PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Edwardo Donaldson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rista Rpa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Rista Rpa was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Donaldson
vs
Rpa

172 cm
18
278 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

195 cm
23
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Edwardo Donaldson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rista Rpa!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rpa closes this distance looking for a takedown but Donaldson circles away.
Donaldson swings for the body but Rpa moves out of range.
Rpa closes the distance and clinches up with Donaldson, looking for a takedown. Rpa pushes Donaldson against the cage but Donaldson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Donaldson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rpa moves away.
Donaldson could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Donaldson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rpa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rpa shoots in looking for a takedown but Donaldson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rpa's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Edwardo Donaldson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rista Rpa.
Rpa looks to land a combination but Donaldson avoids it well.
Rpa tries for a takedown but Donaldson circles away easily

and Donaldson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rpa is trying to maintain the position but Donaldson is very close to passing his half guard.
Donaldson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Donaldson wants to stand up but Rpa is controlling the position.
Donaldson 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rpa looks like he's trying to stand up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Donaldson working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Rpa gets full guard.
Donaldson postures up.
Donaldson throws a big right hand that misses.

Rpa wriggles free and stands up.
Donaldson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rpa shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Donaldson pinned against the cage. Donaldson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Donaldson tries to clinch there but Rpa circles away.
Rpa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Donaldson as he avoids it easily.
Rpa swinging wildly here.
Rpa looks winded!
Rpa fails to land the takedown.

Rpa clinches up with Donaldson and pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donaldson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rpa has him pressed against the cage.

Donaldson pulls Rpa into guard.
Rpa trying to control but Donaldson is working from the bottom.
Donaldson thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Donaldson controls Rpa momentarily but Rpa frees himself.
Rpa looking to sit in guard and control but Donaldson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Donaldson's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Donaldson is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rpa has Donaldson pulled in close to control his posture.

Donaldson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Donaldson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rpa's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edwardo Donaldson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rpa tries for a takedown but Donaldson circles away easily

and Donaldson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Donaldson wants to take a breather but Rpa is having none of it.

Donaldson is looking for a kimura but Rpa is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Donaldson to get the leverage.
Rpa is trying to control but Donaldson passes into side control!
Rpa gets back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rpa is trying to maintain the position but Donaldson is very close to passing his half guard.

Donaldson is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rpa is pressing down on Donaldson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rpa 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.
Rpa is trying to control the position but Donaldson postures up.
Rpa wants to get back to his feet but Donaldson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rpa working a defensive guard here.
Donaldson won't allow Rpa to sweep him here.
Rpa is striking off his back. Donaldson thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Rpa is trying to stand.
Rpa is breathing heavily.
Donaldson prevents Rpa from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rpa is looking to control Donaldson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rpa avoid being mounted?
Rpa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rpa tries to kick Donaldson off but Donaldson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Donaldson tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Rpa.
Rpa is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donaldson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Donaldson wants to stand up but Rpa has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rpa dives in and grabs Donaldson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Donaldson pushes down on Rpa's head and hops out.
Donaldson wants to clinch.
Rpa lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Donaldson fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rista Rpa will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Donaldson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. 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.

Rpa throws a right and a left that Donaldson avoids nicely.
Donaldson misses with a left hand

and Rpa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Donaldson blocks a body shot from Rpa.
Rpa trying to control the position but instead, Donaldson has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rpa into the cage.
Donaldson tries for a takedown but Rpa manages to get underhooks.

Rpa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rpa takes the fight into the clinch.

Rpa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Donaldson swats away the attempt to clinch by Rpa.
Donaldson misses with a double jab
and Rpa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

It looks like Edwardo Donaldson has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rpa moves into range and clinches up with Donaldson.
Rpa prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rpa is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Donaldson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edwardo Donaldson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Donaldson tries to pull guard but Rpa forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Rpa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rpa scores with a three punch combo!
Some wild striking there from Rpa.
Rpa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Donaldson swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rpa clinches with his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donaldson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rpa pulls his leg out and moves away.
Rista Rpa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Donaldson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Edwardo Donaldson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rpa connects with a crisp jab.

Rpa takes the fight into the clinch.

Rpa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Donaldson takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Rpa closes the distance and pushes Donaldson back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donaldson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rpa pulls his leg out and moves away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A slapping body kick lands there for Rpa.
Donaldson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rpa counters with a stiff right hand.

Donaldson is rocked!
Rpa fails with a takedown attempt.
Oh Donaldson is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Rpa gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rpa unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Donaldson! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Rpa is unloading with more strikes now! Donaldson drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rista Rpa!