PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rio Denardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juha Pekka Matila (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Denardo comes to the cage accompanied by Bodies - Drowning pool. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Denardo
vs
Pekka Matila

187 cm
22
170 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

177 cm
20
167 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rio Denardo!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juha Pekka Matila!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Denardo tries to clinch up but Matila circles away and keeps his distance.

Denardo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Denardo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Denardo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Denardo tries a knee to the head but Matila blocks it.
Denardo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Matila has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Denardo avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Denardo lands a knee to the head.
Matila has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Denardo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Denardo throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Denardo successfully pulls guard.
Matila wants to pass the guard but Denardo is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matila is working for a kimura but Denardo is defending it quite comfortably.

Matila is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Denardo defends it well.

Matila is looking for a kimura here.
Matila landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Denardo is looking for a sweep. Matila is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Matila is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Matila looks gassed!
Matila is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Denardo defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Matila.

Matila goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Denardo is on top in guard.
Denardo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Matila is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matila keeping full guard, as Denardo tries to pass.
Denardo trying to control the position from guard on top but Matila is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Matila working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Denardo has passed into half guard!
Denardo thows a huge punch but Matila dodges it nicely.
Matila moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

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.
Matila bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Denardo's guard.

Denardo looking for a guillotine here but Matila defends easily.

Matila stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Matila closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Matila lands in his opponent's guard.

Denardo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Matila doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Matila manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Matila in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Juha Pekka Matila will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Matila shoots in looking for a takedown. Denardo tries to sprawl out of it but Matila keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Denardo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice sprawl there from Matila as Denardo shoots in.
Denardo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Matila misses with a jab, cross combination.
Denardo shoots and misses

and Matila decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Denardo's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rio Denardo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Matila lying in Denardo's guard like a wet fish here, stalling away. Denardo decides he's had enough of all that nonsense - he escapes his hips and locks up an armbar! Wow, that was slick! Matila taps! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rio Denardo!
Rio Denardo is the new welterweight champion!