PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ruben Ortega (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nyyrikki Takaraivo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nyyrikki Takaraivo has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Ruben Ortega's chin.

Ortega
vs
Takaraivo

182 cm
24
220 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

179 cm
31
220 lbs
15 - 16 - 1

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ruben Ortega!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Nyyrikki Takaraivo!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Arvi Lind and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ortega blocks a head kick by Takaraivo.
Ortega connects with a nice looking jab.
Ortega swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Takaraivo has closed the distance and engaged Ortega in a clinch.
Takaraivo blocks the elbow strike.
Ortega misses with a knee to the head.
Takaraivo is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ortega is keeping busy.
Ortega misses with some punches.

Takaraivo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ortega blocks a head kick by Takaraivo.
Ortega avoids the head kick by Takaraivo.
Takaraivo throws a head kick but Ortega moves out of range.
Takaraivo's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Takaraivo duly obliges.

It looks like Ruben Ortega has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortega misses with a wild body shot.
A head kick by Takaraivo misses

and Ortega counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ortega throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Ortega throws a head punch that misses.
Ortega swings wildly with an uppercut but Takaraivo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Ortega.
Takaraivo blocks an elbow strike.
Takaraivo blocks the elbow strike.
Takaraivo blocks the elbow strike.
Ortega tries to land a knee to the head but Takaraivo blocks with his arms.
Takaraivo has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ortega tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takaraivo blocks an elbow strike from Ortega.
Ortega pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A short left from Ortega.
Takaraivo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ortega tries to throw a body punch but Takaraivo avoids it by throwing Ortega back against the cage.
Ortega throws an elbow that misses.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ortega creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Takaraivo is trying to break the clinch but Ortega is controlling him.
Ortega throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Ortega looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Takaraivo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Our sources have told us that Ortega has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Takaraivo avoiding damage as Ortega throws knees to the body.
Ortega with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortega misses with an elbow strike.
Takaraivo tries to break the clinch but Ortega is controlling the position.
Ortega misses with an elbow strike.
Come on Ortega - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Ortega throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Takaraivo blocks it with crossed arms.
Takaraivo takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Nyyrikki Takaraivo has been cut.
Takaraivo avoids a wild elbow strike from Ortega.
Ortega lands with a light punch inside.
Ortega lands a right hand.
Ortega throws an elbow but it misses.
Ortega throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Takaraivo blocks it with crossed arms.
A body shot lands from Ortega.
A nice left hand lands by Ortega.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takaraivo dodges an elbow strike from Ortega.
Takaraivo avoids the elbow strike from Ortega, against the cage.
Takaraivo is trying to break free.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ortega just misses with a elbow thrown towards Takaraivo's brow.
Ortega stalling the fight.
A head punch on the inside from Ortega fails to land.
Takaraivo dodges an elbow strike from Ortega.
Takaraivo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ortega prevents Takaraivo from breaking the clinch.
Ortega is struggling to control the position.

Takaraivo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ruben Ortega dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Takaraivo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ortega was well out of range. Poor timing from Takaraivo.
Ortega is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Takaraivo can do to turn this around?
Takaraivo throws a low kick, looking for Ortega's leg but Ortega calmly moves out of range.
Takaraivo misses the shot to the body.
Ruben Ortega is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ortega avoids the head kick by Takaraivo.
An inside leg kick lands from Takaraivo.
Ortega swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ortega throws a body punch but Takaraivo moves out of range.
Takaraivo is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
A looping hook to the body misses from Takaraivo. Ortega does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ortega tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Takaraivo manages to circle out of the way.
Takaraivo swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Takaraivo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ortega scores with a jab to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Takaraivo clinches up against the cage.

Takaraivo manages to break the clinch.
Takaraivo misses with a head kick.
A little feinted left hand from Ortega on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Ortega avoids the head kick by Takaraivo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortega shoots in for a double leg but Takaraivo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Ortega drives through and clinches with Takaraivo against the cage.
Ortega throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Takaraivo's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Ortega can't find room to land a body shot as Takaraivo controls the action.
Ortega throws an elbow but it misses.
Takaraivo working hard to break the clinch.
Ortega misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ortega doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ortega swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ortega doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ortega misses with an elbow over the top.
Ortega creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takaraivo is trying to break the clinch but Ortega is controlling him.
Takaraivo wants to break free but Ortega has control.
Ortega scores with a nice hook to the head.

Takaraivo breaks from the clinch.
Ortega shoots in for a double leg but Takaraivo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ortega moves out of range of the body kick.
Takaraivo fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ortega.
Ortega throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Takaraivo throws a big counter head kick but Ortega avoids it with no problem.
Takaraivo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Takaraivo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ortega checks the leg kick nicely there.
Ortega avoids the head kick by Takaraivo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takaraivo walks into a straight right hand from Ortega.
Nyyrikki Takaraivo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ortega moves out of range of the body kick from Takaraivo.
Takaraivo misses with a combination

and Ortega counters by moving into the clinch.
Nice body punch from Ortega.
Takaraivo prevents a body shot from Ortega.

Takaraivo manages to break the clinch.
Ortega throws a nice looking combination but Takaraivo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Takaraivo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Takaraivo clinches.
Takaraivo blocks the elbow strike.
Takaraivo blocks a body shot from Ortega.
Ruben Ortega has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Takaraivo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takaraivo is trying to break free.
Ortega working aggressively here.

Takaraivo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A head kick misses from Takaraivo.
Ortega cracks Takaraivo with an open hand slap.
Takaraivo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takaraivo throws a chopping leg kick but Ortega manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Ortega misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ruben Ortega. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Takaraivo throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ortega moves out of range of the body kick from Takaraivo.
Ortega throws a looping overhand right but Takaraivo ducks down to avoid it.
Takaraivo keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nyyrikki Takaraivo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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!

Ortega shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Takaraivo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Takaraivo instigates a clinch.
Ortega lands a shot to the body.
Ortega misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ortega lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Takaraivo.
Ortega lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Ortega pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ortega creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ortega just misses with a elbow thrown towards Takaraivo's brow.
Ortega lands a body shot.
Ortega misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ortega pushes off an throws an elbow but Takaraivo leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Ortega tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Takaraivo's elbow.
Takaraivo is trying to push Ortega away but Ortega has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Takaraivo blocks an uppercut.
Ortega makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Ortega content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Takaraivo dodges an elbow strike from Ortega.
Ortega keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Takaraivo's efforts to push away.
Ortega doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ortega throws an elbow but it misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortega lands a left hand that snaps the head of Takaraivo backwards.
Ortega lands a body punch in the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Ortega has Takaraivo pressed against the cage, preventing Takaraivo from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ortega misses with a body punch.
Ortega lands an elbow inside.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Takaraivo as Ortega tries to tie him up.
Ortega creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Ortega pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takaraivo looking to slow down the pace here.
Ortega is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Ortega tries to land knees in the clinch but Takaraivo avoids the damage to the body.
Takaraivo avoids a wild elbow strike from Ortega.
Ortega throws an elbow but it misses.

Takaraivo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Takaraivo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ortega.
Ortega tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ortega shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Takaraivo but Takaraivo pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ortega looks to score with a jab to the body but Takaraivo is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Takaraivo. That's going to slow Ortega down.

Ortega clinches.
Ortega lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Ortega misses with an elbow over the top.
Ortega lands a left hand.
Ortega looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Takaraivo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Takaraivo takes an elbow to the temple.
Ortega tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Takaraivo tries to circle away but Ortega has him pinned against the cage.
Ortega throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Ortega wants to stall.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ruben Ortega showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ortega has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ruben Ortega!