PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Seppo Rovanpera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Saku Thirtynine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rovanpera comes into the arena with Die Antwoord - Enter The Ninja blaring out of the sound system. Thirtynine has chosen Speed 2 Remix by Tetsuya Komura as his entrance music. Saku Thirtynine acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Rovanpera
vs
Thirtynine

164 cm
35
168 lbs
28 - 13 - 0

178 cm
36
169 lbs
18 - 20 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 28 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Seppo Rovanpera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 20 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Saku Thirtynine!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Ren Mimura and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thirtynine checks the leg kick nicely there.
Thirtynine scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

It looks like Seppo Rovanpera has been cut.
Thirtynine missing with a left hand there. Rovanpera was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Thirtynine shoots in but Rovanpera avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rovanpera scores with a leg kick.
Saku Thirtynine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thirtynine shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rovanpera pinned against the cage. Rovanpera gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rovanpera throws a hook but Thirtynine avoids it easily.

Thirtynine closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Rovanpera can't do much from the bottom here.
Rovanpera tries to improve position but can't.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rovanpera is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Rovanpera is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Thirtynine's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Thirtynine's back!
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Rovanpera is landing with strikes. Thirtynine can't take much more of this.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thirtynine tries to roll but Rovanpera sticks to his back.
Thirtynine trying to get back to his feet but Rovanpera is in full control for now.
I really don't envy Thirtynine right now.
Thirtynine just trying to survive but Rovanpera is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Rovanpera gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.

Rovanpera patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Thirtynine prevents Rovanpera from getting a body triangle.
Thirtynine tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thirtynine manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Thirtynine wants to get back to full guard.
Thirtynine blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rovanpera.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thirtynine is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rovanpera's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rovanpera's back!
Rovanpera staying busy and making it hard for Thirtynine to control.
Thirtynine doesn't have the hooks in and Rovanpera manages to turn into his guard.
Rovanpera preventing the sweep.
Rovanpera 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.
Rovanpera is pushing down on Thirtynine's leg trying to pass to half guard. Thirtynine is fighting to maintain full guard but Rovanpera has managed to sneak the leg through.
Rovanpera working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Thirtynine's thigh. Thirtynine counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Rovanpera connects with a couple of short punches.
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.
Rovanpera is in close to Thirtynine's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Thirtynine looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Rovanpera puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Thirtynine wants to control but Rovanpera is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rovanpera passes to full mount!
Rovanpera landing punches.
Thirtynine working to try and regain half guard.
Thirtynine taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thirtynine is trying desperately to improve position.
Rovanpera lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Thirtynine hang on?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thirtynine is desperately trying to improve his position but Rovanpera has a good base and remains in mount.
Rovanpera landing strikes from the mount.
Rovanpera unloading with bombs!
Rovanpera scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Thirtynine?
The referee warns Thirtynine that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rovanpera with a couple of short strikes.
Thirtynine is squirming around, avoiding Rovanpera's attempts to control the action.
Thirtynine is looking to get to half guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Thirtynine tries to hold on but Rovanpera pushes him away.
Rovanpera lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Rovanpera cracks Thirtynine with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Rovanpera with good strikes from the mount here!

Thirtynine is rocked!
Thirtynine really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Thirtynine is still in real trouble! Can Rovanpera finish him?
Thirtynine seems to have recovered his senses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rovanpera wants to control the pace but Thirtynine is squirming around nicely.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Thirtynine is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Thirtynine is squirming around, avoiding Rovanpera's attempts to control the action.
Rovanpera avoids the attempt from Thirtynine to control.
Thirtynine is desperately trying to improve his position but Rovanpera has a good base and remains in mount.
Thirtynine is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rovanpera connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Rovanpera scoring with strikes but Thirtynine is staying in there.
Thirtynine keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Rovanpera is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Thirtynine can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Thirtynine tries to hold on but Rovanpera postures up.
Thirtynine sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Thirtynine slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Thirtynine looking to control but Rovanpera passes into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Thirtynine manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Thirtynine wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Rovanpera is now in half guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Thirtynine won't allow Rovanpera to pass to mount.
Thirtynine is refusing to be controlled, as Rovanpera sits in half guard.
Rovanpera perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Thirtynine looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Thirtynine is looking to control Rovanpera's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thirtynine avoid being mounted?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Thirtynine looking for submissions off his back.
Thirtynine is trying to control but Rovanpera manages to pass to mount!

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rovanpera landing strikes, looking to finish!
Thirtynine is desperately trying to improve his position but Rovanpera has a good base and remains in mount.
Rovanpera dominating with strikes here.
Rovanpera can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thirtynine is looking to escape.
Thirtynine takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thirtynine tries to lock up and control but Rovanpera gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Thirtynine tries to reverse the position but Rovanpera maintains control.
Rovanpera avoids the attempt from Thirtynine to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Rovanpera dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Seppo Rovanpera's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Thirtynine cracks Rovanpera with an open hand slap.
Rovanpera is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Thirtynine.
Rovanpera avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Thirtynine fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rovanpera manages to avoid it.
Thirtynine throws a shot from downtown. Rovanpera moves away and avoids it.
Rovanpera misses with a left hand
and Thirtynine counters with a left to the body.

Thirtynine closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Rovanpera is rocked!
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!
Rovanpera tries to roll over but Thirtynine keeps him under control.
Oh Rovanpera is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rovanpera is working hard here to advance position.
Thirtynine uses his free foot to push down on Rovanpera's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Rovanpera.
Thirtynine scoring with strikes but Rovanpera is staying in there.
Thirtynine moves to the back.

Rovanpera is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Thirtynine is breathing heavily.
Rovanpera tries to escape but Thirtynine has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Thirtynine scores with punches and elbows.

Thirtynine has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Rovanpera has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Thirtynine slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Rovanpera tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Rovanpera is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rovanpera in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Thirtynine looking to finish Rovanpera with some ground and pound. This is bad for Rovanpera!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rovanpera takes a big shot to the dome and his eyes have rolled back in his head! Thirtynine's killer instinct has kicked in as he finishes the fight with more strikes. Impressive finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Saku Thirtynine!