PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Riva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joakim Hanseeni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Riva comes to the cage accompanied by Smack My B tch UP. Thomas Riva had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 171.6lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Riva
vs
Hanseeni

183 cm
21
180 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

180 cm
23
170 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thomas Riva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joakim Hanseeni!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hanseeni shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Riva pinned against the cage. Riva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hanseeni fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Riva gets a takedown into half guard.
Hanseeni is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Riva not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hanseeni kicks off Riva and gets to his feet.
Riva shoots in for a double leg but Hanseeni sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hanseeni misses with a two punch combination.
Hanseeni tries for a takedown but Riva circles away easily

and Riva decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hanseeni's guard.
Thomas Riva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joakim Hanseeni.
Riva wants to control from the top but Hanseeni keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanseeni being controlled here, momentarily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hanseeni working a defensive guard here.
Hanseeni has control of Riva's left arm, preventing Riva from doing any damage.
Hanseeni throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hanseeni is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Riva controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Hanseeni looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Hanseeni looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hanseeni avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Riva pushing down on Hanseeni's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Hanseeni is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Riva throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Riva wants to control but Hanseeni is keeping him busy.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Riva connects with a nice short shot to Hanseeni's temple.
Still in half guard, Riva seems content to control.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Riva wants to advance to full mount but Hanseeni doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riva trying to control but Hanseeni is working from the bottom.
Riva controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Riva trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hanseeni's guard.
Hanseeni wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Riva tries to stand but Hanseeni is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hanseeni lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Riva!
Hanseeni fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Hanseeni controlling the position easily from mount.
Riva is trying desperately to improve position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Riva dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hanseeni darts in trying to clinch

and Riva counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Hanseeni wants to stand but Riva is controlling the position.
Riva trying to control but Hanseeni is working from the bottom.

Hanseeni is working an open guard so Riva takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Riva keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hanseeni closes this distance looking for a takedown but Riva circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hanseeni looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Riva drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riva working the ground and pound but Hanseeni is defending the strikes.
Hanseeni struggling a bit here.
Hanseeni tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Riva wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Riva has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Hanseeni tries to clinch up but Riva circles away and keeps his distance.
Riva tries to clinch but Hanseeni is having none of it.

Riva darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Hanseeni is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanseeni slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hanseeni controls Riva momentarily but Riva frees himself.
Hanseeni pulls Riva in close to prevent any damage.
Riva has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hanseeni is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Riva stands up from Hanseeni's guard - Riva perhaps looking for a knockout.
Riva with a poor takedown

and Hanseeni counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hanseeni is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Hanseeni passes to side control.
Riva regains half guard.
Riva tries to roll over but Hanseeni keeps him under control.

Hanseeni stands up and beckons Riva to join him on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Riva feints and as Hanseeni raises his hands in defense, Riva changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hanseeni looking to control.

Hanseeni is looking for a triangle but Riva pushes his legs off easily.
Hanseeni looking to control.
Hanseeni keeping moving, preventing Riva from controlling successfully.
Hanseeni trying to control the position here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hanseeni has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Riva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Riva dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Riva shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Hanseeni is trying to stand back up but Riva is controlling him
Hanseeni tries to get to full guard but Riva has control of the leg.
Riva seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hanseeni does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hanseeni gets back to full guard.
Hanseeni tries to strike from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hanseeni wriggles free and stands up.

Hanseeni looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hanseeni trying to control but Riva is working from the bottom.

Riva is looking for a triangle here but Hanseeni uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Riva gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanseeni trying to control the action but Riva is working from the bottom.
Thomas Riva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hanseeni keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Riva pushes Hanseeni off and gets back to his feet.
Thomas Riva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hanseeni with a lazy takedown attempt
and Riva counters with a two punch combo.
Hanseeni tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Riva counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Riva trying to control the action but Hanseeni is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riva has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Hanseeni works to full guard.
Riva slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Hanseeni can't do much from the bottom here.
Riva throwing strikes but Hanseeni manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Riva is looking for a sweep.
Riva is working hard here to advance position.
Hanseeni wants to control but Riva is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Hanseeni decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Riva tries for a takedown but Hanseeni circles away easily

and Hanseeni decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Riva's guard.
Riva has control of Hanseeni's left arm, preventing Hanseeni from doing any damage.

Riva escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hanseeni gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Joakim Hanseeni has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Riva will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Joakim Hanseeni.
Well Riva has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Riva!