PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Ram (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Magnus Stahl (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ram
vs
Stahl

185 cm
18
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
20
220 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Ram!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Magnus Stahl!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stahl closes the distance and lands a one-two.

It looks like John Ram has been cut.
Ram tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Ram closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Well, if Ram is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Ram seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Stahl for as long as he can get away with.
Ram working over Stahl with some ground and pound. Stahl looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Ram lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ram could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Stahl wants to get back to his feet.
Ram controlling the action here.

Ram gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ram instigates a clinch.
Stahl is looking to break free of the clinch but Ram has double underhooks.
Ram throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stahl blocks it with crossed arms.

Ram breaks from the clinch.
Ram circles away from the clinch attempt.

Ram takes the fight into the clinch.
Stahl wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ram has him pressed against the cage.

Ram pulls Stahl into guard.
Ram seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stahl preventing the sweep.
Stahl trying to control but Ram is working from the bottom.
Ram manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Stahl manages to get himself to full guard.

Ram 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.
Ram sitting in guard here, content to control.
Stahl has momentary wrist control but Ram slips an elbow through the middle.
Ram scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ram wants to pass the guard but Stahl is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ram stops Stahl from standing up.
Ram working some strikes from top position.
Ram slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ram's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Ram has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Ram won't allow Stahl to get back to his feet.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Ram stands up and waves to Stahl to follow him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Ram slips a jab and a cross from Stahl.
Stahl throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Good shot there by Stahl.
Stahl misses with the combination.
Stahl lands a nice shot that snaps Ram's head back.
Magnus Stahl seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stahl scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Stahl looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Ram rushes Stahl and presses him up against the cage.
Stahl has a couple of punches blocked by Ram.

Ram escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stahl avoids the head kick by Ram.
Stahl unleashes a big counter combination but Ram bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Ram dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Ram's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Stahl will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Ram has closed the distance and engaged Stahl in a clinch.
Stahl looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Ram tries to pull guard but Stahl won't allow it.
Ram tries to score a body lock takedown but Stahl shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ram keeps control of Stahl as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ram.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ram on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ram is stalling here.
Stahl working aggressively here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ram wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Ram. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

Ram fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stahl, pushing him back against the cage.
Ram blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Stahl has had enough of the clinch but Ram keeps him there for the moment.
Stahl misses with the head strike.
Stahl tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Stahl wants to break the clinch but can't.

Ram pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ram gets a double leg takedown into Stahl's guard.
Ram wants to pass the guard but Stahl is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stahl is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ram sitting in guard here, content to control.
John Ram overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stahl wants to stand but Ram is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ram postures up and lands a big shot to Stahl's brow.
Ram stays in close to Stahl's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ram won't allow Stahl to get back to his feet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Ram moves into the clinch.
Ram blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Ram breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ram is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Stahl can do to turn this around?
Stahl cracks Ram with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Stahl bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Ram's head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ram. Stahl does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ram misses with a takedown attempt - Stahl sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ram swats away the attempt to clinch by Stahl.
Ram misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ram moves into the clinch.
Ram holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Stahl can't break the clinch.
Stahl looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Stahl misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ram fails to pull guard.
Ram blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Stahl scores with an uppercut up the middle.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stahl can't break the clinch.
Ram is trying to force a seperation but Stahl has the dominant position.
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 John Ram will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on John Ram's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Stahl scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Some wild striking there from Stahl.
Ram half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Ram throws a lazy head kick
and Stahl counters with a stiff right hand.
Stahl avoids the head kick by Ram.
Ram showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stahl.

Ram gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ram takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ram manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Stahl trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ram is pulling down on Stahl's head. It's preventing any offense from Stahl, at least for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ram is looking for a triangle here but Stahl uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Stahl wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ram, who protects the arm well.
Ram is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ram tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Stahl presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Ram is looking to get to half guard.
Ram is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Ram is in a horrible position here. Stahl smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Stahl wants to control the pace but Ram is squirming around nicely.

Stahl working for a submission but Ram is keeping him at bay.
Ram tries to reverse the position but Stahl maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stahl trying to control but Ram is having none of it.
Ram is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Ram is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Stahl misses with a head shot.

Stahl wants to finish this one by submission but Ram is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Stahl.
Ram wants to control but Stahl is having none of it.

Stahl working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stahl dominating with strikes here.
Magnus Stahl has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Ram is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Ram bucks up and throws Stahl to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!

And that's the end of the fight!
Magnus Stahl comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ram 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... John Ram!