PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Pasi Rantala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rehti Ladi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ladi has chosen You Will Never Walk Alone as his entrance music. Rehti Ladi told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Rantala
vs
Ladi

195 cm
27
190 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

195 cm
19
191 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Prefers standup

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pasi Rantala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rehti Ladi!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rantala connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Ladi takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Ladi feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rantala's calf.
Ladi keeps the fight on the outside.
Ladi blocks a head kick by Rantala.
Rantala ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ladi moves away.

Rantala fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ladi, pushing him back against the cage.
Ladi misses with an elbow strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ladi just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rantala's brow.
Ladi tries a knee to the head but Rantala blocks it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rantala.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ladi.
Ladi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ladi lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Ladi lands an elbow inside.
Ladi tries to land a knee to the head but Rantala blocks with his arms.
Ladi has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rantala is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rantala avoids the elbow strike from Ladi, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ladi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rantala blocks it with crossed arms.
Ladi is struggling to control the position.
Rantala avoids the elbow strike from Ladi, against the cage.
Rantala working hard to break the clinch.
Ladi lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rantala is trying to stall.
Ladi lands a body shot in the clinch.
Rantala blocks an elbow strike.
Ladi creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rantala's defenses.
Rantala blocks an elbow strike from Ladi.
Rantala blocks the elbow strike.
Ladi working aggressively here.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ladi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ladi tries to land a knee to the head but Rantala blocks with his arms.
Ladi tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rantala looking to stall.
Rantala has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Come on Ladi - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Ladi lands a damaging elbow.
Ladi wants a takedown but no success here.
Pasi Rantala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rehti Ladi.
Rantala wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ladi has him pressed against the cage.
Ladi pushes off an throws an elbow but Rantala leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rantala avoids the elbow strike from Ladi, against the cage.
Ladi throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rantala is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Rantala manages to break the clinch.
Good work by Ladi as he checks the leg kick.
Ladi tries to clinch but Rantala moves out of range.
Rantala throws a head kick that misses.
Ladi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rantala wants to clinch up but Ladi keeps it at a distance.
Rantala fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ladi manages to avoid it.
Rantala misses with a wild combination.
Ladi moves out of range of the body kick from Rantala.
A thudding body kick lands there by Rantala!
Sloppy strikes from Rantala. Those never looked like landing.
A swing and a miss from Rantala.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rantala steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Ladi. That one must have hurt.
Rantala throws the kick towards the body but Ladi avoids it.
Rantala throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ladi.
Ladi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
An inside leg kick lands from Ladi.
Ladi thumps Rantala with a low kick.
Ladi keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ladi buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ladi scores with a body shot.
Crunch! Ladi slams his shin into Rantala's torso.
Nice shot by Ladi.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rantala ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Ladi lands with a nice body kick.
Rantala is breathing heavily.

Ladi closes the distance and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rehti Ladi will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ladi ducks under a wild hook from Rantala.
Rantala fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rantala scores with a crisp jab that stopped Ladi in his tracks.
Ladi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A head kick misses from Rantala.
Rantala misses with a two punch combination.
Rantala lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Ladi cracks the inside of Rantala's front leg.
Rantala connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Ladi momentarily.
Rantala ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ladi moves away.
Ladi tries to clinch there but Rantala circles away.
Ladi moves out of range of the leg kick from Rantala.
Ladi throws a sloppy head kick and Rantala moves out of range easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ladi.
Rantala misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rantala misses with a looping right.
Ladi fakes the leg kick and cracks Rantala in the body.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Ladi in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Ladi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rantala moves away.
Rantala on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ladi.
Ladi lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rantala's sensitive parts.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rantala tries to clinch up.
Rantala scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Ladi connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Ladi lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Ladi scores with a nice body kick.
That kick from Ladi tenderised Rantala's leg. Rantala is trying to keep his angry face on.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rantala missing with a left hand there. Ladi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rantala tries to clinch but Ladi moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ladi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ladi.
Rantala is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ladi.
Ladi landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Ladi tries for a takedown but Rantala manages to get underhooks.
Rantala trying to control the position but instead, Ladi has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rantala into the cage.
A short left from Ladi.
Rantala avoids a wild elbow strike from Ladi.
Ladi drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rantala gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ladi prevents Rantala from breaking the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ladi just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rantala's brow.
Rantala blocks an elbow strike.
Ladi drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rantala pulls his leg out and moves away.
Pasi Rantala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rehti Ladi.
Ladi throws a nice outside leg kick.
Ladi connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Ladi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rantala misses with a series of wild punches.
Ladi lands a jab to the nose.
Ladi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rantala.
Ladi avoids a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Ladi.
Rantala looks for the body kick but Ladi saw that one coming.
Rantala swats away the attempt to clinch by Ladi.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ladi.
Rantala throws a low kick but Ladi moves out of range easily.
Good leg kick by Ladi there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ladi lets loose with a powerful body kick. Rantala will feel that in the morning.

Ladi has taken the fight to the clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ladi lands an elbow inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ladi has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rantala avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Ladi.
Ladi drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rantala gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ladi throws an elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rehti Ladi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Ladi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rantala.
Nice defenses there by Ladi.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ladi. That's going to slow Rantala down.
Ladi connects with a solid leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ladi. That's going to slow Rantala down.
Rantala bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Ladi's head.
Nice body kick there by Ladi.
Ladi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rantala tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ladi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ladi misses the shot to the body.
Rantala lands a slapping body shot.
Pasi Rantala is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ladi has managed to clinch.
Rantala blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ladi is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rantala pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Ladi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rantala managing to block the knees to the body from Ladi.
Ladi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rantala avoids it.
Ladi landing knees to the head.

Rantala breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rantala throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ladi tries to clinch but Rantala is having none of it.
Rantala thows a leg kick but Ladi checks it
and Ladi counters with a head kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Ladi.
Ladi fails with an attempt to clinch.
No joy there for Rantala, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rantala tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ladi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ladi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rantala.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ladi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Ladi closes the distance and clinches.
Rantala is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rehti Ladi seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rantala tries a body shot but Ladi blocks it.
Rantala tries to break free but Ladi pushes him back against the cage.
Ladi can't get the takedown.
Ladi misses with an elbow over the top.
Rantala prevents the takedown attempt.
Pasi Rantala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rehti Ladi.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ladi pushes off an throws an elbow but Rantala leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ladi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rantala avoids it.
Ladi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rantala's efforts to push away.
Rantala gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ladi.
Ladi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ladi wants a takedown but no success here.
Rantala has Ladi pressed against the cage.
Ladi working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Ladi looking to throw knees to the head but Rantala is blocking nicely.
Ladi tries to throw a body punch but Rantala avoids it by throwing Ladi back against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Ladi has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rantala avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Ladi is working for takedown but Rantala is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ladi changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rantala fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rantala throws a solid leg kick but Ladi takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Rantala.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rantala avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rantala tries to close the distance and clinch but Ladi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ladi is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rantala rather than just go for the knockout.
Ladi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ladi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ladi throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Ladi does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Ladi feints and then cracks Rantala's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rantala down.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rantala. Ladi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ladi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rantala.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rantala throws a sloppy head kick and Ladi moves out of range easily.
Rantala looks to land a right hand but Ladi moved out of range.
Pasi Rantala has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rehti Ladi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Rantala misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rehti Ladi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ladi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rehti Ladi!