PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Otto Kaikkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eduardo Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kaikkonen's entrance music is Duran Duran - WIld Boys. A fine choice. Eduardo Rua has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kaikkonen
vs
Rua

187 cm
26
205 lbs
8 - 13 - 0

185 cm
24
205 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 13 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Otto Kaikkonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Eduardo Rua!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Dmitry Maklakov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kaikkonen throws a hook but Rua avoids it easily.
Kaikkonen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rua tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kaikkonen swivels and escapes.
Rua defending well as Kaikkonen loads up on a big left hand.

Rua drives through with a takedown into guard.

Rua thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Kaikkonen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rua throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kaikkonen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kaikkonen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kaikkonen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rua stops Kaikkonen from standing up.
Rua with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rua working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kaikkonen wants to get back to his feet but Rua is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rua is looking to work some ground and pound but Kaikkonen has wrist control.
Rua tries to free his leg and advance position but Kaikkonen is retaining full guard.
Rua throws and elbow that misses. Kaikkonen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rua's guard. Nice move by Kaikkonen!
Rua seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

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.
Rua's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Kaikkonen won't allow Rua to sweep him here.
Kaikkonen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kaikkonen tries to stand but Rua is controlling from the bottom.
Kaikkonen won't allow Rua to sweep him here.
Kaikkonen trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rua's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua controlling the position.
Let's hope that Rua 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.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rua can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rua looks gassed!
Kaikkonen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rua is proving hard to escape from.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kaikkonen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

That's four 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.
Rua misses with a double jab.
Otto Kaikkonen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rua scores with a jab to the head.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kaikkonen as he avoids it easily.
Kaikkonen slips under a jab.
Rua swats away the attempt to clinch by Kaikkonen.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rua.
Otto Kaikkonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eduardo Rua.

Kaikkonen closes the distance and clinches.
Kaikkonen using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rua has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kaikkonen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rua blocks it with crossed arms.
Kaikkonen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kaikkonen tries a knee to the head but Rua blocks it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kaikkonen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rua working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Rua gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Rua prevents Kaikkonen from standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eduardo Rua dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kaikkonen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Otto Kaikkonen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kaikkonen takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Rua changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kaikkonen tries to avoid it but Rua manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kaikkonen to the ground. Kaikkonen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rua goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Kaikkonen tries to clinch up but Rua circles away and keeps his distance.
Kaikkonen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Kaikkonen slaps away a takedown attempt from Rua, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kaikkonen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kaikkonen tries to clinch there but Rua circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kaikkonen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua throws a series of punches but Kaikkonen moves out of range.
The fighters circling - Kaikkonen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kaikkonen defending well as Rua loads up on a big left hand.
Rua ducks under a wild hook from Kaikkonen.
Kaikkonen moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crunch! Kaikkonen slams his shin into Rua's torso.
Kaikkonen moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Rua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kaikkonen throws a right and a left that Rua avoids nicely.
Rua keeps the fight on the outside.
Kaikkonen slaps away a takedown attempt from Rua, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Otto Kaikkonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eduardo Rua.
Kaikkonen tries to clinch up.
Kaikkonen moves in looking to clinch but Rua pushes him off.
Rua throws a shot to the body.
Kaikkonen throws a series of punches but Rua moves out of range.

Rua closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sloppy strikes there by Rua.
Rua scores with punches from side control.

Rua wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kaikkonen, who protects the arm well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Rua.
Kaikkonen is trying to get back to his feet.

Rua working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Rua lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua fails to land a wild elbow strike.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rua shoots for a takedown but Kaikkonen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kaikkonen stuffs the takedown attempt from Rua. Rua gets slowly back to his feet.
Kaikkonen tries to clinch but Rua is having none of it.
Kaikkonen tries to clinch but Rua moves out of range.
Kaikkonen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kaikkonen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rua looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Kaikkonen is looking to clinch but Rua is avoiding it.
Kaikkonen tries to clinch up.

Rua looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Kaikkonen is defending against the submission attempts here by Rua.

Rua seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Kaikkonen has recovered full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rua throwing strikes from guard but Kaikkonen blocks nicely.

Rua drops back, looking for a kneebar! Kaikkonen looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Kaikkonen looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Kaikkonen!
Kaikkonen wants to stand but Rua is controlling his arm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eduardo Rua 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! And we move into the final round!

Rua is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kaikkonen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kaikkonen walks into a straight right hand from Rua.
Kaikkonen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kaikkonen tries to clinch there but Rua circles away.

Rua darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Rua is working for a kimura but Kaikkonen is defending it quite comfortably.
Rua missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kaikkonen has one foot on Rua's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Rua looks for a takedown but Kaikkonen sprawls well.
Kaikkonen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kaikkonen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rua shoots in for a double leg but Kaikkonen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Otto Kaikkonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eduardo Rua.
Kaikkonen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kaikkonen tries to close the distance and clinch but Rua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Kaikkonen clinches with his opponent.
Rua tries for a takedown but Kaikkonen manages to get underhooks.
Kaikkonen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Kaikkonen tries to land a knee to the head but Rua blocks with his arms.
Kaikkonen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rua fails to pull guard.

Kaikkonen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rua keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Rua shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kaikkonen is trying to defend but Rua finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rua wants to work for an arm triangle but Kaikkonen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Rua working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Rua wants to take a breather but Kaikkonen is having none of it.

Rua is working for a kimura but Kaikkonen is defending it quite comfortably.
Rua lands with a punch from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua drops an elbow to the side of Kaikkonen's head.

Rua is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Rua not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rua winds up and cracks Kaikkonen with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Rua throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rua not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rua not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kaikkonen is refusing to be controlled, as Rua sits in half guard.
Rua throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Otto Kaikkonen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kaikkonen throws a right hand that Rua ducks under and follows up with a left that Rua also avoids with ease.
Eduardo Rua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rua lands a two punch combo.
A nice combination there by Rua.
Rua stalks Kaikkonen and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Kaikkonen's face. Kaikkonen staggers backwards, shaken.

Rua feints and as Kaikkonen raises his hands in defense, Rua changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rua thows a big elbow that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eduardo Rua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rua 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eduardo Rua!