PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Henry Kilmer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reino Vaananen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Reino Vaananen will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Kilmer
vs
Vaananen

185 cm
21
185 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

182 cm
18
199 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Henry Kilmer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reino Vaananen!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kilmer avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Vaananen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Vaananen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Vaananen has had enough of the clinch but Kilmer keeps him there for the moment.
Vaananen lands a body shot in the clinch.

Vaananen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Vaananen clinches with his opponent.
Vaananen lands a right hand that snaps the head of Kilmer backwards.
Vaananen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Kilmer backwards.

Vaananen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vaananen tries to clinch up.
Vaananen slaps away a takedown attempt from Kilmer, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Vaananen is looking to clinch but Kilmer is avoiding it.
Vaananen scores with a sloppy right hand. Kilmer should have avoided that one.

It looks like Henry Kilmer has been cut.
Vaananen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Vaananen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Vaananen tries a knee to the head but Kilmer blocks it.
Kilmer is trying to drag Vaananen to the mat but Vaananen just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Kilmer tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Vaananen smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henry Kilmer. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kilmer feints and as Vaananen raises his hands in defense, Kilmer changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kilmer trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kilmer is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Kilmer is in close to Vaananen's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Vaananen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Vaananen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kilmer. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Vaananen is adopting a defensive guard.
Vaananen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Vaananen controls Kilmer momentarily but Kilmer frees himself.
Kilmer has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Kilmer's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Kilmer postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kilmer fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Vaananen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kilmer drops his hands momentarily and Vaananen takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Vaananen wants to clinch up but Kilmer keeps it at a distance.

Vaananen takes the fight into the clinch.
A body shot lands from Vaananen.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Vaananen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Vaananen lands with a short shot to the head.
Vaananen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Vaananen wants to get back to striking at distance but Kilmer won't allow it.
Vaananen lands with a short shot to the head.
Kilmer tries for a takedown. No joy.
Kilmer's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Vaananen with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Vaananen manages to break the clinch.

Kilmer scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Vaananen looks like he's trying to stand up.
Vaananen looks gassed!
Vaananen wants to improve his position but Kilmer is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kilmer not doing much here.
Kilmer moves into full mount! Vaananen won't be happy about that!
Vaananen is trying desperately to improve position.
Kilmer lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The referee warns Vaananen that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Vaananen is looking to get to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vaananen taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vaananen working to try and regain half guard.
Vaananen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Kilmer avoids the attempt from Vaananen to control.

Kilmer with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Vaananen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Kilmer is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Vaananen is surviving well by controlling Kilmer's body position as best he can.
Vaananen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kilmer scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Vaananen?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reino Vaananen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Henry Kilmer's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Kilmer doesn't manage to clinch there - Vaananen circles away.
Kilmer shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Vaananen pinned against the cage. Vaananen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Vaananen moves into the clinch successfully.
Vaananen lands a right hand that snaps the head of Kilmer backwards.
Kilmer goes for a takedown in the clinch but Vaananen prevents it.
Kilmer tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Vaananen just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henry Kilmer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kilmer tries to pull guard but Vaananen holds him up against the cage and eventually Kilmer drops back down to his feet.
Vaananen is working Kilmer over against the cage.
Vaananen lands with a left to the head.
Vaananen misses with an elbow over the top.
Kilmer fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Vaananen lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Kilmer has Vaananen pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Vaananen manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Vaananen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Vaananen lands a shoulder strike.

Vaananen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vaananen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kilmer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kilmer fails with the takedown.
Reino Vaananen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaananen doesn't manage to clinch there - Kilmer circles away.

Vaananen moves into the clinch.
Kilmer tries for a takedown. No joy.
Vaananen lands a nice elbow.
Vaananen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Vaananen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kilmer fails with a takedown attempt.

Vaananen closes the distance and pushes Kilmer back into the cage.

Vaananen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kilmer fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Vaananen gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Vaananen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vaananen tries to clinch

and Kilmer counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Vaananen!
Kilmer prevents Vaananen from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vaananen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Vaananen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Kilmer tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Vaananen is desperately trying to improve his position but Kilmer has a good base and remains in mount.
Vaananen tries to hold on but Kilmer postures up.
Kilmer prevents Vaananen from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kilmer avoids the attempt from Vaananen to control.

Kilmer is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Vaananen is surviving well by controlling Kilmer's body position as best he can.
Kilmer looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Kilmer landing shots from mount.
Kilmer lands a heavy elbow.

Kilmer looking to secure an arm triangle but Vaananen defends it well.
Vaananen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kilmer can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Vaananen is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vaananen is working to get back to half guard.
Kilmer lands a big shot there that rocks Vaananen but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Kilmer landing strikes, looking to finish!
Kilmer content just to control the position here.
Vaananen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Henry Kilmer will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Henry Kilmer's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Vaananen takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Vaananen stuffs the takedown.
Vaananen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vaananen is looking to clinch.

Vaananen darts in and clinches Kilmer up against the cage.
Kilmer goes for a takedown in the clinch but Vaananen prevents it.

Vaananen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kilmer swats away the attempt to clinch by Vaananen.
Kilmer fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henry Kilmer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kilmer circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kilmer counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Vaananen's guard now.
Vaananen trying to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Vaananen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaananen looking to control but Kilmer is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kilmer tries to hold on but Vaananen pushes him away.
Kilmer is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Kilmer is in all sorts of trouble here.
Vaananen trying to control but Kilmer is having none of it.
Kilmer keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Kilmer is squirming around, avoiding Vaananen's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Vaananen might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Kilmer kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Vaananen avoids the attempt from Kilmer to control.
Vaananen controlling from the full mount.
Kilmer tries to hold on but Vaananen pushes him away.
Kilmer is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kilmer tries to hold on but Vaananen postures up.
Vaananen controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kilmer is looking to get to half guard.
Vaananen tries to control but Kilmer wriggling away.
Kilmer can't escape the position.
Vaananen wants to control the pace but Kilmer is squirming around nicely.

Despite being in the dominant position, Reino Vaananen just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Vaananen moves into range and clinches up with Kilmer.

Vaananen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vaananen slaps away a takedown attempt from Kilmer, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kilmer looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Kilmer throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Vaananen's waist but Vaananen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kilmer off to one side.
Kilmer avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Vaananen uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Vaananen rushes Kilmer and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kilmer goes for a takedown attempt but Vaananen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Vaananen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Vaananen throws a combination. Kilmer tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Vaananen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Kilmer circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kilmer counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kilmer.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vaananen wants to sweep here but Kilmer controlling him for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Reino Vaananen.
I think Vaananen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!