PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Emanuel Rodrigez (ranked 3773 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tori Kankunnen (ranked 23132 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rodrigez
vs
Kankunnen

188 cm
29
173 lbs
9 - 18 - 0

195 cm
28
170 lbs
4 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Emanuel Rodrigez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tori Kankunnen!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rodrigez.
Rodrigez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kankunnen shoots in for a double leg but Rodrigez sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kankunnen has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Rodrigez is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Kankunnen shoots in for a takedown but Rodrigez shows good takedown defense.
Kankunnen fails with the takedown.
Emanuel Rodrigez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tori Kankunnen.
Kankunnen throws a sloppy head kick and Rodrigez moves out of range easily.
Rodrigez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kankunnen as he avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rodrigez shoots in and bounces Kankunnen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rodrigez is standing up over Kankunnen. Kankunnen looks to escape but Rodrigez dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rodrigez is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Kankunnen's shoulder. That is not cool.

Rodrigez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Rodrigez working away.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Kankunnen is not content to let Rodrigez control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kankunnen is looking for a sweep.
Kankunnen is letting Rodrigez control him for a moment.
Rodrigez looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Kankunnen can't do much from the bottom here.
Rodrigez taking a breather here.
Kankunnen is not content to let Rodrigez control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigez controls the position.
Kankunnen is trying to control Rodrigez's posture but Rodrigez avoids it.
Rodrigez scoring with punches from side control.
Rodrigez is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Kankunnen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kankunnen is working to avoid the ground and pound but Rodrigez connects with a decent elbow.

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.
Kankunnen prevents Rodrigez from moving into mount.

Rodrigez is trying to get an arm triangle but Kankunnen is defending well.

Rodrigez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kankunnen, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kankunnen is looking to reverse the position.
Rodrigez wants to control but Kankunnen is keeping him busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kankunnen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emanuel Rodrigez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rodrigez leaves Kankunnen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Rodrigez scores with a takedown into Kankunnen's guard.
Rodrigez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kankunnen can do to turn this around?
Rodrigez sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rodrigez seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Kankunnen for as long as he can get away with.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rodrigez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Kankunnen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rodrigez is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigez forces his way into half guard.
Rodrigez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kankunnen keeps working.
Kankunnen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Kankunnen.
Kankunnen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Rodrigez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rodrigez wants to control from the top but Kankunnen keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kankunnen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rodrigez controls the pace.
Rodrigez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kankunnen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rodrigez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rodrigez trying to control but Kankunnen is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Rodrigez postures up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Rodrigez looks for a takedown but Kankunnen sprawls well.

Rodrigez shoots in and gets a takedown into Kankunnen's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kankunnen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kankunnen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kankunnen keeping full guard, as Rodrigez tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kankunnen looking for a sweep. Not yet Kankunnen, not yet.
Kankunnen keeping moving, preventing Rodrigez from controlling successfully.
Kankunnen being controlled here, momentarily.
Kankunnen keeping full guard, as Rodrigez tries to pass.
Kankunnen working a defensive guard here.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nice sprawl there from Kankunnen as Rodrigez shoots in.
Kankunnen dodges the punch combination from Rodrigez.
Kankunnen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rodrigez's waist but Rodrigez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kankunnen off to one side.

Rodrigez darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rodrigez wants to control but Kankunnen is keeping him busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Rodrigez stands up and beckons Kankunnen to join him on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emanuel Rodrigez dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A head kick misses from Rodrigez.
Rodrigez tries for a takedown but Kankunnen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kankunnen goes for a double leg but Rodrigez avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rodrigez continues to drive forward.
Rodrigez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kankunnen.
Kankunnen with the counter takedown but Rodrigez avoids it easily.
Kankunnen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rodrigez looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Kankunnen shoots in looking for a takedown. Rodrigez tries to sprawl out of it but Kankunnen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rodrigez manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rodrigez attempts a counter takedown but Kankunnen avoids it well and moves away.
Emanuel Rodrigez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tori Kankunnen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rodrigez closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Kankunnen's guard.
Rodrigez wants to control from the top but Kankunnen keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kankunnen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kankunnen looking for a sweep. Not yet Kankunnen, not yet.
Rodrigez controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Rodrigez passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Rodrigez stands up and beckons Kankunnen to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rodrigez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Rodrigez shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Rodrigez was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Kankunnen tries to escape but Rodrigez is in control.
Kankunnen is letting Rodrigez control him for a moment.
Kankunnen regains half guard.
Rodrigez content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Kankunnen is trying to maintain the position but Rodrigez is very close to passing his half guard.
Rodrigez not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigez has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Kankunnen is staying active underneath Rodrigez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rodrigez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kankunnen changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

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.
Kankunnen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Rodrigez shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Kankunnen desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Tori Kankunnen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rodrigez controlling the action here.
Emanuel Rodrigez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Emanuel Rodrigez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rodrigez has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Emanuel Rodrigez!
After winning the bout, Emanuel Rodrigez thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.