PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jarkko Rautavaara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rabban Harkonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rautavaara comes to the cage accompanied by The Stranglers - No More Heroes. Harkonnen has chosen Johnny Cash - God's Gonna Cut You Down as his entrance music. 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.

Rautavaara
vs
Harkonnen

169 cm
31
170 lbs
17 - 20 - 0

183 cm
31
168 lbs
14 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

CEC Nutrition Q159

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jarkko Rautavaara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 1, fighting out of London, Rabban Harkonnen!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harkonnen tries a head kick but it misses.
Rautavaara moves out of range of the body kick from Harkonnen.
Rautavaara moves out of range of the body kick.
Harkonnen bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Harkonnen scoring well with a low kick there.
Harkonnen lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Harkonnen throws a sloppy head kick and Rautavaara moves out of range easily.
Harkonnen thows a body shot but no joy.

Rautavaara moves into the clinch.

Rautavaara pulls guard effortlessly.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Harkonnen tries to stand but Rautavaara is controlling from the bottom.
Harkonnen passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harkonnen is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Rautavaara is refusing to be controlled, as Harkonnen sits in half guard.
Rautavaara missing with punches from the bottom.
Rautavaara trying to get back to full guard but Harkonnen takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rautavaara bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Rautavaara trying to control the position from guard on top but Harkonnen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rautavaara looking to sit in guard and control but Harkonnen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rautavaara might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Harkonnen stopping the sweep attempt from Rautavaara.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rautavaara is working hard here to advance position.
Rautavaara is trying to control the position but Harkonnen postures up.
Rautavaara striking off his back but it's not causing Harkonnen any problems.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rautavaara has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Harkonnen is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Rautavaara.

Harkonnen stands up and beckons Rautavaara to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rautavaara throws a wild body kick that Harkonnen sees coming a mile off.
Harkonnen scores with a push kick.
Harkonnen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Harkonnen uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Harkonnen throws a head kick that half lands.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rautavaara has his takedown stuffed
and Rautavaara takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
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!
Rautavaara fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Harkonnen manages to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rabban Harkonnen dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rautavaara bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rabban Harkonnen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harkonnen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Rautavaara misses with a head kick.
Harkonnen does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Rautavaara throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rautavaara scores with a crisp jab that stopped Harkonnen in his tracks.
Harkonnen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rautavaara misses with a body punch
and Harkonnen counters with a body kick that stops Rautavaara in his tracks momentarily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Harkonnen. Rautavaara does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rautavaara misses the body punch
and Harkonnen counters with a head kick.
Rautavaara ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Harkonnen moves away.
Rautavaara tries to clinch there but Harkonnen circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rautavaara tries to move into range but Harkonnen moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Rautavaara throws out a loose jab but Harkonnen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Harkonnen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rautavaara.
Rautavaara connects with a body shot.
Rautavaara tries to score a power double leg takedown but Harkonnen sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rautavaara somewhat.
Rautavaara listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Harkonnen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rautavaara was well out of range. Poor timing from Harkonnen.
Harkonnen lands with a kick to the temple. Rautavaara shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Rautavaara takes a swing at Harkonnen's ribcage but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rautavaara slips under a jab.
Harkonnen wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Harkonnen throws a head kick that misses
and Rautavaara counters with a nice uppercut.
Harkonnen throws the left hand but Rautavaara avoids the punch easily.
Harkonnen looks to land a body kick but Rautavaara moved away.
Harkonnen scores with a nice strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rautavaara defending well as Harkonnen loads up on a big left hand.
Harkonnen misses with a straight left.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Harkonnen, as that shot connected.
Rautavaara swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rautavaara misses with a looping right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harkonnen misses with a body shot.
Rautavaara walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Rautavaara fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Harkonnen manages to avoid it.
Harkonnen throws a leg kick
and Rautavaara counters with a straight right hand.
Rautavaara throws a looping overhand right but Harkonnen ducks down to avoid it.
Harkonnen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Harkonnen misses with a head kick.
Rautavaara is looking to wear down Harkonnen with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Harkonnen connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Harkonnen throws a shot to the body.
Harkonnen throws a sloppy head kick and Rautavaara moves out of range easily.
Rautavaara uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Harkonnen.
Harkonnen is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rautavaara throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rautavaara missing with a left hand there. Harkonnen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rautavaara blocks a head kick by Harkonnen.
Harkonnen lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Harkonnen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Rautavaara checks it well.
Rautavaara takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Harkonnen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Harkonnen throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rautavaara's head.
Rabban Harkonnen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rautavaara turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Harkonnen misses with a looping left.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rabban Harkonnen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Rautavaara keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Harkonnen throws a shot to the body.
Harkonnen moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Harkonnen thows a leg kick but Rautavaara checks it
and Rautavaara counters with a nice uppercut.
Harkonnen pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Harkonnen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Rautavaara lands with a good body shot.
Harkonnen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rautavaara stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rautavaara walks into a left hand.
Rautavaara throws a head kick that misses.
Harkonnen lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rautavaara goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rautavaara takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Rautavaara misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Harkonnen.
Harkonnen feints and then cracks Rautavaara's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rautavaara down.

Rautavaara takes the fight into the clinch.
Harkonnen wants to get back to striking at distance but Rautavaara won't allow it.
Harkonnen looking to throw knees to the head but Rautavaara is blocking nicely.

Rautavaara successfully pulls guard.
Rautavaara is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rautavaara wants to sweep here but Harkonnen controlling him for the moment.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Harkonnen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jarkko Rautavaara.
Harkonnen scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rautavaara tries to clinch up but Harkonnen circles away and keeps his distance.

Rautavaara has closed the distance and engaged Harkonnen in a clinch.
Rautavaara will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Harkonnen up against the cage.
Harkonnen tries to break free but Rautavaara pushes him back against the cage.
Harkonnen wants to break free but Rautavaara has control.
Harkonnen managing to block the knees to the body from Rautavaara.
Harkonnen can't find room to land a body shot as Rautavaara controls the action.
Rautavaara keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Harkonnen's efforts to push away.
Harkonnen misses with a punch to the body.
Harkonnen tries to break free but Rautavaara pushes him back against the cage.
Jarkko Rautavaara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harkonnen leaning his opponent against the cage.
Rautavaara is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Harkonnen to keep the fight standing.

Rautavaara has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Harkonnen uses from the top position.
Harkonnen trying to control the position from guard on top but Rautavaara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Harkonnen passes into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rabban Harkonnen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Harkonnen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rabban Harkonnen!
An out of breath Rabban Harkonnen thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.