PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kebab Nurminen (ranked 6216 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Rydeland (ranked 2624 p4p, 0 weight class). Rydeland has chosen Robbery - Not sneak attack as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nurminen
vs
Rydeland

180 cm
22
177 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

185 cm
33
185 lbs
18 - 21 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kebab Nurminen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Rydeland!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nurminen misses with a wild body shot.
Rydeland has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Nurminen misses with a lunging right hand
and Rydeland counters with a left to the body.
Nurminen misses with a hook. Rydeland ducked under it nicely.

Rydeland looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Nurminen is adopting a defensive guard.
Rydeland pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nurminen is keeping the position for now.
Rydeland stopping the sweep attempt from Nurminen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurminen trying to keep a closed guard but Rydeland is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rydeland postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurminen wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Nurminen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rydeland distracts Nurminen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rydeland trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nurminen wants to improve his position but instead Rydeland has moved into half guard.
Nurminen has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Rydeland works his way into side control.
Nurminen tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Rydeland's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Nurminen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The ground and pound from Rydeland seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Rydeland has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Rydeland tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Rydeland is trying to get an arm triangle but Nurminen is defending well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rydeland postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rydeland cracks Nurminen with a big elbow.
Rydeland working the body and head with strikes.
Rydeland fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The ground and pound from Rydeland seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Rydeland lands some shots froms side control.
Nurminen manages to get back to half guard.

Rydeland is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Nurminen defends it well.
Nurminen tries to roll over but Rydeland keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rydeland wants to free his trapped foot but Nurminen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Nurminen is trying to get back to full guard.
Rydeland missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rydeland throwing shots but Nurminen is blocking nicely.
Nurminen trying to hold on to Rydeland's head to control him but Rydeland postures up.
Rydeland missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nurminen controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Rydeland looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Rydeland dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rydeland throws a right hand that Nurminen ducks under and follows up with a left that Nurminen also avoids with ease.
Rydeland scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Rydeland lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Nurminen circles away quickly and effectively.
Nurminen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Rydeland scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Rydeland scores with a punch to the head.
Rydeland lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Nurminen avoids the body shot from Rydeland.
Nurminen moves to clinch but Rydeland breaks away

and Rydeland counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Nurminen!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rydeland looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Nurminen is trying to get back to half guard.
Nurminen is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rydeland wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nurminen keeps working.
Nurminen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Who's going to make the next move?

Rydeland is trying to get an arm triangle but Nurminen is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nurminen tries to improve position but can't.
Rydeland trying to control the position but Nurminen is working away.
Rydeland throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Nurminen looking for a sweep but Rydeland has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Nurminen working to try and regain half guard.
John Rydeland has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rydeland connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rydeland scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Nurminen tries to hold on but Rydeland postures up.
Rydeland dominating with strikes here.
The referee warns Nurminen that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rydeland unloads with some shots from mount but Nurminen bucks and avoids them well.
Nurminen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Nurminen tries to hold on but Rydeland postures up.
Nurminen working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rydeland scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Nurminen?
Rydeland prevents Nurminen from getting the reversal.
Nurminen manages to regain half guard. Good work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rydeland throwing shots but Nurminen is blocking nicely.
The fighters are battling for position here. Nurminen manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rydeland throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nurminen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rydeland advances to half guard.
Rydeland is nestled in close to Nurminen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Rydeland 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!

Nurminen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rydeland appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Rydeland misses with a wild body shot.
Nurminen tries to clinch up but Rydeland circles away and keeps his distance.
Nurminen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rydeland throws a body shot but no joy.
Rydeland blocks a leg kick.
Nurminen misses with a straight left.
Nurminen swings widly with a right hand
enabling Rydeland to counter with a crisp jab.
Nurminen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rydeland throws out the jab.
Nurminen on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Nurminen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rydeland manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rydeland uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Nurminen.
Rydeland unleashes a big counter combination but Nurminen bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Nurminen fails to land with a series of punches.
Rydeland throws out a counter right but Nurminen avoids it with no problem.
Nurminen loads up on a big right hand but Rydeland slips the punch.
Rydeland throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rydeland keeps the fight on the outside.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Rydeland! But no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurminen dives in for a single leg takedown but Rydeland sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Rydeland tries to counter by closing the distance.
Nurminen throws a combination that misses
and Rydeland counters with a nice body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rydeland slips under a jab.
Nurminen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rydeland counters with a nice body shot.
Rydeland comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Rydeland lands the left hand.
Rydeland stalks Nurminen and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Nurminen's face. Nurminen staggers backwards, shaken.
Nurminen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rydeland counters with a stiff right hand.
Rydeland scores with a hook to the body. Nurminen takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rydeland lands a nice hook to Nurminen's body. Nurminen takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rydeland lands a nice looking body shot.
Nurminen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Rydeland to score with a decent uppercut.
Rydeland scores with a body shot.
Rydeland works the jab nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rydeland connects with a looping right hand.
A punch lands to the side of Nurminen 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Rydeland scores with a punch to the head.

Nurminen is rocked!
Nice uppercut lands for Rydeland. That snapped Nurminen's head back.
Oh Nurminen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rydeland lands a really nice looking cross but Nurminen seems unphased.
Rydeland scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A left and a right from Rydeland both land. Nice combination.
John Rydeland seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rydeland lands a right hook to the body.
Rydeland lands with an overhand left.
Rydeland cracks Nurminen with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Nurminen falls to his knees and Rydeland doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). John Rydeland!
As John Rydeland got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: Next and fast, i just want a fight! '.