PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Tomi Murkiel Rautaharava (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Accion Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Accion Sanchez is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Murkiel Rautaharava
vs
Sanchez

170 cm
22
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tomi Murkiel Rautaharava!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Accion Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Alan Glass and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rautaharava looks to land a combination but Sanchez avoids it well.
Sanchez looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Sanchez throws a jab when Rautaharava was well out of range.

Rautaharava scores with a takedown into Sanchez's guard.
Sanchez keeping moving, preventing Rautaharava from controlling successfully.
Rautaharava scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rautaharava pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sanchez is keeping the position for now.
Rautaharava lands a couple of digs.
Rautaharava postures up in Sanchez's guard and throws a big left but Sanchez blocks it.
Rautaharava postures up and lands a big shot to Sanchez's brow.
Rautaharava chips away with some ground and pound.
Sanchez keeping moving, preventing Rautaharava from controlling successfully.
Rautaharava content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rautaharava works over Sanchez with some ground and pound from guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rautaharava stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sanchez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rautaharava lands a couple of digs.
Rautaharava sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rautaharava landing with the ground and pound.
Rautaharava postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rautaharava is in close to Sanchez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rautaharava postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sanchez keeping full guard, as Rautaharava tries to pass.
Rautaharava makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rautaharava controlling from the top position.
Rautaharava advances position into side control!
Rautaharava working the body and head with strikes.
Rautaharava working the head with strikes.
Rautaharava is putting a hurting on Sanchez here, landing some big shots from side control.
Sanchez takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rautaharava is putting a hurting on Sanchez here, landing some big shots from side control.
Sanchez is looking for a sweep.

Rautaharava looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Rautaharava 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.
Rautaharava scoring with punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rautaharava trying to control the position but Sanchez is working away.
Sanchez is trying to escape the position but Rautaharava is controlling the position.
Rautaharava scoring with punches and elbows.
Rautaharava controlling the position from side mount.
Sanchez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on Sanchez's face as Rautaharava controls the position.
Sanchez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

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.
Sanchez is trying to get back to full guard.
Rautaharava trying to pass the guard but Sanchez defending well.
Rautaharava works his way into side control.
Rautaharava lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sanchez down.
Rautaharava scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Sanchez to see if he's OK.
Rautaharava grinds an elbow into Sanchez's temple.
Rautaharava cracks Sanchez with a big elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rautaharava scoring with punches and elbows.
Rautaharava working the ground and pound.
Sanchez taking punishment in the form of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomi Murkiel Rautaharava dominated that round.
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.

Rautaharava dives in and grabs Sanchez's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sanchez pushes down on Rautaharava's head and hops out.
Rautaharava fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sanchez has his takedown stuffed

and Rautaharava counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sanchez's guard now.
Rautaharava postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rautaharava pushing down on Sanchez's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rautaharava is thwarting Sanchez's attempts to control the position.
Sanchez is trying to get back to full guard.
Rautaharava lands with a punch from half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rautaharava winds up and cracks Sanchez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sanchez on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Rautaharava is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rautaharava scores with a couple of nice shots.
Rautaharava scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rautaharava looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Sanchez is in trouble now - Rautaharava has advanced to mount!
Sanchez wants to hold on but Rautaharava pushes him away.
Rautaharava working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sanchez gets back to half guard.
Sanchez taking some punishment here, with Rautaharava in his half guard.
Rautaharava working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Rautaharava is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Sanchez is just riding it out for now. Rautaharava eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rautaharava passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Sanchez!
Sanchez is looking to improve his position but Rautaharava isn't that keen on the idea.
Rautaharava lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Sanchez hang on?

Rautaharava looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Rautaharava with good strikes from the mount here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rautaharava with the ground and pound from mount.
Rautaharava looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rautaharava landing punches.
Sanchez tries to hold on but Rautaharava pushes him away.
Rautaharava connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Sanchez wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Rautaharava dominating with strikes here.
Rautaharava landing shots from mount.

Rautaharava has hold of Sanchez's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Sanchez manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
BOOM! Rautaharava connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Rautaharava working Sanchez over with strikes here.
Sanchez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
BOOM! Rautaharava connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rautaharava cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Rautaharava working the ground and pound effectively.
Sanchez tries to hold on but Rautaharava pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by Rautaharava.
Rautaharava looking to control and managing it successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomi Murkiel Rautaharava dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Sanchez gets caught flat footed, as Rautaharava shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rautaharava controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rautaharava makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rautaharava landing some decent shots from guard.
Rautaharava wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rautaharava stands and throws Sanchez's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Rautaharava is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sanchez has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Rautaharava is chipping away with strikes.
Rautaharava cracks Sanchez with a big right hand but Sanchez just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Sanchez is trying to control Rautaharava's posture but Rautaharava avoids it.
Rautaharava scores with a couple of short elbows.
Rautaharava cracks Sanchez with a big elbow.
Rautaharava works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Sanchez takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Sanchez takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rautaharava creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Sanchez is trying to get back to half guard.
Sanchez taking punishment in the form of punches.
Sanchez can't do much from the bottom here.
Sanchez tries to buck Rautaharava off but Rautaharava is having none of it.
Rautaharava scoring with punches and elbows.
Rautaharava lands a few punches from side control.
Rautaharava working away.
Rautaharava wants to control but Sanchez is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez tries to improve position but can't.
Rautaharava cracks Sanchez with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Rautaharava takes a little break here. Sanchez wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

Rautaharava thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Rautaharava thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Rautaharava working the head and body with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Rautaharava pushes Sanchez up against the cage in a clinch.
Sanchez tries to pull guard but Rautaharava holds him up against the cage and eventually Sanchez drops back down to his feet.

Rautaharava has picked Sanchez up - he's going for a ride! Rautaharava dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Tomi Murkiel Rautaharava is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sanchez wants to improve his position but Rautaharava is controlling well.
Sanchez is in trouble now - Rautaharava has advanced to mount!
Rautaharava controlling his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tomi Murkiel Rautaharava showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rautaharava, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:26
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tomi Murkiel Rautaharava!