PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tony Draco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roope Rautakoura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Roope Rautakoura looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Draco
vs
Rautakoura

190 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

177 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tony Draco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roope Rautakoura!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A decent looking cross lands there for Draco.
Draco tries to clinch there but Rautakoura circles away.
Rautakoura shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Draco throws a hook but Rautakoura blocks it.
Draco looks to throw the jab but Rautakoura is out of range.
Draco lands a nice shot that snaps Rautakoura's head back.

Rautakoura bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rautakoura tries to score with some ground and pound. Draco controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Draco is trying to buck Rautakoura off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draco takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Draco tries to improve position but can't.
Draco is trying to control Rautakoura's posture but Rautakoura avoids it.
Rautakoura landing a few strikes.
Rautakoura throws an elbow but Draco slips to the side and avoids it well.
Rautakoura creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Draco sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Draco is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Draco managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Rautakoura.
Rautakoura has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rautakoura looks gassed!
Draco stops Rautakoura from passing to mount.
Rautakoura lands a few punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rautakoura is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Draco has escaped the position, nice work there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rautakoura looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Draco misses with a double jab.
Draco tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rautakoura swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Draco tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Draco fails with an attempt to clinch.
Draco throws a head kick that half lands.
Draco with a poor takedown

and Rautakoura counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Draco!
Rautakoura landing shots from mount.
Draco wants to control but Rautakoura is having none of it.
Draco keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Draco tries to hold on but Rautakoura pushes him away.
Rautakoura throwing strikes here but Draco is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rautakoura dominating with strikes here.
Draco really wants to buck Rautakoura off and get back to his feet.
Draco is desperately trying to improve his position but Rautakoura has a good base and remains in mount.
Draco is working hard here to advance position.
Draco is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Draco is desperately trying to improve his position but Rautakoura has a good base and remains in mount.
Rautakoura is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Draco can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rautakoura landing strikes from the mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rautakoura lands a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roope Rautakoura dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Draco gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Draco throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Draco is trying to control the position but Rautakoura postures up.
Draco seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Draco is looking for a triangle but Rautakoura pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Draco wants to stand and escape but Rautakoura is having none of it.
Rautakoura working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Rautakoura shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Draco pushes Rautakoura off and gets back to his feet.
Draco looks to land a left hand but Rautakoura moved out of range nicely.
Draco throws an overhand right that lands on Rautakoura's shoulder, as Rautakoura tries to avoid the shot.
A right-left combo lands from Draco.
Draco misses with a takedown

and Rautakoura counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Draco's guard now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rautakoura content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rautakoura with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Draco is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rautakoura is aware though and is defending well.

Draco working for a triangle but Rautakoura defends it easily.
Rautakoura throwing strikes but missing.
Rautakoura chips away with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Draco is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rautakoura is aware though and is defending well.
Rautakoura passes Draco's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Rautakoura wants to control but Draco is keeping him busy.

Draco looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rautakoura drops an elbow to the side of Draco's head.
Rautakoura not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Draco trying to control but Rautakoura postures up.

Draco looking for submissions off his back.
Rautakoura missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Draco trying to control but Rautakoura postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Draco lands an overhand right.
Tony Draco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rautakoura slips a jab and a cross from Draco.
Draco throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rautakoura shoots in but no luck this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roope Rautakoura showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Draco closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rautakoura counters with a takedown into side control.
Draco avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Rautakoura.
Roope Rautakoura has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rautakoura cracks Draco with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Draco is pushing Rautakoura's head away, looking to escape. Rautakoura manages to hold on to the position though.

Draco throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Tony Draco is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rautakoura takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Draco throws a sloppy head kick and Rautakoura moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rautakoura on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Draco throws an overhand right that lands on Rautakoura's shoulder, as Rautakoura tries to avoid the shot.
Draco closes the distance looking to clinch

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draco struggling a bit here.
Rautakoura scoring with punches and elbows.
Rautakoura in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Draco is trying to control Rautakoura's posture but Rautakoura avoids it.
Rautakoura misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Rautakoura fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Rautakoura misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Draco manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Rautakoura is trying to stand back up but Draco is controlling him
Draco is taking a breather. Rautakoura says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Draco thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Draco is trying to control the action in half guard but Rautakoura is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Draco is looking for a kimura but Rautakoura is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Draco to get the leverage.

Draco is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rautakoura sees it coming and defends easily.
Draco working over Rautakoura with some ground and pound. Rautakoura looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Tony Draco has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Draco is looking for a kimura but Rautakoura is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Draco to get the leverage.
Rautakoura trying to control but Draco postures up.
Rautakoura is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four 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.
Draco trying to control from half guard but Rautakoura is working away.

Draco is looking for a kimura but Rautakoura is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Draco to get the leverage.

Draco decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Draco is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
A combination from Draco does no damage.
Draco misses with a double jab

and Rautakoura counters with a single leg into guard. Draco didn't expect that.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roope Rautakoura comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rautakoura 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roope Rautakoura!