PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sauli Kekkonen (ranked 2167 p4p, 3485 weight class) and Titan Reign (ranked 263 p4p, 396 weight class). Titan Reign has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kekkonen
vs
Reign

206 cm
25
265
7 - 7 - 0

197 cm
37
235
19 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

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 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sauli Kekkonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Titan Reign!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Stewart Dunkirk and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reign throws a hook but Kekkonen blocks it.
Reign listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Reign misses with an uppercut
and Kekkonen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A punch lands to the side of Kekkonen 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Reign throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Reign swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kekkonen swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Kekkonen tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Reign throws a big shot that misses.
Reign misses with the combination.
Kekkonen tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Reign 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.
Reign smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
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!
Reign misses with a straight right.
A counter left hand to the body from Kekkonen misses its target.
Reign lands with a thumping leg kick.
Reign misses with a hook
and Kekkonen counters with a left to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Reign.
Reign rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Kekkonen to counter with a crisp jab.
Reign throws a poor cross that misses
and Reign takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Reign tries to bum rush Kekkonen with a series of wild strikes but Kekkonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Kekkonen takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Reign slips a jab from Kekkonen.
Reign fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kekkonen manages to avoid it.
A jab from Kekkonen misses.
Reign throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Titan Reign seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kekkonen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Reign 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.
Kekkonen is looking for a counter combo.
Reign misses the shot to the body.
The crowd cheers as Reign lands an impressive looking overhand right. Kekkonen doesn't seem phased though.
Reign stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sloppy strikes from Kekkonen. Those never looked like landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reign waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kekkonen.
Kekkonen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Reign misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Reign uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Reign keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Reign throws a head kick that misses

and Kekkonen counters with a single leg into guard. Reign didn't expect that.
Kekkonen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kekkonen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kekkonen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Reign controls Kekkonen momentarily but Kekkonen frees himself.
Kekkonen stays in close to Reign's body and controls the position.
Kekkonen throwing strikes from guard but Reign blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kekkonen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Reign looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kekkonen is one step ahead there.
Kekkonen 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.
Kekkonen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four 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.
Kekkonen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Reign preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kekkonen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kekkonen sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kekkonen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Kekkonen slips a straight right by Reign.
Kekkonen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Kekkonen dives in and scores a takedown into Reign's guard.
Kekkonen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kekkonen throwing strikes but missing.
Reign keeping moving, preventing Kekkonen from controlling successfully.
Reign controlling the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Titan Reign 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.

Reign misses with a hook

and Kekkonen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Kekkonen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Reign swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kekkonen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Reign utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kekkonen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Reign keeping moving, preventing Kekkonen from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kekkonen postures up in Reign's guard and throws a big left but Reign blocks it.
Reign utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kekkonen throws a big right hand that misses.
Kekkonen is looking to advance position but Reign has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Reign blocks Kekkonen's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Reign blocks Kekkonen's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Kekkonen throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Kekkonen is trying desperately to improve position.
Reign pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Reign takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kekkonen swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reign seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Kekkonen is holding on tight.
Kekkonen punching to the body and holding on for dear life.
Kekkonen throwing hammer fists to the chest of Reign. What's that going to do exactly?
Kekkonen is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Kekkonen is working to get back to half guard.
Kekkonen looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Kekkonen is really stuck here.
Kekkonen looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Kekkonen is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Reign is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Kekkonen 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.
Reign doesn't have the hooks in and Kekkonen manages to turn into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kekkonen is stalling in the full guard.
Reign utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Reign keeping moving, preventing Kekkonen from controlling successfully.
Kekkonen throws a big elbow that misses.
Kekkonen wants to control from the top but Reign keeps moving.
Kekkonen stays in close to Reign's body and controls the position.
Reign working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kekkonen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Reign pulls Kekkonen in close to his closed guard and prevents Kekkonen from doing any damage or advancing position.
Kekkonen's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Reign avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kekkonen throws an elbow that misses. Reign uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Kekkonen's guard. Nice move by Reign!

Kekkonen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Reign's guard.

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Reign tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kekkonen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Kekkonen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Sauli Kekkonen will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Reign throws a shot from downtown. Kekkonen moves away and avoids it.
Kekkonen scores with a nice right hand.
Reign lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Reign throws a solid leg kick but Kekkonen takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Reign.
Reign misses with a wild body shot.
Kekkonen throwing a counter right hand but Reign manages to avoid it.
Kekkonen misses with a few strikes there.
Reign is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Kekkonen with a body shot.
Titan Reign seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kekkonen looks to land a right hand but Reign moved out of range.
Kekkonen gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Reign with a nice cross.
A swing and a miss from Reign.
Reign throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Kekkonen scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Reign throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kekkonen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Kekkonen connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Reign looks to score with a jab to the body but Kekkonen is just out of range.
Kekkonen is looking to counter punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Reign does no damage.
Kekkonen connects with a single shot there.
Reign displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kekkonen throws out the jab.
Reign throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kekkonen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Reign rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Kekkonen counters with a stiff right hand.
Reign keeps Kekkonen at a distance using the push kick.
Reign misses with an uppercut.
Kekkonen is looking to counter punch.
Kekkonen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Reign.
Kekkonen avoids the body shot from Reign.
Kekkonen wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Kekkonen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Reign jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A lazy left from Reign finds it's target.
Reign throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reign throws a push kick but Kekkonen slaps the foot to one side.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Reign keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kekkonen.
Reign misses the shot to the body.
Reign throws a body kick that misses.
A head kick misses from Reign.
The fighters circling - Reign throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kekkonen is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Reign takes one on the button.
Kekkonen is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Reign misses with a body punch
and Kekkonen counters with a stiff right hand.
Donk. Kekkonen catches Reign right on the button with a cross.
Reign feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Kekkonens jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Reign avoids the body shot from Kekkonen.
Reign misses with a two punch combination.
Reign throws a jab but it's blocked by Kekkonen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen blocks a head kick by Reign.
Kekkonen swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Reign takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Reign throws a big shot that misses.
Reign bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Kekkonen's head backwards.
The fighters circling - Reign throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Reign throws the left hand but Kekkonen avoids the punch easily.
A slow jab from Kekkonen misses its intended target.
Kekkonen wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Reign motions for Kekkonen to come forward. Reign throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kekkonen misses with an uppercut. Reign saw that one coming.
Kekkonen lands a jab to the nose.
Kekkonen staying out of range there.
Reign misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Kekkonen counters with a stiff right hand.
Reign cracks Kekkonen with a good jab.
Kekkonen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Reign was well out of range. Poor timing from Kekkonen.
Reign looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen slips a straight right by Reign.
Kekkonen takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Reign takes one to the chin there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kekkonen slips a straight right by Reign.
Reign throws a shot from downtown. Kekkonen moves away and avoids it.
Kekkonen drops down looking for a counter takedown but Reign sprawls and moves away.
Reign swings for the body but Kekkonen moves out of range.
Reign slips under a jab from Kekkonen.
Reign throws a nice looking combination but Kekkonen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kekkonen throwing a counter right hand but Reign manages to avoid it.
Reign lands with a cross.
Kekkonen jabs Reign to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Reign swings widly with a right hand
and Kekkonen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Reign throws a leg kick

and Kekkonen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kekkonen throws a strike but Reign rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Titan Reign.
I think Reign has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Titan Reign!
In his post fight interview, Titan Reign started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.