PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ville rantanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dave Barrera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barrera has chosen Gangsters as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

rantanen
vs
Barrera

194 cm
20
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

193 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ville rantanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dave Barrera!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barrera misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

rantanen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Barrera is squirming around, avoiding rantanen's attempts to control the action.

rantanen stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Barrera tries to clinch but rantanen moves out of range.

rantanen scores a takedown into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
rantanen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barrera is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Barrera is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
rantanen unloads with some shots from mount but Barrera bucks and avoids them well.
Barrera tries to buck rantanen off but he can't manage it.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, rantanen cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Barrera tries to buck rantanen off but rantanen takes his back!
Barrera is keeping busy.
Barrera holding both rantanen 's hands and preventing any damage.
rantanen controls the position.

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

rantanen is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Barrera is defending well though. rantanen let's go of the attempt for now.
rantanen lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by rantanen.

rantanen looking for the choke from the back.
Barrera wants to get back to his feet.
Barrera looks gassed!

rantanen working for the choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
rantanen is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Barrera holding both rantanen 's hands and preventing any damage.
rantanen lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
rantanen missing with strikes from the back.
rantanen lands punches and elbows.
Barrera takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Barrera is trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
rantanen is looking to control Barrera but Barrera is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Barrera holding both rantanen 's hands and preventing any damage.
rantanen lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Barrera hold on?!
Barrera looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
A lull in the action here.
Barrera looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ville rantanen dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

rantanen has Barrera up against the cage in a clinch.
Barrera is pressed up against the cage. rantanen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Barrera down to the mat. Barrera avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Barrera tries to close the distance and clinch but rantanen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
rantanen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barrera as he jumps to the side.
Barrera rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but rantanen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Barrera throws a nice looking combination but rantanen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Barrera fails in his attempt to clinch.
Barrera misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
rantanen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barrera.
rantanen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Barrera as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ville rantanen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barrera throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barrera misses with a series of wild punches.

rantanen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
rantanen perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Barrera is trying to stand back up but rantanen is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
rantanen 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.
Barrera is not content to let rantanen control the position.
rantanen stops Barrera from getting back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Barrera throws a right hand that rantanen ducks under and follows up with a left that rantanen also avoids with ease.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
rantanen is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Barrera pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Barrera gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
rantanen is pressing down on Barrera's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Barrera is looking to stand up but rantanen won't let him.
Ville rantanen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
rantanen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
rantanen trying to control the action but Barrera is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
rantanen prevents Barrera from standing back up.
rantanen is looking to take a break and control but Barrera is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Barrera wants to get back to his feet.

rantanen stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

rantanen forces Barrera back against the cage and clinches.
Barrera wants a takedown but no success here.
Barrera has rantanen pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. rantanen manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

rantanen jumps guard.
Barrera wants to stand but rantanen has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

rantanen pushes Barrera off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barrera throws a series of punches but rantanen moves out of range.

rantanen scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
rantanen content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Barrera is trying to buck rantanen off.
rantanen trying to control the action but Barrera is working from the bottom.
Barrera is trying to buck rantanen off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
rantanen in side control, throwing shots but Barrera defends.
rantanen throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Barrera throws a right hand that rantanen ducks under and follows up with a left that rantanen also avoids with ease.
Dave Barrera is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Barrera misses with a two punch combination.
No joy there for Barrera, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

rantanen clinches up with Barrera and pushes him back against the cage.
Barrera tries for a takedown but rantanen manages to get underhooks.

Barrera turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Barrera has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Barrera tries to clinch

and rantanen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by rantanen.
This has been an exciting period of action!
rantanen won't allow Barrera to get back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Barrera can do anything to dispel that myth.
rantanen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
rantanen trying to control but Barrera is working from the bottom.
rantanen with a nice head shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ville rantanen dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Barrera throws a series of punches but rantanen avoids them all with ease.

rantanen shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. rantanen showed some decent athleticism there.
Barrera is looking to escape.

rantanen seems to be working for a kimura but Barrera defends the submission attempt.
rantanen wants to pass to mount but Barrera is defending the position.
rantanen is keen to just control but Barrera is a slippery customer.
Barrera wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

rantanen is looking for a kimura but Barrera is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for rantanen to get the leverage.
rantanen prevents Barrera from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
rantanen looks to score with a jab to the body but Barrera is just out of range.
rantanen slips a jab and a cross from Barrera.
rantanen attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Barrera misses with a few strikes there.
A leg kick checked by Barrera.
Barrera lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Barrera misses with a jab, cross combination.

rantanen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

rantanen stands up and we're back to a striking position.
rantanen throws a leg kick which misses Barrera's front leg but catches the back leg as Barrera tries to avoid it.
rantanen fails with a takedown attempt.
Barrera swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Barrera rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but rantanen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Barrera misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barrera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Barrera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Barrera misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from rantanen.

rantanen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The ground and pound from rantanen seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
rantanen prevents Barrera from escaping the position.
rantanen wants to control but Barrera is keeping him busy.
Barrera is trying to buck rantanen off.

Barrera explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Ville rantanen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barrera tries to close the distance and clinch but rantanen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barrera moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Barrera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but rantanen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Barrera throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
rantanen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Barrera as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ville rantanen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No joy there for Barrera, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Barrera gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
rantanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Barrera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
rantanen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barrera swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Barrera is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
rantanen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
rantanen is stalling in the full guard.
rantanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Barrera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
rantanen is looking to stand up but Barrera won't let him.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Barrera throws a right and a left that both miss.
Dave Barrera has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
rantanen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Barrera tries to avoid it but rantanen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Barrera to the ground. Barrera escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
rantanen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Barrera.
Barrera throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
rantanen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Barrera circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barrera will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barrera throws a right and a left that rantanen avoids nicely.
rantanen shoots in looking for a takedown. Barrera tries to sprawl out of it but rantanen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Barrera manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Barrera looks to land a combination but rantanen avoids it well.

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 Ville rantanen.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for rantanen, 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:26
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:26
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ville rantanen!