PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Niko Saarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aaron Raysor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Saarinen
vs
Raysor

188 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
190 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Determined

Attliction

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niko Saarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aaron Raysor!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saarinen throws a head kick that half lands.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Saarinen.

Saarinen has closed the distance and engaged Raysor in a clinch.
Raysor misses with a knee strike.
Raysor crunches a lovely knee into Saarinen's ribcage.

Saarinen has hold of one of Raysor's legs. Raysor is fighting the takedown attempt but Saarinen gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Raysor trying to control the position.

Raysor looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Raysor working a defensive guard here.
Saarinen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raysor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Saarinen.
Raysor working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saarinen is stalling in the full guard.
Saarinen's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Raysor tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Saarinen sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Saarinen throws and elbow that misses. Raysor uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Saarinen's guard. Nice move by Raysor!
Raysor preventing the sweep.
Raysor trying to control but Saarinen is working from the bottom.
Saarinen controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raysor would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Saarinen manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Saarinen darts in and clinches Raysor up against the cage.
Saarinen misses with a knee to the head.

Saarinen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Raysor uses from the top position.
Saarinen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Saarinen throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Saarinen managing to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raysor preventing the sweep.
Saarinen is breathing heavily.

Saarinen has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Raysor off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Saarinen tries a head kick but it misses.
Saarinen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Saarinen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saarinen tries to clinch but Raysor moves out of range.
Raysor fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Raysor tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Saarinen throws a sloppy head kick
and Raysor counters with a nice low kick that buckles Saarinen's knee momentarily.
Saarinen shoots in but Raysor avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Saarinen looks for a takedown but Raysor sprawls well.
Raysor misses with an uppercut.
Saarinen misses with a few strikes there.
Niko Saarinen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saarinen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Niko Saarinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raysor lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Raysor doesn't manage to clinch there - Saarinen circles away.
Raysor tries a head kick but it misses.
Saarinen is looking to clinch but Raysor is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raysor swings for the body but Saarinen moves out of range.
Niko Saarinen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saarinen fails to land the takedown.
Raysor throws a head kick but Saarinen moves out of range.
Raysor tries to close the distance and clinch but Saarinen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Raysor throws a head kick but Saarinen moves out of range.
Raysor keeps the fight on the outside.
Raysor doesn't manage to clinch there - Saarinen circles away.
Raysor throws a head kick that misses

and Saarinen counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Raysor's guard now.
Raysor not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Raysor looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raysor looking to control but Saarinen passes into half guard.
Raysor slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Raysor trying to keep a closed guard but Saarinen is proving a slippery customer.
Saarinen looking to pass the guard.

Saarinen gets to his feet. Raysor looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Raysor tries to keep at a distance but Saarinen has taken the fight into the clinch.
Raysor with a knee to the head.
Raysor wants to stall.
Raysor unloads a knee to the mid-section. Saarinen lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Saarinen jumps guard but Raysor stands there with Saarinen around his waist. Saarinen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Raysor is trying to maintain a safe position but Saarinen gets an underhook and turns Raysor into the cage.
Raysor lands a knee to the body.
A knee to the head by Raysor.

It looks like Niko Saarinen has been cut.
Raysor connects with a knee to the head.

Saarinen is rocked!
Saarinen trying to stall but Raysor improves his position.
Raysor is trying to maintain a safe position but Saarinen gets an underhook and turns Raysor into the cage.
Raysor tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Saarinen looking to throw knees to the head but Raysor is blocking nicely.

Saarinen has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Raysor clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Saarinen controlling from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Saarinen is working for the choke. I would put my money on him to finish from this position. He's rolled onto his back and has dragged Raysor with him. Raysor is trying to defend but Saarinen has an arm under the chin now! Raysor grimaces and is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Niko Saarinen!