PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Juha Ruisniemi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Blake McThai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ruisniemi comes to the cage accompanied by Eminem: Cleanin' Out My Closet. Juha Ruisniemi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ruisniemi
vs
McThai

187 cm
18
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
20
212 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
World class MT
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juha Ruisniemi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Blake McThai!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ruisniemi shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ruisniemi showed some decent athleticism there.
The fighters are battling for position here. McThai manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
McThai seems keen to control Ruisniemi's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Blake McThai has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Ruisniemi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with McThai, pushing him back against the cage.
McThai wants to stall.

Ruisniemi works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Ruisniemi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as McThai holds on and takes a little breather.
McThai keeping moving, preventing Ruisniemi from controlling successfully.
McThai is pulling down on Ruisniemi's head. It's preventing any offense from Ruisniemi, at least for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Juha Ruisniemi wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
McThai buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Ruisniemi closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Ruisniemi lands in his opponent's guard.
McThai pulls Ruisniemi in to control the position.
Let's hope that McThai 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.
McThai keeping moving, preventing Ruisniemi from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ruisniemi looking to score a takedown here. McThai is defending well but Ruisniemi drives through and ends up in McThai's guard.
McThai pulls Ruisniemi in to control the position.
Ruisniemi trying to control but McThai is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nice body punch from Ruisniemi.
McThai is looking to score with low kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McThai throws a leg kick

and Ruisniemi holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
McThai taking a breather.
McThai is struggling to control the position.
McThai is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Blake McThai.
Ruisniemi wants to clinch.
Ruisniemi takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
McThai throws a leg kick but Ruisniemi sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Ruisniemi shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in McThai's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juha Ruisniemi dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

McThai will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Ruisniemi closes the distance looking to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Ruisniemi throws a body punch but McThai moves out of range.
McThai walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Ruisniemi checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
McThai throws a solid leg kick but Ruisniemi takes the impact on his shin and smiles at McThai.
McThai throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Ruisniemi drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ruisniemi trying to control the action but McThai is working from the bottom.
McThai manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's one minute gone in the round.

McThai decides to return to a standing position.

Ruisniemi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
McThai gets full guard.
McThai has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Ruisniemi trying to control but McThai is working from the bottom.
Ruisniemi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McThai throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
McThai pulls Ruisniemi in to control the position.
McThai throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Ruisniemi is looking to stand up but McThai won't let him.
Ruisniemi being controlled here momentarily.
Ruisniemi wants to pass the guard but McThai is keeping the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ruisniemi misses with an uppercut. McThai saw that one coming.

McThai gets tackled into the cage by Ruisniemi. Ruisniemi maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McThai is struggling to control the position.
Ruisniemi is trying to break the clinch but McThai is controlling him.

Ruisniemi tightens his grip and picks McThai up, before dumping him to the ground. McThai manages to land in guard.
McThai is pulling down on Ruisniemi's head to control his posture.
Ruisniemi wants to control from the top but McThai keeps moving.
McThai doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
McThai managing to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Juha Ruisniemi.

Ruisniemi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Ruisniemi is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
McThai has Ruisniemi pulled in close to control his posture.
Ruisniemi looking to pass the guard.
McThai wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juha Ruisniemi dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A low kick from McThai is predictable there

and Ruisniemi counters by moving into the clinch.
Ruisniemi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ruisniemi is looking to break free of the clinch but McThai has double underhooks.
Ruisniemi has McThai pressed against the cage, preventing McThai from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ruisniemi being controlled against the cage.

Ruisniemi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from McThai lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Ruisniemi has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Ruisniemi and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
McThai tries a low kick but Ruisniemi avoids it.
Ruisniemi wants to clinch
and McThai counters with an inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ruisniemi.
McThai holds on to Ruisniemi's head and controls the position momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ruisniemi swings around for an armbar but McThai sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Ruisniemi's guard.

McThai decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Ruisniemi, up you get!
Juha Ruisniemi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McThai fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Ruisniemi is out of range.

Ruisniemi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
McThai managing to control the position.
McThai will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
McThai trying to control the position here.
Ruisniemi trying to control the position from guard on top but McThai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McThai controlling the position.

Juha Ruisniemi has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ruisniemi checks a low kick from McThai.
Ruisniemi tries to clinch there but McThai circles away.
Ruisniemi tries to clinch there but McThai circles away.

Ruisniemi throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. McThai was covering up waiting for the punch and Ruisniemi finishes the takedown easily into guard.
McThai throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McThai is pulling down on Ruisniemi's head to control his posture.
McThai's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Ruisniemi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
McThai tries to work over Ruisniemi's front leg with a kick but Ruisniemi checks it.
Blake McThai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A leg kick checked by Ruisniemi.
McThai will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

That's four 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.

Ruisniemi shoots in and gets a takedown into McThai's guard.
McThai throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
McThai controlling the position.
McThai keeping moving, preventing Ruisniemi from controlling successfully.
McThai is controlling Ruisniemi's posture.
McThai doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
McThai tries to strike from the bottom.
McThai managing to control the position.
Blake McThai has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Juha Ruisniemi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Juha Ruisniemi.
Ruisniemi tries to clinch but McThai moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juha Ruisniemi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ruisniemi, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juha Ruisniemi!