PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Chris Walker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eerik Rikkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Walker
vs
Rikkonen

172 cm
20
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
19
170 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Chris Walker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Eerik Rikkonen!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Paul Tew and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walker avoids a punch combination nicely.
Walker leaves Rikkonen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Walker looks to land a combination but Rikkonen avoids it well.
Rikkonen fails with the takedown.
Walker takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Walker tries to bum rush Rikkonen with a series of wild strikes but Rikkonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Walker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rikkonen throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Rikkonen closes the distance and clinches.

Rikkonen pulls guard successfully.
Walker wants to stand but Rikkonen has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rikkonen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Chris Walker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eerik Rikkonen.
Walker swinging wildly here.
Walker looks to land a left hand but Rikkonen moved out of range nicely.
Walker slaps away a takedown attempt from Rikkonen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Walker tries to bum rush Rikkonen with a series of wild strikes but Rikkonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rikkonen looks for a takedown but Walker sprawls well.
Rikkonen looks winded!
Walker looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Walker misses with a series of wild punches.
Rikkonen tries to bum rush Walker with a series of wild strikes but Walker uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walker scores with a one two! Rikkonen had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Rikkonen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Walker as he jumps to the side.
Chris Walker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Walker looks to land a combination but Rikkonen avoids it well.
Walker scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Walker throws a one two combo.
Walker misses with a wild body shot.
Walker stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Walker misses with a body shot.
Walker looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Walker swinging wildly here.
Rikkonen misses with a takedown attempt - Walker sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rikkonen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walker throws a nice looking combination but Rikkonen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Walker throws a right and a left that Rikkonen avoids nicely.
Chris Walker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rikkonen moves forwards but Walker connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Walker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Walker throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Rikkonen closes the distance and pushes Walker back into the cage.
Rikkonen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Walker wants to break free but Rikkonen has control.

Rikkonen pulls guard effortlessly.
Walker wants to stand but Rikkonen is controlling his posture from full guard.
Walker trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rikkonen wants to stand and escape but Walker is having none of it.
Walker trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rikkonen's guard.
Rikkonen wants to sweep here but Walker controlling him for the moment.
Walker is looking to stand up but Rikkonen won't let him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rikkonen pulls Walker in close to his closed guard and prevents Walker from doing any damage or advancing position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rikkonen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Walker dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rikkonen fails with a takedown attempt.
A punch combination from Walker misses.
Walker works over Rikkonen's head and body with a nice combination.
Walker displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Nice body kick from Rikkonen.
Walker rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rikkonen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Walker swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Rikkonen counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
No joy there for Walker, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rikkonen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rikkonen throws a series of punches but Walker moves out of range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
No joy there for Walker, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rikkonen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Walker.
Rikkonen fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Walker fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rikkonen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Chris Walker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eerik Rikkonen.
Walker slaps away a takedown attempt from Rikkonen, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Chris Walker is winning the standup battle so far.
Walker misses with a few strikes there.
Walker throws a series of punches but Rikkonen moves out of range.
Rikkonen shoots in but no luck this time.
Walker misses with a double jab

and Rikkonen counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Rikkonen manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walker wants to stand but Rikkonen has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rikkonen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Walker trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rikkonen's guard.
Rikkonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rikkonen is trying to keep Walker in close.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rikkonen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Walker pinned against the cage. Walker gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Walker throws a right and a left that Rikkonen avoids nicely.
Walker lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rikkonen circles away quickly and effectively.
Chris Walker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rikkonen pushes Walker up against the cage in a clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Rikkonen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Rikkonen.
Rikkonen tries to pull guard but Walker won't allow it.
Rikkonen has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Walker avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Walker is trying to break free.
Rikkonen is looking to take this one to the mat.
Walker is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rikkonen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Walker's efforts to push away.

Rikkonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eerik Rikkonen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Rikkonen dodges the punch combination from Walker.
Walker scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Walker misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Walker works over Rikkonen's head and body with a nice combination.
Walker lands with a right hand.
Walker throws a left and a right that both miss

and Rikkonen moves into the clinch.

Rikkonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Walker stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Walker wants it to stay on the feet.
Rikkonen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Walker jabs Rikkonen to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Walker swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker misses with a few strikes there.
Rikkonen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rikkonen fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Walker lands a jab to Rikkonen's midsection.
Rikkonen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Chris Walker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eerik Rikkonen.
Walker misses with a two punch combination.
Rikkonen takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
A combination from Walker does no damage.

Rikkonen closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Rikkonen has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Walker clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Rikkonen looking for the RNC.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walker trying to get back to his feet but Rikkonen is in full control for now.
Walker looking very determined here, making life difficult for Rikkonen.
Walker looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
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!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rikkonen has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Walker's body.
Let's hope that Rikkonen has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Walker looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Rikkonen misses with an elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
I would not like to be Walker right now.
Walker trying to get back to his feet but Rikkonen is in full control for now.
Rikkonen biding his time, controlling Walker.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Even with his hooks in, Rikkonen manages to miss with strikes from the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eerik Rikkonen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rikkonen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Chris Walker!
A relieved looking Chris Walker thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.