PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Riku Reipas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marijo Palavra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Marijo Palavra was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Reipas
vs
Palavra

175 cm
26
148 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

170 cm
23
140 lbs
10 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Brawler
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Riku Reipas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Marijo Palavra!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Palavra manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Reipas on his heels. He'll look to pass Reipas's guard now, I'm sure.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Palavra trying to control the position from guard on top but Reipas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Reipas looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Reipas is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Reipas is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Palavra is aware though and is defending well.
Reipas keeping moving, preventing Palavra from controlling successfully.
Palavra cracks Reipas with a solid left hand.
Reipas keeping moving, preventing Palavra from controlling successfully.
Reipas is trying to keep Palavra in close.

Reipas looking for a guillotine here but Palavra defends easily.

Reipas is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Palavra defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palavra trying to control but Reipas is working from the bottom.
Reipas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Palavra trying to control the position from guard on top but Reipas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Palavra trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Palavra wants to control from the top but Reipas keeps moving.
Palavra tries to free his leg and advance position but Reipas is retaining full guard.

Reipas looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Palavra passes into half guard.

Reipas looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reipas wants to control but Palavra is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Palavra trying to control from half guard but Reipas is working away.
Palavra might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Reipas kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Palavra sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Reipas defending well though.
Reipas wants to improve his position but Palavra is controlling well.
Nice strikes from Palavra there.
Palavra wants to control but Reipas is keeping him busy.
Palavra controlling the action here.

Reipas looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palavra lands strikes from half guard.
Palavra is nestled in close to Reipas, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Reipas is looking to get back to full guard here but Palavra has managed to pass to side control instead.
Palavra working the ground and pound.
Palavra working the body and head with strikes.
Palavra laying and praying for a moment but Reipas takes advantage and regains half guard.
Palavra trying to pass the guard but Reipas defending well.
Reipas tries to roll over but Palavra keeps him under control.
Reipas is looking to get back to full guard here but Palavra has managed to pass to side control instead.
Palavra landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Reipas's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Palavra wants to control but Reipas is keeping him busy.
Reipas takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Reipas is looking for a sweep.
Palavra trying to control the action but Reipas is working from the bottom.
Reipas taking punishment in the form of punches.

Palavra tries for a kimura but Reipas is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palavra cracks Reipas with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Reipas sneaks back into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marijo Palavra dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Reipas shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Palavra sprawls well. Palavra wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Reipas gets slowly back to his feet.
Reipas tries to close the distance and clinch up but Palavra swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Palavra shoots in and gets a takedown into Reipas's guard.

Reipas is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Palavra is aware though and is defending well.
Palavra distracts Reipas with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Palavra working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Reipas's head.
Palavra slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Palavra thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Palavra looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Palavra is looking to work some ground and pound but Reipas has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Reipas is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Palavra postures up and lands a big shot to Reipas's brow.
Palavra stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Reipas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Palavra looking to sit in guard and control but Reipas gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Marijo Palavra has got the better of the ground game so far.
Palavra is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Palavra keeping moving, preventing Reipas from controlling successfully.
Reipas wants to pass the guard but Palavra is keeping the position.
Palavra looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reipas throwing strikes but missing.
Palavra keeping moving, preventing Reipas from controlling successfully.
Palavra controlling Reipas's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Reipas preventing the sweep.
Reipas wants to control from the top but Palavra keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Palavra lands a leg kick that knocks Reipas off balance momentarily.
Palavra pivots, looking for a leg kick but Reipas is out of range and Palavra settles back down.

Palavra shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Reipas's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Palavra throwing strikes but missing.
Palavra distracts Reipas with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palavra wants to pass the guard but Reipas is keeping the position.

Reipas has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Palavra 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 Reipas.
Palavra lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Reipas down.
Palavra scoring with punches and elbows.
Palavra is looking to take a break and control but Reipas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Reipas is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Palavra's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Reipas is refusing to be controlled, as Palavra sits in half guard.

Reipas is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Palavra pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reipas wants to improve his position but Palavra is controlling well.
Reipas taking some punishment here, with Palavra in his half guard.
Palavra wants to control but Reipas is keeping him busy.
Reipas tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Palavra content to control rather than advance.
Palavra thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Palavra wants to take a breather but Reipas is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Marijo Palavra.

Palavra shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Reipas's guard.
Palavra trying to control but Reipas is working from the bottom.
Palavra is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marijo Palavra showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Reipas enables Palavra to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Reipas manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Palavra pushing down on Reipas's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Reipas regains full guard. Nicely done.

Reipas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Palavra can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Reipas has momentary wrist control but Palavra slips an elbow through the middle.

Reipas looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Reipas is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Palavra throws a strike but Reipas rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Reipas sitting in guard here, content to control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Reipas stopping the sweep attempt from Palavra.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reipas works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Palavra wants to get back to full guard.
Palavra keeping hold of Reipas's head, controlling as best he can.
Reipas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Palavra is trying to get back to full guard.
Reipas throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reipas is looking to take a break and control but Palavra is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Palavra is trying to maintain the position but Reipas is very close to passing his half guard.
Palavra wants to improve his position but Reipas is controlling well.
Palavra is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Palavra is pressing down on Reipas's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Reipas slips nicely into half guard.
Reipas wants to take a breather but Palavra is having none of it.
Palavra is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Reipas is trying for a kimura here. Palavra looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Reipas wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Riku Reipas!