PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Raimo Rento (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cain Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Velasquez comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Kryptonite kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Rento
vs
Velasquez

205 cm
23
280 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

185 cm
24
260 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

The Big Kabosh

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Raimo Rento!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cain Velasquez!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Ben Hemmingworth and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rento misses with a low kick.
Nice cross by Rento.
Velasquez tries for a takedown but Rento sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Velasquez shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Velasquez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Velasquez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rento doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Velasquez.
Velasquez wants to pass to mount but Rento is defending the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rento tries to roll over but Velasquez keeps him under control.

Velasquez is trying to work for a kimura but Rento is defending well.
Rento is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Velasquez's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Velasquez's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Velasquez is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Velasquez looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Velasquez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Velasquez is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Will Rento go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Rento has the hooks in. Velasquez is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Velasquez looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Velasquez wants to escape the position.
Rento has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Velasquez's body.
Velasquez tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rento looking to control but Velasquez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Velasquez wants to hold on but Rento pushes him away.
Velasquez is looking to improve his position but Rento isn't that keen on the idea.
Velasquez wants to control but Rento is having none of it.
Velasquez is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Velasquez wants to hold on but Rento pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cain Velasquez will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Velasquez takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Rento staying out of range there.
Rento tests Velasquez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Velasquez swings for the body but Rento moves out of range.
Velasquez tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Velasquez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd cheers as Rento lands an impressive looking overhand right. Velasquez doesn't seem phased though.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rento lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rento throws a jab but it's blocked by Velasquez.
Rento throws a hook to the side of Velasquez's head but Velasquez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rento throws a leg kick that misses.
Velasquez gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rento misses with a wild combination.
Velasquez shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Velasquez ducks under a wild hook from Rento.
Rento misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Velasquez counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rento is in trouble now - Velasquez has advanced to mount!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Velasquez misses with a head shot.
Rento is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Velasquez looking for a guillotine from mount but Rento is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rento manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Rento is trying to get back to full guard.

Velasquez is working for a kimura but Rento is defending it quite comfortably.
Rento is positioning himself well to prevent Velasquez advancing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rento tries to get to full guard but Velasquez has control of the leg.
Rento is concentrating on defense, preventing Velasquez from advancing position.
Rento moves into full guard.
Velasquez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rento is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Velasquez drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rento manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Velasquez has Rento in his guard.

Velasquez isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Rento stacks Velasquez on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Rento!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Velasquez tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rento wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raimo Rento 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.

Rento lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rento fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Velasquez.
Rento lands a really nice looking cross but Velasquez seems unphased.
No luck for Velasquez with that takedown attempt.
Velasquez looks for a takedown but Rento sprawls well.
Rento thumps Velasquez with a low kick.
Velasquez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rento but Rento pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Raimo Rento has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cain Velasquez.
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!
Rento explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Rento tests Velasquez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Rento fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Velasquez has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Velasquez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rento scores with a body shot.
Rento scoring well with a low kick there.
Rento lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Rento is looking to slow Velasquez down with leg kicks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Rento drops Velasquez with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Velasquez looks back up at him and smiles so Rento waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

It looks like Cain Velasquez has been cut.
Rento ducks down into range and throws a picture perfect right hook that connects with Velasquez's jaw. Velasquez's eyes stare off into space as he falls to the mat, out cold! Rento does the decent thing and steps back, rather than landing any shots to his unconscious opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Raimo Rento!
Raimo Rento retains his heavyweight title!
During a confident post fight interview, Raimo Rento thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.