PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Handsome Rutten (ranked 1400 p4p, 187 weight class) and Rauli Raunio (ranked 1359 p4p, 182 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Rutten
vs
Raunio

188 cm
30
224 lbs
16 - 3 - 1

198 cm
35
207 lbs
21 - 17 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Dauntless
KAISER Nutrition - Q160

FORCEE
RAGS of a RONIN

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 16 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Handsome Rutten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rauli Raunio!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Alec Ball and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raunio displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rutten throws out the jab.
Raunio swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Raunio is looking to clinch.
Rutten throws a front kick that sends Raunio stumbling back into the cage.
Rutten misses with a low kick as Raunio jumps back.
Rutten misses with a shot to the body
and Raunio counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Rutten has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Valhalla Training Camp in the buildup to the fight.
Rutten digs a good body shot into Raunio's ribs.
Rutten does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Raunio manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Rutten on his heels. He'll look to pass Rutten's guard now, I'm sure.

Rutten pushes Raunio off and scrambles back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rutten jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Raunio looks to land a left hand but Rutten moved out of range nicely.
Rutten slips under a jab.
Sloppy strikes from Rutten. Those never looked like landing.
A big right from Rutten misses.
Raunio looks for a takedown but Rutten sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raunio cracks Rutten with a right hand to the side of the head.
Handsome Rutten seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rutten cracks the inside of Raunio's front leg.
Raunio closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rutten circles away.
Rutten wants to clinch up but Raunio keeps it at a distance.
Raunio is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Raunio tries to clinch but Rutten moves out of range.
Raunio jabs at Rutten's body.
Raunio misses with a straight left.
Rutten tries to land a front kick but Raunio steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rutten turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Raunio chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rutten can pounce on him.
Rutten closes the distance looking to clinch
and Raunio counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten throws a leg kick that is checked
and Raunio counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rutten blocks a low kick nicely.
Rutten appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Rutten pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Raunio takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Rutten blocks a jab.
Rutten appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Raunio has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Raunio avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Raunio misses with an attempted mid kick.
Rutten throws a series of punches but Raunio avoids them all with ease.
Some bone on bone action there as Rutten checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Rutten ducks under a wild hook from Raunio.
Raunio avoids the body shot from Rutten.
Raunio tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Rutten counters with a stiff right hand.
Rutten keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raunio throws a sloppy head kick and Rutten moves out of range easily.
Raunio throws a looping overhand right but Rutten ducks down to avoid it.
Rutten throws a jab when Raunio was well out of range.
Raunio let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
A decent looking cross lands there for Rutten.
Rutten throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Raunio closes the distance and clinches.
Rutten scores with a shot to the side of Raunio's head.
Raunio misses with a punch to the body.
Raunio blocking some punches.
Raunio throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ruttens head.
A hook to the body from Raunio.
Rutten blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Rutten manages to break the clinch.
Rutten misses with the combination.
Raunio finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Raunio throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raunio loads up on a big right hand but Rutten slips the punch.
Raunio getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rutten moves out of range of the body kick from Raunio.
Rutten connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Raunio's hands.
Raunio tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rutten was well out of range. Poor timing from Raunio.
Rutten ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Raunio moves away.
Raunio tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rutten paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rutten cracks Raunio with a good jab.
Handsome Rutten is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A jab from Rutten finds it's way through Raunio's defenses.

Raunio clinches with his opponent.
A head punch on the inside from Rutten fails to land.
Raunio blocking some punches.
Raunio swings wildly with an uppercut but Rutten uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rutten scores with an uppercut up the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Handsome Rutten dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Raunio connects with a leg kick. Rutten looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Raunio looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rutten is fending him off so far but Raunio persists. Nope, Rutten circles away and we're back to standing.
Raunio throws a body punch but Rutten moves out of range.
Rutten throws a body shot but no joy.
The fighters circling - Rutten throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rutten slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Raunio moves out of range of the strikes.
Rutten is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Raunio can do to turn this around?
Rutten fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Raunio on the side of the head.
Raunio ducks under a wild hook from Rutten.
Rutten misses with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rutten misses with a head kick.
Raunio closes the distance and clinches up with Rutten, looking for a takedown. Raunio pushes Rutten against the cage but Rutten circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Raunio pushes Rutten up against the cage in a clinch.
Rutten misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rutten throws a head punch that misses.
A short left from Rutten.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten misses with some punches.
Rutten misses with a hook from the clinch.
Raunio lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rutten backwards.
Raunio cracks Rutten with a nice body shot.
Rutten throws a punch but it's blocked by Raunio.

Rutten breaks the clinch.
Raunio connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rutten momentarily.
Raunio thows a left - swing and a miss!
Raunio ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rutten moves away.

Raunio clinches up with Rutten and pushes him back against the cage.
Raunio misses with some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Raunio fails to land.
Rauli Raunio seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Raunio lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rutten prevents the takedown attempt.
Handsome Rutten has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rauli Raunio.

Rutten breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rutten misses with a looping right.
Raunio slips under a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raunio connects with a jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rutten staying out of range there.
Rutten tried to counter with a leg kick but Raunio avoided it.
Rutten misses with a leg kick.
Raunio throws out a loose jab but Rutten uses good head movement to avoid it.
Raunio takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A cross from Rutten lands.
Raunio digs a good body shot into Rutten's ribs.
Rutten misses with a hook. Raunio ducked under it nicely.
Raunio moves out of range of the body kick from Rutten.
Raunio tries to clinch there but Rutten circles away.

Raunio pushes Rutten up against the cage in a clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Raunio.
Raunio swings wildly with an uppercut but Rutten uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rutten tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raunio tries to work over Rutten's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Rutten breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Raunio lands with a good body shot.
Rutten jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Raunio slips under a jab.
Raunio keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rutten throws the left hand but Raunio avoids the punch easily.
Rutten takes one on the button.
Raunio scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Raunio throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Raunio takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Raunio lands an overhand right.
Raunio is looking to score with low kicks.
Raunio wants to clinch up but Rutten keeps it at a distance.
Rutten quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raunio swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
An attempted straight right counter from Rutten misses the target.
The fighters circle momentarily. Raunio darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rutten throws a hook but Raunio avoids it easily.
Rutten lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Rutten lands a jab to the nose.
Rutten throws a leg kick which misses Raunio's front leg but catches the back leg as Raunio tries to avoid it.
Rutten missing with a left hand there. Raunio was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Good exchange - Raunio coming out on top.

Raunio moves into the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Raunio fails to land.
Rutten has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rutten pushes Raunio back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Raunio working aggressively here.
Raunio blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short right from Raunio.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rauli Raunio will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Rutten's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rutten stuns Raunio with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Raunio closes the distance and clinches.
Raunio lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Rutten or not.
Raunio lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A nice left hand lands by Rutten.
Raunio lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rutten backwards.
Rutten tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rutten's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rutten misses with a punch on the inside.
Rutten lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Raunio displaying some good clinch control by pressing Rutten up against the cage.
Raunio blocking some punches.
Raunio blocks a body shot from Rutten.
Raunio tries to work over Rutten's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rutten lands with a short shot to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rutten's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rutten pushes Raunio back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Raunio is rocked!
Rutten unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Raunio! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Rutten is unloading with more strikes now! Raunio drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Handsome Rutten!
A very excited looking Handsome Rutten made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.