PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Justin Russell (ranked 4662 p4p, 3828 weight class) and Jukka Raikkonen (ranked 431 p4p, 385 weight class). Jukka Raikkonen has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Justin Russell's chin.

Russell
vs
Raikkonen

176 cm
25
182
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
25
177
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Self confident

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Justin Russell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jukka Raikkonen!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Santiago Holmes and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Russell dives in for a single leg takedown but Raikkonen sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Russell breaks from the clinch.

Raikkonen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Russell is trying to control Raikkonen's posture but Raikkonen avoids it.
Russell is trying to improve his position.
Russell can't do much from the bottom here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Russell is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Russell is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raikkonen trying to control the position but Russell is working away.
Raikkonen has control of an arm but Russell manages to advance to Raikkonen's back!
You can see the frustration on Raikkonen's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Raikkonen defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Russell not allowing Raikkonen to control his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russell trying to control.
Russell throwing wild punches that miss their target.

Russell is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Raikkonen defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Russell scores with punches from the back.
Russell scores with punches and elbows.
Russell is working the ground and pound. Can Raikkonen escape?

Russell tightening his grip on Raikkonen, looking for the choke.
Raikkonen turns into Russell and is now in his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russell wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Raikkonen manages to pass to side control.
Raikkonen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Raikkonen is keen to just control but Russell is a slippery customer.
Raikkonen wants to pass to mount but Russell is defending the position.
Russell trying to control from the bottom.
Russell is controlling Raikkonen's trapped leg to prevent Raikkonen from advancing to side control.
Russell is looking to improve his position.

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.
Russell trying to control from the bottom.
Raikkonen looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Russell is looking for a sweep. Raikkonen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Raikkonen trying to control from half guard but Russell is working away.
Russell wants to control but Raikkonen is keeping busy.
Russell on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Russell tries to get out of the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Russell wants to get back to full guard but Raikkonen has passed into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Russell dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Russell closes the distance and clinches up with Raikkonen, looking for a takedown. Russell pushes Raikkonen against the cage but Raikkonen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Raikkonen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Russell looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Russell wants to stand but Raikkonen is controlling the position.
Russell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Raikkonen is one step ahead there.
Raikkonen wants to control from the top but Russell keeps moving.
Raikkonen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raikkonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Russell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russell has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Raikkonen has passed into side control.
Russell is trying to get back to his feet.
Raikkonen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Russell keeps working.
Justin Russell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Russell can't do much from the bottom here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's two 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.
Raikkonen trying to control the action but Russell is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Russell shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Raikkonen pinned against the cage. Raikkonen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Raikkonen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Justin Russell. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Raikkonen is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Russell's half guard.
Russell scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Raikkonen manages to mount him!
Raikkonen avoids the attempt from Russell to control.
Russell is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russell wants to hold on but Raikkonen pushes him away.
Russell is trying to escape the mount.
Raikkonen looking to control but Russell is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Russell wants to hold on but Raikkonen pushes him away.
Raikkonen prevents Russell from getting the reversal.
Raikkonen wants to control the pace but Russell is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Raikkonen dominating with strikes here.
Raikkonen trying to control but Russell is having none of it.
Russell tries to hold on but Raikkonen pushes him away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Raikkonen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Russell is looking to escape.
Raikkonen wants to control the action but instead Russell gets a body lock and reverses into Raikkonen's guard! Nice work!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jukka Raikkonen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Raikkonen shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Russell's guard.
Raikkonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Russell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Russell is pulling down on Raikkonen's head. It's preventing any offense from Raikkonen, at least for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Russell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Raikkonen slips nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russell missing with punches from the bottom.
Raikkonen is trying to control the action in half guard but Russell is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Russell is trying is best to control the position here.
Russell tries to get to full guard but Raikkonen has control of the leg.
Raikkonen is keen to just control but Russell is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Russell tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Raikkonen feints and as Russell raises his hands in defense, Raikkonen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Russell wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Raikkonen manages to pass to side control.

Russell is trying to get back to full guard.
Raikkonen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Russell does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Russell is holding on to half guard well.
Russell is not content to let Raikkonen control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russell wants to get back to his feet.
Russell is looking to improve his position.
Russell is not content to let Raikkonen control the position.

Russell looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Raikkonen pushes past his half guard into mount!
Raikkonen with good strikes from the mount here!
Raikkonen wants to control the pace but Russell is squirming around nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Russell is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raikkonen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Russell is looking to escape.
Russell is working to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Raikkonen wants to control the action but instead Russell gets a body lock and reverses into Raikkonen's guard! Nice work!
Russell pushes down on Raikkonen's leg and manages to get into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jukka Raikkonen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Raikkonen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jukka Raikkonen!