PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leo Sarsola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raylan Givens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sarsola's entrance music is Mono - 16.12. A fine choice. 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.

Sarsola
vs
Givens

180 cm
30
197 lbs
24 - 13 - 1

187 cm
30
195 lbs
18 - 10 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Perkele!
CEC Nutrition Q160 & Loans

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Leo Sarsola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Raylan Givens!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sarsola lands a nice leg kick that just misses Givens's sensitive parts.
Sarsola wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Sarsola swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sarsola fails with the takedown
and Givens counters with a good, hard body kick but Sarsola shrugs it off.
Givens avoids a punch combination nicely.
Givens tries to land a body kick
and Sarsola counters with a straight right hand.
Givens's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Sarsola connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Givens scrambles back to his feet.
Sarsola throws out a loose jab but Givens uses good head movement to avoid it.
Givens misses with a low kick.
Sarsola lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Givens lands a leg kick that knocks Sarsola off balance momentarily.
Sarsola misses with a low kick as Givens jumps back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Givens. Sarsola shrugs it off though.
Sarsola throws a leg kick which misses Givens's front leg but catches the back leg as Givens tries to avoid it.
Givens connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sarsola punishes Givens's body with a nice straight punch.
Sarsola blocks a head kick by Givens.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Givens - that will leave a mark!

Sarsola closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Givens quickly recovers to half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Givens wants to get back to full guard.
Sarsola throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Givens is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Givens wants to get back to full guard but Sarsola has mounted him!
Sarsola is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Givens can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Givens sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Givens is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sarsola is looking to take a break and control but Givens is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Sarsola.

Givens looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sarsola sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Givens defending well though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sarsola is trying to control the action in half guard but Givens is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Givens trying to control but Sarsola postures up.
Givens is staying active underneath Sarsola, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Givens manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sarsola controlling from the top position.
Sarsola distracts Givens with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sarsola preventing the sweep.
Sarsola is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Sarsola trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Givens wants to sweep here but Sarsola controlling him for the moment.

Givens looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sarsola throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Givens keeping moving, preventing Sarsola from controlling successfully.
Sarsola connects with a couple of short punches.
Sarsola trying to control but Givens is working from the bottom.

Givens is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Sarsola wants to control from the top but Givens keeps moving.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sarsola scoring with punches to the head and body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Sarsola dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sarsola ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Givens moves away.
Givens fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sarsola has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Givens keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sarsola.

Givens drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sarsola working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Givens.
Givens stopping the sweep attempt from Sarsola.
Givens wants to pass the guard but Sarsola is keeping the position.
Sarsola utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Givens trying to control but Sarsola is working from the bottom.
Sarsola has Givens pulled in close to control his posture.

Sarsola throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Givens escapes and throws Sarsola's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sarsola tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Givens working the ground and pound from side control.
Sarsola is looking for a sweep.
Givens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sarsola keeps working.
Sarsola regains half guard.
Sarsola taking some punishment here, with Givens in his half guard.
Givens passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Sarsola!
Sarsola is working to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Givens looking to control but Sarsola is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The referee warns Sarsola that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Sarsola is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sarsola in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Sarsola 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.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Givens is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Givens with good strikes from the mount here!
Givens wants to control the pace but Sarsola is squirming around nicely.
Sarsola is looking to improve his position but Givens isn't that keen on the idea.
Sarsola tries to hold on but Givens pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Givens looking to finish Sarsola with some ground and pound. This is bad for Sarsola!
Sarsola tries to reverse the position but Givens maintains control.
Sarsola takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Givens is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Sarsola can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Givens unloads with some vicious shots from mount and Sarsola wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Givens celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Raylan Givens!
Raylan Givens seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.