PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Freaky Igor (ranked 1027 p4p, 940 weight class) and Jukka Raikkonen (ranked 146 p4p, 134 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Igor
vs
Raikkonen

177 cm
27
157
8 - 7 - 0

178 cm
27
177
10 - 6 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Pulling Guard

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 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Freaky Igor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jukka Raikkonen!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Arvi Lind and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Raikkonen closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Igor quickly recovers to half guard.
Raikkonen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Raikkonen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Igor keeps working.
Igor knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Raikkonen on the ground.
Raikkonen wants to pass to mount but Igor is defending the position.
Igor definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Raikkonen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Igor on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Igor tries to get out of the position.
Raikkonen moves nicely into side control.
Raikkonen postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raikkonen looking to control but instead Igor has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Raikkonen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Igor does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Raikkonen content to control rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raikkonen wants to take a breather but Igor is having none of it.
Raikkonen trying to control the pace.
Raikkonen wants to control but Igor is keeping him busy.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Raikkonen looks for a takedown but Igor sprawls well.
Raikkonen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

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.

Raikkonen shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Raikkonen showed some decent athleticism there.
Raikkonen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Igor is not content to let Raikkonen control the position.
Igor regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Raikkonen.
Raikkonen forces his way into half guard.
Raikkonen wants to take a breather but Igor is having none of it.
Raikkonen slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raikkonen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Raikkonen working the head and body with strikes.
Still in half guard, Raikkonen seems content to control.
Raikkonen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Igor is refusing to be controlled, as Raikkonen sits in half guard.
Well, if Raikkonen is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Raikkonen has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raikkonen unloads with some shots from mount but Igor bucks and avoids them well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Raikkonen postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Igor looks a forlorn figure.
Igor is working to get back to half guard.
Raikkonen looking to control but Igor is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Raikkonen looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Raikkonen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Raikkonen tries to control but Igor wriggling away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jukka Raikkonen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Igor lands a right hook to the body.
Raikkonen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Raikkonen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Jukka Raikkonen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Raikkonen wants to control but Igor is keeping him busy.
Raikkonen looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Igor is avoiding damage well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raikkonen lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Raikkonen is looking to take a break and control but Igor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Igor is being controlled here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raikkonen trying to control the action but Igor is working from the bottom.
Igor on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Igor is not content to let Raikkonen control the position.
Raikkonen misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Raikkonen trying to control the action but Igor is working from the bottom.
Igor takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's two 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.
Raikkonen throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Raikkonen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Igor keeps working.
Raikkonen might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Igor haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Raikkonen tries to advance to mount but Igor denies him.
Raikkonen trying to control the position but Igor is working away.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raikkonen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Igor lands a nice shot that snaps Raikkonen's head back.
Raikkonen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Freaky Igor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Igor misses with a head kick.
Raikkonen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Freaky Igor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jukka Raikkonen.
Raikkonen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Igor but Igor pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Igor connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Raikkonen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Raikkonen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sloppy strikes there by Raikkonen.
Raikkonen trying to control the position but Igor is working away.
Raikkonen tries to move to mount but Igor blocks the move with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Igor parries the strikes from Raikkonen easily there. Raikkonen is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Igor to escape.
Igor tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Raikkonen wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Raikkonen working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Raikkonen lands a few punches from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Igor is not content to let Raikkonen control the position.
Sloppy strikes there by Raikkonen.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Raikkonen slows the pace down.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jukka Raikkonen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. This is the final round!

Raikkonen closes the distance and clinches up with Igor, looking for a takedown. Raikkonen pushes Igor against the cage but Igor circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Freaky Igor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raikkonen dives in and grabs Igor's left leg, looking for a takedown. Igor pushes down on Raikkonen's head and hops out.
Raikkonen has a takedown stuffed.
Freaky Igor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jukka Raikkonen.
Nice sprawl there from Igor as Raikkonen shoots in.
Igor keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Igor scores with a crisp jab that stopped Raikkonen in his tracks.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Igor connects with a single shot there.
Raikkonen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Igor but Igor pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Igor gets caught flat footed, as Raikkonen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Igor is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Raikkonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Igor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raikkonen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Raikkonen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Raikkonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Igor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Igor looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Igor wants to sweep here but Raikkonen controlling him for the moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Raikkonen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Igor napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Raikkonen cracks Igor with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Raikkonen looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Igor is avoiding damage well.
Raikkonen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Igor keeps working.
Igor defending against the ground and pound.
Raikkonen is looking to take a break and control but Igor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Igor prevents Raikkonen from improving position.
Igor takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Raikkonen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Igor keeps working.

That's four 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.
The referee asks Raikkonen politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Raikkonen prefers to stall for the moment though.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Raikkonen darts in looking for a takedown but Igor gets double underhooks and turns Raikkonen into the cage.
Igor connects with the punch.
Igor connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Raikkonen's hands.
Raikkonen misses with a takedown attempt - Igor sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Freaky Igor is winning the standup battle so far.
Igor misses with a looping left.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Raikkonen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Raikkonen shoots in looking for a takedown. Igor tries to sprawl out of it but Raikkonen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Igor manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A little feinted left hand from Igor on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Raikkonen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Freaky Igor.
I think Raikkonen 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Freaky Igor!