PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sanderson Pilva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ville rantanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Pilva
vs
rantanen

188 cm
23
185 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

194 cm
21
190 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sanderson Pilva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ville rantanen!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
rantanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Pilva.
rantanen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
rantanen fails to land the takedown.
rantanen has a takedown stuffed.
Pilva fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pilva tries to clinch there but rantanen circles away.
Pilva fails in his attempt to clinch.

rantanen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Pilva is defending against the submission attempts here by rantanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
rantanen not doing much here.
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.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
rantanen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

rantanen decides to stand and escape the position.
Pilva doesn't manage to clinch there - rantanen circles away.
Pilva tries to close the distance and clinch but rantanen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
rantanen shoots for a double leg takedown but Pilva sprawls well. He's pushed rantanen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sanderson Pilva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ville rantanen.
A kick lands to the mid section there for rantanen.
Pilva tries to clinch but rantanen is having none of it.
rantanen shoots for a takedown but Pilva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Danga de danga de dang - Pilva scores with a four punch combination!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pilva tries to clinch but rantanen is having none of it.
Pilva moves in looking to clinch but rantanen pushes him off.
Pilva steps to the side to avoid the strikes from rantanen.
Sanderson Pilva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
rantanen keeps the fight on the outside.
rantanen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pilva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Pilva is looking to clinch.
Crunch! rantanen slams his shin into Pilva's torso.
Pilva is breathing heavily.
rantanen wants to land a leg kick but Pilva is out of range.

rantanen has closed the distance and engaged Pilva in a clinch.
rantanen blocks an elbow strike from Pilva.

rantanen pulls guard.
rantanen wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Pilva preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
rantanen is pulling down on Pilva's head to control his posture.
rantanen wants to sweep but no luck.

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

rantanen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pilva 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.

Ville rantanen dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

rantanen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pilva is fending him off so far but rantanen persists. Nope, Pilva circles away and we're back to standing.
Sanderson Pilva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
rantanen shoots for a takedown but Pilva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Pilva clinches but rantanen breaks the clinch

and rantanen counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Knees to the body from Pilva.
rantanen jumps guard but Pilva stands there with rantanen around his waist. rantanen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sanderson Pilva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ville rantanen.
Pilva misses with a knee to the head.
A hook to the body from rantanen.
Pilva looking to throw knees to the head but rantanen is blocking nicely.
rantanen drops down looking for an ankle pick but Pilva pulls his leg out and moves away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pilva connects with a body shot.

Pilva gets a clinch.
Pilva tries a knee to the head but rantanen blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pilva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
rantanen tries to break the clinch but Pilva is controlling the position.

rantanen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pilva wants to clinch
enabling rantanen to counter with a crisp jab.
rantanen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pilva tries to avoid it but rantanen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pilva to the ground. Pilva escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pilva darts in trying to clinch

and rantanen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
rantanen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

rantanen decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by rantanen or perhaps it was just good defense by Pilva which made him look bad.
rantanen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pilva pinned against the cage. Pilva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Pilva clinches but rantanen breaks the clinch

and rantanen counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
rantanen wants to control but Pilva is keeping him busy.
rantanen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
rantanen working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

rantanen stands up and beckons Pilva to his feet.
Pilva keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Pilva connects with a high kick.

Pilva gets caught flat footed, as rantanen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
rantanen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Pilva 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.
Ville rantanen has got the better of the ground game so far.
rantanen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
rantanen tries to free his leg and advance position but Pilva is retaining full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
rantanen cracks Pilva with a solid left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ville rantanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

rantanen keeps the fight on the outside.
rantanen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pilva swivels and escapes.

rantanen gets in close and instigates a clinch.

rantanen has clasped his hands together around Pilva's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

rantanen decides to take the fight back to the feet.
rantanen circles away from the clinch attempt

and rantanen moves into the clinch.
Pilva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
rantanen blocks an elbow strike from Pilva.
rantanen fails to pull guard.
Come on rantanen - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Pilva tries to land knees in the clinch but rantanen avoids the damage to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
rantanen avoids the elbow strike from Pilva, against the cage.
Pilva trying to land knees to the body.
Pilva prevents the takedown attempt.
Sanderson Pilva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ville rantanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pilva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from rantanen.
rantanen managing to block the knees to the body from Pilva.

rantanen manages to pull guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as rantanen holds on and takes a little breather.

rantanen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pilva doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but rantanen is tightening it up a little... Pilva has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Pilva reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Pilva taps out! nice BJJ there by rantanen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Ville rantanen!