PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rupert Helenius (ranked 1736 p4p, 1750 weight class) and Bobby Brawler (ranked 75 p4p, 228 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Helenius
vs
Brawler

185 cm
31
177
13 - 11 - 2

180 cm
35
180
24 - 18 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

HELLBENT
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Urban Fighter
Conviction

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 13 - 11 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rupert Helenius!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bobby Brawler!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Sam Margolis and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Helenius looks for a takedown but Brawler sprawls well.
Donk. Helenius catches Brawler right on the button with a cross.
Helenius throws a head kick that misses
and Brawler counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Helenius lands a head kick. Brawler smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Nice cross by Helenius.
Brawler with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Helenius to score with a decent uppercut.

Helenius rushes Brawler and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Helenius has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Brawler after a bit of a struggle.
Helenius being controlled against the cage.
Brawler lands an uppercut.
Helenius tries for a takedown but Brawler manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rupert Helenius. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Helenius is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brawler misses with a hook to the ribs.
Helenius blocks an uppercut.
Helenius is working for takedown but Brawler is calmly controlling the position for now.
Brawler throws a head punch that misses.
Brawler throws a punch but it's blocked by Helenius.
Brawler struggles to land a body shot inside as Helenius controls his hands.
Brawler lands an uppercut.
Brawler working aggressively here.
Helenius looking for a takedown.
Helenius wants to take the fight to the mat but Brawler manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Brawler misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Helenius.
Helenius drops down looking for an ankle pick but Brawler pulls his leg out and moves away.
A head kick misses from Helenius.
Brawler looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Helenius throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Helenius misses with a series of wild punches.
Brawler shapes to counter with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Helenius.
Brawler blocks a head kick by Helenius.
We've been hearing reports that Helenius has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brawler blocks a head kick by Helenius.
Brawler was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Helenius tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Helenius closes the distance but Brawler moves to the side
letting Brawler counter with a right hand.

Helenius shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Helenius is fighting to break Brawler's control of his arms but Brawler is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Helenius stopping the sweep attempt from Brawler.
Brawler keeping moving, preventing Helenius from controlling successfully.
Helenius pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Brawler is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brawler keeping moving, preventing Helenius from controlling successfully.
Helenius trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Brawler manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Helenius manages to get himself to full guard.

Brawler is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Brawler avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

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.
Helenius not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Brawler preventing the sweep.
Brawler sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Helenius wants to sweep here but Brawler controlling him for the moment.

Helenius is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Brawler is aware though and is defending well.

Helenius throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Brawler escapes and throws Helenius's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Helenius tries to buck Brawler off but Brawler is having none of it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bobby Brawler will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Helenius!
Helenius tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Brawler swivels and escapes.

Helenius gets the takedown into side control.

Helenius is trying to get an arm triangle but Brawler is defending well.
Helenius wants to control but Brawler is keeping him busy.
Brawler is looking to reverse the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Helenius wants to control but Brawler is keeping him busy.
Brawler struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helenius wants to control but Brawler is keeping him busy.
Helenius in the domination position with Brawler hanging on.
A lull in the action here.

Helenius goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Brawler has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Helenius but great work by Brawler.
Helenius is trying to improve his position.
Brawler is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Helenius will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Helenius's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Helenius is looking for a sweep.
Brawler working away.
Helenius is looking to regain half guard here but Brawler keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brawler trying to control the position but Helenius is working away.
Brawler happy to just control the position for now.
Helenius is trying to control Brawler's posture but Brawler avoids it.
Helenius tries to improve position but can't.
Helenius is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Brawler off and has taken his back!
Brawler tries to roll but Helenius sticks to his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Helenius struggling to keep hold of the position.

Helenius is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Brawler defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Helenius is striking from the back but Brawler escapes and manages to recover to half guard.
Brawler regains full guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Helenius tries to free his leg and advance position but Brawler is retaining full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Brawler being controlled here, momentarily.
Helenius tries to free his leg and advance position but Brawler is retaining full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rupert Helenius dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Helenius closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Brawler's guard.
Brawler is pulling down on Helenius's head to control his posture.
Brawler trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Helenius wants to pass the guard but Brawler is keeping the position.
Brawler looking to hit a scissor sweep but Helenius is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Helenius trying to control the position from guard on top but Brawler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brawler keeping full guard, as Helenius tries to pass.
Helenius postures up.
Helenius is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Helenius clinches with his opponent.
Helenius has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Brawler after a bit of a struggle.
Brawler lands a nice shot to the body.
Brawler working aggressively here.
Brawler lands a right hand that snaps the head of Helenius backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Brawler.
Brawler will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Helenius up against the cage.
A short uppercut from Brawler.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helenius goes for a takedown attempt but Brawler pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Helenius misses with a takedown
and Brawler counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rupert Helenius. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Helenius swings for the body but Brawler moves out of range.
Helenius plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Helenius manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Brawler on his heels. He'll look to pass Brawler's guard now, I'm sure.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Helenius preventing the sweep.
Helenius trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Brawler keeping moving, preventing Helenius from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brawler pulls Helenius in close to prevent any damage.
Let's hope that Brawler has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Helenius looking to pass the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four 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.
Brawler blocks a head kick by Helenius.
Brawler looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Helenius lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Brawler circles away quickly and effectively.
Helenius pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Helenius moves in looking to clinch but Brawler pushes him off.
Brawler flicks out a counter leg kick but Helenius steps away.

Helenius changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Brawler looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Brawler is looking to regain half guard here but Helenius keeps moving and retains side control.

Helenius thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Brawler is not content to let Helenius control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rupert Helenius showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Helenius has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 James Glass scores the fight 30:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rupert Helenius!
Rupert Helenius thanked the fans post fight for their support.