PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Todd Rosario (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Magnus Karlsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karlsson is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Top Dogz. Todd Rosario has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Rosario
vs
Karlsson

212 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

201 cm
22
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Very confident

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, Todd Rosario!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Magnus Karlsson!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rosario has Karlsson up against the cage in a clinch.
Rosario using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Karlsson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Karlsson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Karlsson rushes Rosario and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Karlsson stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Karlsson has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Rosario after a bit of a struggle.
Karlsson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rosario has him pressed against the cage.
Rosario looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Karlsson being controlled against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Karlsson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rosario stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rosario wants it to stay on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Karlsson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rosario is trying to defend but Karlsson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Karlsson scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Karlsson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Karlsson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rosario defending well though.
Rosario is trying to stand.
Karlsson lands strikes from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karlsson trying to mount his opponent but Rosario defends it.
Karlsson is looking to stall here but Rosario recovers full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karlsson advances to half guard.
Karlsson wants to free his trapped foot but Rosario is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Karlsson prevents Rosario from standing back up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Rosario looking for submissions off his back.
Rosario is refusing to be controlled, as Karlsson sits in half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Karlsson is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rosario sees it coming and defends easily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Karlsson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rosario manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Karlsson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rosario working a defensive guard here.
Karlsson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Karlsson content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karlsson looking to sit in guard and control but Rosario gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Karlsson being controlled here, momentarily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Magnus Karlsson dominated that round.
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.

Rosario stuffs the takedown attempt from Karlsson. Karlsson gets slowly back to his feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Karlsson.

Karlsson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Karlsson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rosario is looking to stand up but Karlsson isn't so interested in that idea.
Karlsson looking to sit in guard and control but Rosario gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karlsson lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Rosario can't keep his opponent in guard - Karlsson advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rosario is refusing to be controlled, as Karlsson sits in half guard.
Karlsson with the ground and pound but Rosario uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Karlsson wants to pass the guard but Rosario is keeping the position.
Rosario working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karlsson looking to pass the guard.
Karlsson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Karlsson trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Rosario manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Karlsson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rosario sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rosario trying to control but Karlsson is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karlsson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rosario is one step ahead there.
Rosario trying to control the position from guard on top but Karlsson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rosario will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Karlsson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rosario gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Rosario drops back looking for a leg! Karlsson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Karlsson manages to kick Rosario off! Rosario jumps back into Karlsson's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rosario trying to control but Karlsson is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Rosario misses with a kick to the body.
Karlsson changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Rosario shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Karlsson counters by clinching up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Karlsson pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Rosario is defending well against a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Magnus Karlsson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Karlsson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rosario misses with an attempted mid kick.
Karlsson misses with a low kick.
Karlsson is looking to clinch.
Rosario stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rosario wants it to stay on the feet.
Todd Rosario is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rosario fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Karlsson avoids it really well and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Karlsson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Rosario to the ground. Karlsson is now in Rosario's guard.
Rosario working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Karlsson.
Karlsson works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Karlsson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rosario is trying to maintain the position but Karlsson is very close to passing his half guard.
Rosario is trying to stand.
Karlsson tries to stand but can't do so whilst Rosario controls his leg.
Magnus Karlsson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rosario is refusing to be controlled, as Karlsson sits in half guard.
Karlsson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rosario haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Karlsson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rosario but Rosario pushes him off and we're back to square one.
It looked like Rosario was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Todd Rosario has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Magnus Karlsson.

Karlsson shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Karlsson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rosario punching from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rosario is looking to escape.
Rosario blocking the ground and pound attempt from Karlsson.
Karlsson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rosario does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Rosario is defending against the submission attempts here by Karlsson.
Rosario slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rosario striking off his back but it's not causing Karlsson any problems.
Karlsson postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Rosario gets a clinch.

Rosario is fighting off a takedown attempt but Karlsson is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rosario to the mat. Rosario regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Rosario has his foot on Karlsson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Karlsson works his way back into a safe position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rosario striking off his back but it's not causing Karlsson any problems.
Karlsson trying to control but Rosario is working from the bottom.
Todd Rosario has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Magnus Karlsson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Karlsson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rosario has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Karlsson has managed to get both his arms back between Rosario's legs - danger averted.

And that's the end of the fight!
Magnus Karlsson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Karlsson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

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