PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zane Stewart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rasmus Lehtosaari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Stewart
vs
Lehtosaari

183 cm
21
161 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
157 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zane Stewart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rasmus Lehtosaari!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lehtosaari gets a clinch.
Lehtosaari keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Stewart's efforts to push away.
Stewart working hard to break the clinch.
Lehtosaari keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Stewart's efforts to push away.

Lehtosaari's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Lehtosaari drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Stewart is trying to get back to half guard.
Lehtosaari cracks Stewart with a big right hand but Stewart just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lehtosaari wants to stand but Stewart is controlling his arm.
Stewart seems a little lost for a moment, as Lehtosaari dominates the positioning.
Lehtosaari working away.
Lehtosaari takes a little break here. Stewart wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
It looks like Lehtosaari might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Lehtosaari has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Stewart is trying to control Lehtosaari's posture but Lehtosaari avoids it.
Stewart is looking for a sweep.
Lehtosaari slows the pace down.
Stewart takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Lehtosaari tries to stand but Stewart is controlling his head.
Lehtosaari lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Stewart's face as Lehtosaari controls the position.

Lehtosaari wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Stewart, who protects the arm well.
Lehtosaari tries to move into full mount but can't pass Stewart's legs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lehtosaari tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The ground and pound from Lehtosaari seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lehtosaari tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Lehtosaari has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Lehtosaari moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Stewart on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Lehtosaari takes a little break here. Stewart wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Lehtosaari cracks Stewart with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stewart is looking to reverse the position.
Lehtosaari moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lehtosaari works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Stewart is trying to control Lehtosaari's posture but Lehtosaari avoids it.

Lehtosaari tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Lehtosaari has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Stewart struggling a bit here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stewart is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rasmus Lehtosaari dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Lehtosaari gets tackled into the cage by Stewart. Stewart maintains the clinch.

Lehtosaari has picked Stewart up - he's going for a ride! Lehtosaari dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Stewart manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Lehtosaari drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lehtosaari jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Lehtosaari has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Lehtosaari sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Lehtosaari is continuing to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stewart looking to control but Lehtosaari passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lehtosaari tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Lehtosaari drops an elbow to the side of Stewart's head.
Lehtosaari lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rasmus Lehtosaari has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lehtosaari is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Stewart wants to control but Lehtosaari is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Lehtosaari lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Stewart is rocked!
Lehtosaari controlling the action here.
Lehtosaari trying to pass the guard but Stewart defending well.
Stewart trying to control here.
Lehtosaari tries to pass to full mount but Stewart defends it.
Lehtosaari slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stewart is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Lehtosaari pulls his head out easily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Lehtosaari shoots in and gets a takedown into Stewart's guard.
Lehtosaari's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Stewart trying to control the position.
Lehtosaari slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Lehtosaari lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lehtosaari cracks Stewart with a solid left hand.

Lehtosaari is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Lehtosaari controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lehtosaari postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rasmus Lehtosaari showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Lehtosaari throws a sloppy body shot
and Stewart counters with a one-two to the body.
Stewart throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lehtosaari.

Stewart tries to sprawl but Lehtosaari drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Stewart is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lehtosaari seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Lehtosaari is controlling the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lehtosaari tries to pass to full mount but Stewart defends it.
Lehtosaari controlling the action here.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Stewart tries to get to full guard but Lehtosaari has control of the leg.
Lehtosaari keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two 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.

Lehtosaari drives through with a takedown into guard.
Stewart is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lehtosaari is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Lehtosaari's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Lehtosaari has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lehtosaari stands up over Stewart, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Lehtosaari wanted to stand there but Stewart had control of the position.
Stewart is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lehtosaari trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Lehtosaari is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lehtosaari throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Stewart misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Stewart tries to clinch up but Lehtosaari circles away and keeps his distance.
Stewart takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Rasmus Lehtosaari seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lehtosaari misses with a leg kick.
Stewart is looking to counter the offense by Lehtosaari and move into the clinch.
Lehtosaari stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lehtosaari wants it to stay on the feet.

Lehtosaari shoots in and gets a takedown into Stewart's guard.
Stewart avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lehtosaari is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Stewart is looking for a triangle but Lehtosaari pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lehtosaari is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zane Stewart has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rasmus Lehtosaari is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Lehtosaari decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rasmus Lehtosaari comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lehtosaari winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rasmus Lehtosaari!