PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tor Svensson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Teo Rantanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Svensson
vs
Rantanen

191 cm
22
217 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
23
203 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tor Svensson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Teo Rantanen!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Rantanen as Svensson shoots in.
Rantanen has his takedown stuffed
and Svensson counters with an inside leg kick.
Rantanen doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Svensson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rantanen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rantanen prevents Svensson from improving his position.
Rantanen lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Rantanen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Svensson manages to get to full guard.
Svensson wants to control the position but Rantanen says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rantanen is working for a kimura but Svensson is defending it quite comfortably.

Rantanen is working for a submission of some sort.

Rantanen seems to be looking for submissions.
Svensson tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Svensson misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Rantanen winds up and cracks Svensson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Svensson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rantanen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rantanen's back!
Rantanen tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rantanen is trying to reverse the position but instead Svensson has taken his back - oops!
Svensson wants to control the position but Rantanen frees himself and scrambles - Svensson manages to regain control in side control.
Rantanen tries to buck Svensson off but Svensson is having none of it.
Rantanen sneaks back into half guard.
Rantanen looks gassed!
Svensson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rantanen is trying to get back to full guard.
Rantanen is staying active underneath Svensson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Rantanen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Svensson is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Rantanen still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Rantanen has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Svensson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rantanen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Rantanen moves into full mount!
Svensson can't escape the position.
BOOM! Rantanen connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rantanen working for a guillotine from mount but Svensson is in no mood to give up.
Rantanen lands a heavy elbow.
Rantanen trying to control but Svensson is having none of it.
Rantanen might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Svensson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Rantanen breaks from Svensson's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Svensson is desperately trying to improve his position but Rantanen has a good base and remains in mount.
BOOM! Rantanen connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Svensson keeps the fight on the outside.
Rantanen misses with a takedown

so Svensson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Rantanen has his foot on Svensson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Svensson works his way back into a safe position though.

Svensson decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rantanen misses with a takedown

and Svensson counters by clinching up.
Svensson prevents the takedown attempt.
Tor Svensson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Teo Rantanen.
Svensson prevents Rantanen from breaking the clinch.

Svensson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rantanen fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rantanen moves out of range as Svensson strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Svensson pushes Rantanen up against the cage in a clinch.
A knee to the head by Svensson.

Svensson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Svensson slips a straight right by Rantanen.
Rantanen with a poor takedown

and Svensson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Svensson is trying to trip Rantanen. He has hold of a leg but Rantanen is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Svensson persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Svensson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Svensson looking to pass the guard.
Rantanen is trying to control the position but Svensson postures up.
Rantanen throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Svensson tries to free his leg and advance position but Rantanen is retaining full guard.

Svensson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Svensson postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Svensson trying to control but Rantanen is working from the bottom.
Svenssonis looking to pass into half guard but Rantanen pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Rantanen is in guard.
Svensson keeping full guard, as Rantanen tries to pass.
Svensson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rantanen.
Svensson has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Rantanen has passed into side control.

Rantanen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Svensson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Rantanen gets to mount! Svensson was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rantanen looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Rantanen moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Svensson has worked his arm free - good work by Svensson!
Svensson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Svensson is in trouble now - Rantanen has advanced to mount!

Svensson defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Rantanen.
Rantanen content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rantanen looking to control but Svensson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Rantanen goes for an armbar but Svensson turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Svensson.
Svensson works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rantanen is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tor Svensson will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Rantanen fails with the takedown

and Svensson counters with a single leg into guard. Rantanen didn't expect that.
Svensson looking to sit in guard and control but Rantanen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Svensson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Rantanen drops back looking for a leg! Svensson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Svensson manages to kick Rantanen off! Rantanen jumps back into Svensson's guard.
Rantanen thows a big elbow that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rantanen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rantanen forces his way into half guard.
Rantanen is looking to advance position but Svensson won't allow it.
Svensson is trying to maintain the position but Rantanen is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nice strikes from Rantanen there.
Rantanen throwing shots but Svensson is blocking nicely.
Rantanen scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Svensson wants to improve his position but Rantanen is controlling well.
Rantanen is tying to control. Svensson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

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.

Rantanen is trying to work for a kimura but Svensson is defending well.
Svensson trying to hold on to Rantanen's head to control him but Rantanen postures up.
Svensson wants to improve his position but Rantanen is controlling well.
Rantanen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rantanen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Teo Rantanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Svensson wants to clinch up but Rantanen keeps it at a distance.
Rantanen misses with a combination
and Svensson counters with an inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rantanen swinging wilding here.

Svensson shoots in and bounces Rantanen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Svensson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rantanen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Svensson wants to stand but Rantanen is controlling his posture from full guard.
Svensson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

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.
Rantanen is trying to control the position but Svensson postures up.
Svensson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rantanen is keeping the position for now.

Rantanen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Rantanen has an active guard here but Svensson has managed to pass into half guard.
Rantanen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Svensson is working away from the top position though.

Svensson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rantanen moves into full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tor Svensson.
I think Svensson 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Tor Svensson!