PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Juha Ratila (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kimi Aanekoski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ratila
vs
Aanekoski

189 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juha Ratila!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kimi Aanekoski!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ratila fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ratila dives in and grabs Aanekoski's left leg, looking for a takedown. Aanekoski pushes down on Ratila's head and hops out.
Aanekoski tries to clinch but Ratila moves out of range.

Ratila gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Aanekoski pulls guard successfully.
Ratila trying to control the position from guard on top but Aanekoski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Aanekoski bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ratila's guard.
Ratila tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ratila is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ratila trying to control the action but Aanekoski is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ratila keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Aanekoski desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Aanekoski is looking to improve his position.
Aanekoski is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's two 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.
Aanekoski landing strikes from the bottom.
Aanekoski is trying to control but can't.
Ratila wants to stand up but Aanekoski is controlling the position.
Ratila is trying to control the action in half guard but Aanekoski is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ratila is thwarting Aanekoski's attempts to control the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Aanekoski can do anything to dispel that myth.
Aanekoski is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ratila's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ratila's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aanekoski tries to get the hooks in deep but Ratila pushed the leg off.

Ratila is in a bad position with Aanekoski working for a choke. Ratila manages to spin nicely into guard and the danger is over for the moment.
Ratila wants to control from the top but Aanekoski keeps moving.
Aanekoski is pulling down on Ratila's head. It's preventing any offense from Ratila, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ratila wants to control from the top but Aanekoski keeps moving.

Aanekoski kicks Ratila off and gets to his feet.
Nice sprawl there from Aanekoski as Ratila shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juha Ratila. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Aanekoski misses with a takedown

and Ratila counters with a takedown into side control.

Ratila has an Americana. Aanekoski didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Ratila is delighted and gyrates infront of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Ratila hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Juha Ratila!