PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sakari Nurmi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pasi Rantala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nurmi comes to the cage accompanied by Säkkijärvenpolkka. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Pasi Rantala was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Nurmi
vs
Rantala

176 cm
22
185 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

195 cm
28
190 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

BJJ White Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sakari Nurmi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pasi Rantala!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nurmi looks for the body kick but Rantala saw that one coming.
Rantala stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Nurmi.

Nurmi fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Rantala to the ground. Nurmi is now in Rantala's guard.
Nurmi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Nurmi stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Some bone on bone action there as Nurmi checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Nurmi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rantala defends it nicely.
Rantala lands a nice shot to the body.
Rantala scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Nurmi gets the takedown into side control.
Nurmi working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Rantala is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Nurmi decides to stand back up. Nurmi steps back and let's Rantala get back to his feet.
A combination from Nurmi does no damage.
Rantala wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rantala bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Nurmi is breathing heavily.
Rantala throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Nurmi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Nurmi gets a takedown into half guard.
Rantala looks like he's trying to stand up.
Nurmi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nurmi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rantala avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nurmi.
Rantala is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Nurmi winds up and cracks Rantala with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Nurmi is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Nurmi has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rantala's face.

Nurmi working for a guillotine from mount but Rantala is in no mood to give up.
Nurmi with good strikes from the mount here!
Rantala is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Rantala is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Nurmi lands a big elbow.

Nurmi is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Rantala is surviving well by controlling Nurmi's body position as best he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rantala is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Nurmi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Nurmi scoring with strikes but Rantala is staying in there.
Nurmi with the ground and pound from mount.
Rantala wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Nurmi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Nurmi looking to finish Rantala with some ground and pound. This is bad for Rantala!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rantala taking shots to the head.

Rantala is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Oooh a big shot lands for Nurmi! Rantala is out! The ref dives in to save him from more punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:29 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Sakari Nurmi!
After winning the bout, Sakari Nurmi thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.