PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Runen Svenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thej Gothum (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.

Svenson
vs
Gothum

176 cm
21
169 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Runen Svenson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thej Gothum!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gothum fails in his attempt to clinch.

Gothum moves into range and clinches up with Svenson.

Svenson jumps guard and drags Gothum to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Svenson pulls Gothum in close to prevent any damage.
Gothum wants to control from the top but Svenson keeps moving.
Svenson is trying to keep Gothum in close.
Gothum has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Svenson is proving hard to escape from.
Svenson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gothum trying to control but Svenson is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Svenson is looking to sweep but instead, Gothum has passed into half guard.
Svenson connecting with a few gentle strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Svenson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Gothum actively working from the bottom here.

Svenson decides to stand and escape the position.

Svenson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Svenson showed some decent athleticism there.
Svenson is looking to take a break and control but Gothum is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gothum wants to control but Svenson is keeping busy.

Svenson decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gothum fails in his attempt to clinch.

Svenson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gothum's guard.
Svenson is breathing heavily.

Gothum working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Svenson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Svenson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Svenson advances position into side control!
Svenson cracks Gothum with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gothum is looking to reverse the position.

Svenson tries for a kimura but Gothum is defending well.
Gothum can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Svenson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Gothum struggling a bit here.
Svenson controls the position.
Svenson fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Gothum is not content to let Svenson control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gothum is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Gothum has closed the distance and engaged Svenson in a clinch.
Svenson tries to break the clinch but Gothum is controlling the position.

Gothum manages to break the clinch.

Svenson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gothum fails to pull guard.

Svenson breaks the clinch.
Gothum wants to clinch

and Svenson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Gothum slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gothum manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Svenson manages to get himself to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gothum looking to pass the guard.
Svenson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Svenson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Runen Svenson 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.

Gothum tries to clinch but Svenson moves away

and Svenson counters with a takedown into side control.
Runen Svenson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gothum is looking for a sweep.
Svenson is looking to take a break and control but Gothum is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gothum is trying to buck Svenson off.
Gothum is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Gothum is trying to get back to half guard.
Svenson landing a few strikes.
Gothum is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Svenson controlling from side mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Svenson stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Svenson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Svenson not doing much here.
Svenson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gothum keeps working.

Svenson is trying to work for a kimura but Gothum is defending well.

Gothum pushes Svenson off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gothum keeps Svenson at a distance using the push kick.

Svenson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gothum trying to hold on to Svenson's head to control him but Svenson postures up.
Gothum wants to get back to his feet.
Gothum is in trouble now - Svenson has advanced to mount!
Gothum slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gothum manages to get to full guard.
Svenson wants to pass the guard but Gothum is keeping the position.
Gothum being controlled here, momentarily.
Gothum working a defensive guard here.
Svenson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Svenson throwing strikes but missing.

That's four 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.
Gothum preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Gothum is looking for a triangle but Svenson pushes his legs off easily.
Svenson is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Svenson gets to his feet - Gothum follows without any prompting.

Svenson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Svenson slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Svenson lands a few punches from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Runen Svenson dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Svenson fails to land the takedown.
Gothum gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Svenson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Gothum's guard.
Svenson is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Gothum wants to stand up but Svenson is controlling him.
Svenson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Gothum looking for a guillotine here but Svenson defends easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Svenson trying to control but Gothum is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Svenson stopping the sweep attempt from Gothum.
Svenson sitting in guard here, content to control.

Svenson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Gothum misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Svenson feints and as Gothum raises his hands in defense, Svenson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Svenson wants to control from the top but Gothum keeps moving.

Svenson gets to his feet - Gothum follows without any prompting.
Runen Svenson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Svenson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gothum to the mat! Gothum manages to get full guard.
Gothum trying to control the position.
Svenson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Svenson trying to control the position from guard on top but Gothum is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Svenson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gothum works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Gothum is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svenson is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Svenson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gothum has him pressed against the cage.

Gothum turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
An elbow from Gothum crashes against the mat.
Svenson gets back to half guard.
Svenson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Gothum really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Svenson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Gothum wants to stand but Svenson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Svenson looking for a guillotine here but Gothum defends easily.

Svenson working for a triangle but Gothum defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gothum is looking to stand up but Svenson won't let him.
Svenson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Gothum would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Gothum trying to control but Svenson is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Runen Svenson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Svenson, 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Runen Svenson!