands in his opponent's guard.
Raato is breathing heavily.
Raato stops Monroe from standing up.
Monroe is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Raato is pressing down on Monroe's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monroe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Monroe wants to stand but Raato has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Monroe trying to control the position from guard on top but Raato is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Raato uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Raato avoids a punch combination nicely.
Monroe throws a right hand that Raato ducks under and follows up with a left that Raato also avoids with ease.
Monroe throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
No joy there for Monroe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raato ducks under a wild hook from Monroe.
Monroe misses with a takedown attempt - Raato sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Monroe throws a sloppy head kick and Raato moves out of range easily.
Monroe scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Raato doesn't seem bothered though.
Monroe misses with a wild combination.
Monroe clinches but Raato breaks the clinch

and Raato counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Raato prevents Monroe from improving his position.
Raato lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Raato seems to be looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monroe pushes Raato off but Raato dives into side control.
Monroe is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Raato asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Monroe parries the strikes from Raato easily there. Raato is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Monroe to escape.
You can see the frustration on Monroe's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Monroe is trying to get back to half guard.
Raato landing a few strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urkki Raato dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Raato fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Monroe shoots for a takedown but Raato saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Raato showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Monroe.
Monroe tries to clinch there but Raato circles away.
Monroe throws a sloppy head kick and Raato moves out of range easily.
Raato throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Monroe's waist but Monroe gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Raato off to one side.
Raato throws a sloppy body shot
and Monroe makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monroe scores with a three punch combo!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Monroe dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Raato. That did some damage!
Monroe moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Monroe misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raato keeps control of Monroe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Raato prevents the takedown attempt.
Raato manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Raato drops down looking for an ankle pick but Monroe pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Urkki Raato. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Raato rushes Monroe and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Raato manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Raato controls Monroe momentarily but Monroe frees himself.
Monroe trying to control but Raato is working from the bottom.
Raato punching to the body, from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raato is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Monroe misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Raato scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Monroe regains full guard. Nicely done.
Raato is standing up over Monroe. Monroe looks to escape but Raato dives into side control.
Raato happy to just control the position for now.
Monroe is working to avoid the ground and pound but Raato connects with a decent elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Raato stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Raato misses with a low kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Monroe, as that shot connected.
Monroe throws a right and a left that both miss.
Monroe tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Raato counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Monroe is not content to let Raato control the position.
Raato throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monroe is looking to improve his position.
Monroe is trying to stand.
Monroe is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Raato has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Monroe makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Monroe tries to clinch but Raato moves away

and Raato moves into the clinch.
Raato has Monroe pressed against the cage.

Raato breaks from the clinch.
Monroe lands a with a good body shot.
Danga de danga de dang - Monroe scores with a four punch combination!
Monroe throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urkki Raato dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Monroe wants to clinch up but Raato keeps it at a distance.
Monroe misses with a few strikes there.
Raato misses with a takedown attempt - Monroe sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Raato throws a head kick that misses.
Raato is looking to clinch.
Raato circles away from the clinch attempt.
Monroe throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Raato sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Monroe connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monroe misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Monroe gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Monroe wriggles free and stands up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Raato has taken the fight to the clinch.
Monroe wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Raato has him pressed against the cage.

Monroe manages to break the clinch.
Monroe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Drew Monroe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Raato cracks Monroe with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Monroe throws a nice looking combination but Raato bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Monroe tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Monroe tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Raato counters by moving into the clinch.

Monroe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Monroe misses with a hook. Raato ducked under it nicely.
Urkki Raato is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Raato misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monroe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Monroe misses with a series of wild punches.
Monroe has his takedown stuffed
and Raato counters with a left and a right that stings Monroe.
Monroe fails to land with a series of punches.
Monroe swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Raato instigates a clinch.

Raato breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Monroe swinging wilding here.
Raato swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Raato will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Urkki Raato. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Monroe.
Drew Monroe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Raato has taken the fight to the clinch.
Monroe is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Raato tries to pull guard but Monroe won't allow it.
Monroe misses with a hook to the ribs.

Raato manages to pull guard.
Raato has a closed guard, preventing Monroe from standing up.
Raato striking off his back but it's not causing Monroe any problems.
Monroe stands and throws Raato's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Raato manages to work his way to half guard, despite Monroe's best efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raato gets back to full guard.

Monroe stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Raato has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Raato fails to land with a series of punches.
Raato moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Raato fails in his attempt to clinch.
Raato tries to close the distance and clinch up but Monroe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
No joy there for Monroe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Monroe throws a combination that misses

and Raato counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Raato.
Raato prevents Monroe from breaking the clinch.
Raato has Monroe pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Monroe manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Raato decides to pull guard.
Raato wants to stand but Monroe is controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Urkki Raato showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Raato, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27

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