PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Riku Rupponen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elvis Rodreguiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Rupponen might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Cannibal Corpse I Cum Blood. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rupponen
vs
Rodreguiz

170 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
21
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Riku Rupponen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Elvis Rodreguiz!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rodreguiz scores with a takedown into Rupponen's guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Rupponen wants to sweep here but Rodreguiz controlling him for the moment.

Rupponen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rupponen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rupponen trying to control the position here.
Rupponen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rodreguiz controls the pace.
Rodreguiz cracks Rupponen with a solid left hand.
Rupponen working a defensive guard here.
Rodreguiz preventing the sweep.
Rodreguiz really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rupponen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rupponen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rupponen looking to control.
Rupponen has Rodreguiz pulled in close to control his posture.

Rupponen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rodreguiz gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rupponen has a closed guard, preventing Rodreguiz from standing up.
Rodreguiz throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rodreguiz is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Rodreguiz is looking to stand up but Rupponen won't let him.
Rupponen keeping moving, preventing Rodreguiz from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodreguiz is looking to stand up but Rupponen won't let him.

Elvis Rodreguiz has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Rupponen gets caught flat footed, as Rodreguiz shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rupponen managing to control the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Rupponen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rodreguiz can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rodreguiz has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rupponen is proving hard to escape from.
Rodreguiz stays in close to Rupponen's body and controls the position.
Rodreguiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Rupponen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rupponen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Rodreguiz stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Rupponen misses with a takedown
and Rodreguiz counters with a one-two to the body.
Rodreguiz looks winded!
Rupponen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rodreguiz counters by moving into the clinch.

Rodreguiz works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rupponen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rupponen keeping moving, preventing Rodreguiz from controlling successfully.
Rupponen trying to control the position.
Rupponen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Rupponen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rodreguiz can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Rupponen isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Rodreguiz stacks Rupponen on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Rodreguiz!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodreguiz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rupponen keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elvis Rodreguiz dominated that round.
That's time! Rupponen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rodreguiz shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rodreguiz was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rupponen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rupponen tries to control Rodreguiz's body but Rodreguiz pushes him off. Rupponen squirms to his side and now Rodreguiz has his back!
Rodreguiz is trying to stick to Rupponen's back but Rupponen is turning into Rodreguiz. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Rodreguiz's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Rupponen.
Rupponen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rodreguiz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rupponen preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodreguiz controls Rupponen momentarily but Rupponen frees himself.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Elvis Rodreguiz hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Rodreguiz scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Rodreguiz is breathing heavily.
Rupponen tries to improve position but can't.
Rupponen struggling a bit here.
Rupponen gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Rupponen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rupponen manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rupponen keeping moving, preventing Rodreguiz from controlling successfully.
Rupponen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rodreguiz manages to get himself to full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rupponen slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Rupponen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Rupponen tries for a kimura but Rodreguiz is defending well.

Rupponen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rupponen trying to control the position but Rodreguiz is working away.
Rodreguiz tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Rupponen is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rodreguiz knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Rupponen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rupponen thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Rupponen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Rupponen postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Riku Rupponen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rodreguiz manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Rupponen on his heels. He'll look to pass Rupponen's guard now, I'm sure.
Riku Rupponen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rodreguiz trying to control but Rupponen is working from the bottom.

Rupponen looking for a guillotine here but Rodreguiz defends easily.
Rodreguiz trying to control but Rupponen is working from the bottom.
Rupponen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rodreguiz's guard.
Rupponen throwing strikes but missing.
Rupponen trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodreguiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rupponen tries to free his leg and advance position but Rodreguiz is retaining full guard.
Rupponen looking to sit in guard and control but Rodreguiz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rupponen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rodreguiz works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rodreguiz looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rupponen is looking to control Rodreguiz's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rupponen avoid being mounted?
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodreguiz is looking to take a break and control but Rupponen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rupponen wants to get back to full guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Elvis Rodreguiz has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Rodreguiz tries to clinch but Rupponen is having none of it.

Rodreguiz looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rupponen!
Rodreguiz landing strikes from the mount and Rupponen is in trouble!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rodreguiz looking to control but Rupponen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rupponen regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodreguiz wants to pass the guard but Rupponen is defending well.

Rodreguiz is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rupponen sees it coming and defends easily.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rupponen manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rodreguiz being controlled here momentarily.

Rupponen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rodreguiz doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rodreguiz manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rupponen wants to sweep here but Rodreguiz controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodreguiz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rupponen is trying to control the position but Rodreguiz postures up.
Rupponen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rodreguiz engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodreguiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Rupponen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Riku Rupponen.
I think Rupponen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Riku Rupponen!
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Riku Rupponen!
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Riku Rupponen!

Riku Rupponen wins by unanimous decision!
Riku Rupponen took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.