PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mika Ralte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Berger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mika Ralte could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Eric Berger's chin.

Ralte
vs
Berger

190 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers standup

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 St Petersburg, Mika Ralte!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Eric Berger!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Igor Prikhodko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Berger gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Ralte's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Berger is looking to stand up but Ralte isn't so interested in that idea.

Ralte stands up and waves to Berger to follow him.
Eric Berger seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Berger gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Berger wants a takedown.

Ralte decides to pull guard.
Berger passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Berger prevents Ralte from escaping the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Berger 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.
Berger has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ralte gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ralte wants to improve his position but Berger is controlling well.
Berger throwing shots but Ralte is blocking nicely.
Berger tries to stand but can't do so whilst Ralte controls his leg.
Berger looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Ralte avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Berger.
Berger thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ralte wants to control but Berger is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Berger trying to advance position but Ralte counters by regaining guard.
Berger preventing the sweep.
Ralte seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ralte avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Berger preventing the sweep.
Ralte is breathing heavily.

Berger stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Berger tries to close the distance and clinch but Ralte swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Berger rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ralte moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
No luck for Ralte with that takedown attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Berger throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Berger misses with a combination
and Berger takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Berger misses with a two punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ralte misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ralte fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ralte throws a head kick but Berger moves out of range.
Berger will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Berger wants to clinch.
Berger wants to clinch.
Berger wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ralte shoots in for a takedown but Berger shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mika Ralte. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Berger fails in his attempt to clinch.
Berger tries to clinch up.
Berger wants to clinch up but Ralte keeps it at a distance.
Ralte fails to land the takedown.
Berger displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Berger throws a right hand that Ralte ducks under and follows up with a left that Ralte also avoids with ease.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Berger has taken the fight to the clinch.

Ralte jumps guard and drags Berger to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Berger decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Ralte, up you get!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Eric Berger will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Berger instigates a clinch.
Berger tries to break free but Ralte pushes him back against the cage.
Ralte slows down the pace here.
Ralte lands a body shot in the clinch.
Ralte lands a nice uppercut.
A bit of stalling here from Ralte.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Berger has eaten all the pies!
Berger drops down looking for an ankle pick but Ralte pulls his leg out and moves away.

Berger instigates a clinch.
Berger prevents the takedown attempt.
Berger is breathing heavily.

Ralte's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ralte fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Berger avoids it really well and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Berger looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ralte tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Berger swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mika Ralte. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Berger tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Berger tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ralte manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ralte tries to clinch there but Berger circles away.
Berger fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Berger wants to clinch.
Berger throws a series of punches but Ralte moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berger rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ralte moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A combination from Berger does no damage.
Ralte throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Berger's head.
Ralte throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ralte.

Ralte is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Berger knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Mika Ralte overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Berger parries the strikes from Ralte easily there. Ralte is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Berger to escape.
Berger wants to control but Ralte postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ralte wants to control but Berger is keeping him busy.
Berger is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Ralte's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Ralte is trying to control the action in half guard but Berger is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Berger wants to get back to his feet.
Ralte stalling.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Ralte is looking to advance position but Berger won't allow it.
Ralte is looking to take a break and control but Berger is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ralte trying to mount his opponent but Berger defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Mika Ralte wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Berger tries to clinch up but Ralte circles away and keeps his distance.
Berger moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Berger leaves Ralte with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Mika Ralte is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Berger pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Ralte back to the cage. Berger follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Ralte is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Eric Berger seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A swing and a miss from Ralte.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Berger throws a right hand that Ralte ducks under and follows up with a left that Ralte also avoids with ease.
Berger tries to clinch but Ralte moves away

and Ralte counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ralte.
Berger has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ralte is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mika Ralte dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Ralte shoots in for a takedown but Berger shows good takedown defense.
Berger throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Berger lands a jab-cross combination.
Berger tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ralte paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Berger slaps away a takedown attempt from Ralte, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Berger misses with a two punch combination.
Berger tries to clinch up but Ralte circles away and keeps his distance.
Ralte throws a sloppy head kick
and Berger counters with a stiff right hand.
Berger avoids a kick to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice sprawl there from Berger as Ralte shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mika Ralte. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Berger throws a nice looking combination but Ralte bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Berger looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ralte looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Berger is fending him off so far but Ralte persists. Nope, Berger circles away and we're back to standing.
Berger misses with a few strikes there.
Berger misses with a double jab.
Ralte swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ralte shoots for a takedown but Berger saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Berger misses with a jab, cross combination.
Berger fails to land with a series of punches.
Eric Berger is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Berger tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ralte paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ralte circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ralte is trying hard to land a takedown here. Berger sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Berger throws a right hand that Ralte ducks under and follows up with a left that Ralte also avoids with ease.
Berger tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ralte paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ralte tries to clinch there but Berger circles away.
A punch combination from Ralte misses.
Berger lands a lovely overhand right.
Berger moves in looking to clinch but Ralte pushes him off.
Ralte shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Berger as he avoids it easily.
Berger lands a jab-cross combination.
Ralte throws a leg kick but Berger moved away.
Ralte throws a head kick that Berger semi-blocks.
Ralte tries to close the distance and clinch but Berger swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Berger clinches.
Berger is trying to break the clinch but Ralte has him pressed against the cage.
Berger tries to pull guard but Ralte won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berger fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Ralte breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ralte shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Berger is trying to defend but Ralte finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Berger is looking to control Ralte's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Berger avoid being mounted?
Ralte wants to take a breather but Berger is having none of it.
Berger is trying to stand.
Ralte wants to take a breather but Berger is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Berger is looking to clinch.
Ralte looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Berger misses with a few strikes there.
Some wild striking there from Ralte.
Berger tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ralte manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ralte shoots for a double leg takedown but Berger sprawls well. He's pushed Ralte's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Berger lands the left hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Berger misses with a double jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice body punch from Ralte.
Ralte is trying hard to land a takedown here. Berger sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Berger comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Berger has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Berger!