PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kenton Figueroa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bjorn Ragnarson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Figueroa
vs
Ragnarson

187 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

195 cm
19
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kenton Figueroa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bjorn Ragnarson!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ragnarson looks for a takedown but Figueroa sprawls well.
Ragnarson looks for a takedown but Figueroa sprawls well.
Ragnarson has a takedown stuffed.
Kenton Figueroa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bjorn Ragnarson.
Ragnarson throws a body kick that misses.
As Ragnarson tries to get set, Figueroa tries to push him back and clinch up but Ragnarson manages to avoid the attempt.
Bjorn Ragnarson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Figueroa instigates a clinch.
Ragnarson stalling in the clinch but Figueroa improves position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Figueroa breaks the clinch.

Ragnarson shoots in and bounces Figueroa off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Ragnarson wants to stand but Figueroa is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ragnarson throws a big right hand that misses.

Ragnarson is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Ragnarson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Figueroa looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Figueroa looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Figueroa!

Ragnarson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ragnarson's head.
Ragnarson wants to get back to his feet.
Nice strikes from Figueroa there.
Figueroa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ragnarson gets full guard.
Figueroa working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ragnarson's head.
Ragnarson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ragnarson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Ragnarson stalling.
Figueroa tries to roll over but Ragnarson keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ragnarson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Figueroa knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ragnarson on the ground.

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.
Ragnarson tries to stand and escape but Figueroa is controlling the position.
Ragnarson perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Ragnarson seems to be working for a kimura but Figueroa defends the submission attempt.
Ragnarson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Ragnarson decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bjorn Ragnarson will probably get the nod.
That's time! Figueroa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Figueroa misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Figueroa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ragnarson shoots in looking for a takedown but Figueroa manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ragnarson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Ragnarson throws a sloppy head kick and Figueroa moves out of range easily.

Ragnarson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Ragnarson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Ragnarson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ragnarson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Figueroa manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Figueroa manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Figueroa.
Figueroa is trying to break the clinch but Ragnarson is controlling him.
Figueroa is trying to stall.
Figueroa is trying to maintain a safe position but Ragnarson gets an underhook and turns Figueroa into the cage.
Maybe Figueroa would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Figueroa pressing his opponent against the cage.
Ragnarson tries for a takedown but Figueroa manages to get underhooks.
Ragnarson letting Figueroa take a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Kenton Figueroa.
Figueroa dodges the punch combination from Ragnarson.
Figueroa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ragnarson throws out a counter right but Figueroa avoids it with no problem.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenton Figueroa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Figueroa scores with the left hand. Ragnarson knows he should have avoided that one.
Ragnarson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Figueroa circles away quickly and effectively.

Figueroa gets caught napping as Ragnarson dives in and scores a takedown. Figueroa manages to retain guard.

Figueroa has his feet on Ragnarson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Bjorn Ragnarson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Ragnarson rushes Figueroa and presses him up against the cage.
Figueroa working hard to break the clinch.
Figueroa is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ragnarson can't break the clinch.
Figueroa has Ragnarson pressed against the cage, preventing Ragnarson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Ragnarson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ragnarson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Figueroa defends it nicely.
As Ragnarson tries to get set, Figueroa tries to push him back and clinch up but Ragnarson manages to avoid the attempt.
Figueroa connects with a good right hand that stumbles Ragnarson. Ragnarson circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Ragnarson fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Figueroa is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Figueroa has a takedown stuffed.
Ragnarson thuds a left hand into Figueroa's body.

Figueroa gets tackled into the cage by Ragnarson. Ragnarson maintains the clinch.

Ragnarson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ragnarson throws a sloppy head kick and Figueroa moves out of range easily.
Ragnarson shoots and misses

and Figueroa moves into the clinch.
Ragnarson misses with a hook from the clinch.
Figueroa tries to break free but Ragnarson pushes him back against the cage.
Ragnarson taking a breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Bjorn Ragnarson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Ragnarson closes the distance and pushes Figueroa back into the cage.

Figueroa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ragnarson misses with a body shot.
Figueroa dives in and grabs Ragnarson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ragnarson pushes down on Figueroa's head and hops out.
Ragnarson swinging wildly here.
Ragnarson misses with a lunging right hand

and Figueroa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ragnarson is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Ragnarson has Figueroa pressed against the cage, preventing Figueroa from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Figueroa looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ragnarson working hard to break the clinch.

Ragnarson jumps into guard, dragging Figueroa to the mat.

Ragnarson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ragnarson wants to sweep here but Figueroa controlling him for the moment.
Ragnarson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Figueroa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ragnarson trying to keep a closed guard but Figueroa is proving a slippery customer.

Ragnarson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ragnarson holds on and takes a little breather.

Ragnarson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Figueroa defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ragnarson has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Figueroa has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Figueroa wants to break free but Ragnarson has control.
Figueroa manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Ragnarson is trying to maintain a safe position but Figueroa gets an underhook and turns Ragnarson into the cage.
Ragnarson fails to pull guard.
Figueroa stalls.

Figueroa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ragnarson moves into the clinch successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa can't break the clinch.

Ragnarson manages to break the clinch.
Ragnarson looks to land a combination but Figueroa avoids it well.
Figueroa is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Ragnarson.
Ragnarson throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Ragnarson stuffs the takedown attempt from Figueroa. Figueroa gets slowly back to his feet.

Ragnarson closes the distance and clinches.
Figueroa tries to stall but Ragnarson uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Figueroa is pushing Ragnarson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Figueroa breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Figueroa shoots in for a takedown but Ragnarson shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenton Figueroa. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ragnarson shoots in and gets a takedown into Figueroa's guard.
Figueroa controls Ragnarson momentarily but Ragnarson frees himself.
Ragnarson throws a big right hand that misses.

Ragnarson has gone for a leg lock! Figueroa slips out almost immediately though and dives into Ragnarson's guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ragnarson working a defensive guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bjorn Ragnarson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ragnarson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Bjorn Ragnarson!