PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jonas Justesen (ranked 2792 p4p, 309 weight class) and Cliff Rigano (ranked 2121 p4p, 254 weight class). Jonas Justesen had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 171.7lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Justesen
vs
Rigano

183 cm
30
189 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

188 cm
38
184 lbs
27 - 21 - 1

Great wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jonas Justesen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 21 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Cliff Rigano!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Justesen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rigano takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rigano is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Justesen working the ground and pound.
Justesen scores with a couple of short elbows.
Justesen is chipping away with strikes.
Rigano is looking to regain half guard here but Justesen keeps moving and retains side control.
Justesen cracks Rigano with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Justesen working the head with strikes.

Rigano is rocked!
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!
Rigano tries to buck Justesen off but Justesen is having none of it.
Rigano is still in real trouble! Can Justesen finish him?
Rigano is still trying to improve position.
Justesen happy to just control the position for now.
Rigano seems to have recovered his senses.
Justesen is working Rigano over with some ground and pound from side control.
Rigano is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Justesen is nestled in close to Rigano, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Justesen frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Justesen lands a big shot there that rocks Rigano but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Rigano tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rigano is in a horrible position here. Justesen smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Justesen lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Justesen pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Justesen lands with some strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rigano really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rigano sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Rigano wants to get back to full guard.
Rigano taking some punishment here, with Justesen in his half guard.
Rigano taking some punishment here, with Justesen in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Justesen drops an elbow to the side of Rigano's head.
Justesen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Rigano is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Justesen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Justesen is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Rigano!
Justesen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Rigano bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Justesen is on top in guard.

Rigano escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Justesen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Justesen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rigano is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Justesen is aware though and is defending well.
Justesen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rigano's head.
Justesen trying to control the position from guard on top but Rigano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jonas Justesen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Justesen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rigano drops his hands momentarily and Justesen takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rigano is defended easily by Justesen.
Justesen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Justesen looks to land a left hand but Rigano moved out of range nicely.
It seemed like Rigano was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

Justesen scores with a takedown into Rigano's guard.
Justesen is working Rigano over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Rigano is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rigano keeping moving, preventing Justesen from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rigano is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Rigano working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Justesen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Justesen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Jonas Justesen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Rigano is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Rigano escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Justesen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Rigano had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Justesen defends it easily.

Rigano is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Justesen defends well.

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

Rigano is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Justesen is in close to Rigano's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Justesen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rigano has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Justesen has managed to get both his arms back between Rigano's legs - danger averted.
Justesen landing some decent shots from guard.
Justesen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Justesen trying to control but Rigano is working from the bottom.

Rigano throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Justesen escapes and throws Rigano's legs to the side, diving into side control!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Justesen lands some shots froms side control.
Justesen landing a few strikes.
Rigano sneaks back into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jonas Justesen dominated that second round.
That's time! Justesen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Rigano shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Justesen keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rigano wants to free his trapped foot but Justesen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Justesen is trying to control but can't.
Cliff Rigano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Rigano is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Rigano lands with a punch from half guard.
Justesen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rigano trying to control the position from guard on top but Justesen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Justesen looking for a sweep. Not yet Justesen, not yet.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Justesen lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Justesen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rigano throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Justesen advances to half guard.
Justesen is trying to control. Rigano wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Justesen lands with a punch from half guard.
Rigano is looking to improve his position.

Rigano actively working from the bottom here.
Rigano punching from the bottom.
Rigano wants to improve his position but Justesen is controlling well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rigano gets full guard.
Justesen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Jonas Justesen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Justesen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cliff Rigano comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Justesen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Jonas Justesen!
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight for Jonas Justesen!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Jonas Justesen!

Jonas Justesen wins by unanimous decision!