PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Atte Kumpulainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Meng Rao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Atte Kumpulainen has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Kumpulainen
vs
Rao

175 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

183 cm
22
179 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Likes ground

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Atte Kumpulainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Meng Rao!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kumpulainen tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kumpulainen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kumpulainen wants to clinch up but Rao keeps it at a distance.
Rao looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kumpulainen is fending him off so far but Rao persists. Nope, Kumpulainen circles away and we're back to standing.
Rao swats away the attempt to clinch by Kumpulainen.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kumpulainen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kumpulainen doesn't manage to clinch there - Rao circles away.
Kumpulainen tries to close the distance and clinch but Rao swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rao swats away the attempt to clinch by Kumpulainen.
Kumpulainen tries to clinch up but Rao circles away and keeps his distance.
Kumpulainen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rao swats away the attempt to clinch by Kumpulainen.

Rao looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rao with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kumpulainen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rao controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rao tries to free his leg and advance position but Kumpulainen is retaining full guard.
Rao sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Kumpulainen keeping full guard, as Rao tries to pass.
Rao seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rao thows a big elbow that misses.
Rao stays in close to Kumpulainen's body and controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kumpulainen wants to stand but Rao is controlling the position.
Rao wants to pass the guard but Kumpulainen is keeping the position.
Rao must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kumpulainen is breathing heavily.
Rao controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Kumpulainen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rao controls from within his opponent's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Despite being in the dominant position, Meng Rao just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kumpulainen is looking to clinch but Rao is avoiding it.

Rao has Kumpulainen up against the cage in a clinch.
Rao wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kumpulainen tries to break the clinch but Rao is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Meng Rao dominated that round.
That's time! Kumpulainen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kumpulainen tries to clinch but Rao moves away

so Rao counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Kumpulainen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rao controls the pace.
Rao's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Rao passes Kumpulainen's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Rao is controlling the pace.
Kumpulainen wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rao not doing much here.
Rao wants to free his trapped foot but Kumpulainen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Rao wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kumpulainen keeps working.
Rao seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Meng Rao just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rao looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kumpulainen is fending him off so far but Rao persists. Nope, Kumpulainen circles away and we're back to standing.

Rao shoots in and bounces Kumpulainen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Kumpulainen wriggles free and stands up.
Kumpulainen darts in trying to clinch

and Rao counters with a single leg into guard. Kumpulainen didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kumpulainen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kumpulainen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rao controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rao forces his way into half guard.
Rao takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Kumpulainen kicks off Rao and gets to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Meng Rao showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Kumpulainen looks to clinch

and Rao counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kumpulainen won't be happy with that.

Rao tries for a kimura but Kumpulainen is defending well.
Rao wants to control but Kumpulainen is keeping him busy.
Kumpulainen wants to get back to his feet.
Kumpulainen taking a bit of punishment here - Rao scoring with strikes.
Kumpulainen is trying to get back to his feet.
Rao takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rao takes a little break here. Kumpulainen wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kumpulainen is pushing Rao's head away, looking to escape. Rao manages to hold on to the position though.
Rao wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kumpulainen keeps working.
Rao tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Rao working the ground and pound but Kumpulainen is defending the strikes.
Kumpulainen being controlled for a moment.

That's two 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.

Rao thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kumpulainen wants to clinch but Rao slips to the side

and Rao counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rao stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kumpulainen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rao slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kumpulainen keeping full guard, as Rao tries to pass.

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.
Kumpulainen keeping moving, preventing Rao from controlling successfully.
Rao stays in close to Kumpulainen's body and controls the position.
Kumpulainen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rao is controlling him.
Rao is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Meng Rao comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rao 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 26:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Meng Rao!