PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Wazz Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arvi Rausku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rausku has chosen Notkea Rotta - Taas Lähtee Taju as his entrance music. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Silva
vs
Rausku

188 cm
28
201 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

182 cm
29
190 lbs
9 - 14 - 1

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Wazz Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Arvi Rausku!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rausku shoots in for a double leg but Silva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rausku misses with a takedown
and Silva counters with a slapping leg kick.
Rausku fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Wazz Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arvi Rausku.
Rausku closes this distance looking for a takedown but Silva circles away.
Rausku with a poor takedown
and Silva counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rausku is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Rausku shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rausku looks gassed!
Silva lands a high kick!

It looks like Arvi Rausku has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rausku has a takedown stuffed.
Rausku takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Silva feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rausku's calf.
Silva throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Rausku on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Silva connects with a solid leg kick.

Silva moves into the clinch.
Silva using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Silva obliges.
Silva scores a nice knee to the body.
Rausku is trying desperately to land a takedown but Silva is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Rausku.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Silva manages to break the clinch.
Silva lands with a kick to the temple. Rausku shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Rausku manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Silva on his heels. He'll look to pass Silva's guard now, I'm sure.
Silva wants to stand up but Rausku is controlling him.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rausku preventing the sweep.
Rausku wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Silva has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Silva stuffs the takedown attempt from Rausku. Rausku gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rausku scores with a three punch combo!
Silva fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Rausku throws a right and a left that both miss.

Rausku shoots in and gets a takedown into Silva's guard.
Rausku prevents Silva from getting back to his feet.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Rausku throwing strikes but missing.
Rausku won't allow Silva to sweep him here.
Rausku stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rausku working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rausku postures up.
Rausku stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Wazz Silva.
Rausku shoots for a takedown but Silva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Silva stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Silva wants it to stay on the feet.
Rausku shoots in looking for a takedown. Silva tries to sprawl out of it but Rausku keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Silva manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rausku steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Silva. That one must have hurt.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses Rausku's front leg but catches the back leg as Rausku tries to avoid it.

Silva closes the distance and pushes Rausku back into the cage.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva lands a high kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Rausku takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Silva feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rausku's calf.
Silva lands with a thumping leg kick.
Silva fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rausku has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Silva feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rausku's calf.
Rausku on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Silva fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rausku has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Silva lands with a kick to the temple. Rausku shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Silva moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Silva pushes Rausku up against the cage in a clinch.
Rausku takes a knee right on the jaw!
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Silva pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rausku throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rausku's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Rausku takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wazz Silva dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Arvi Rausku's cut.
That's time! Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rausku closes this distance looking for a takedown but Silva circles away.

Rausku looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rausku won't allow Silva to get back to his feet.
Rausku postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rausku stops Silva from standing up.
Rausku is working Silva over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Silva is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Rausku is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Silva is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Silva has escaped and now he's on top!
Silva prevents Rausku from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rausku, up you get!
Rausku shoots in for a double leg but Silva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Silva is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rausku can do to turn this around?
Silva throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Rausku changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Silva tries to avoid it but Rausku manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Silva to the ground. Silva escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Wazz Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arvi Rausku.
Silva stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Silva wants it to stay on the feet.
Arvi Rausku seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Silva throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rausku's head.
Silva feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rausku's calf.
Rausku fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Silva lands a nice looking body kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rausku shoots in for a double leg but Silva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rausku steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Silva. That one must have hurt.
A solid leg kick lands there for Silva.
Silva connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses Rausku's front leg but catches the back leg as Rausku tries to avoid it.
Silva connects with a leg kick. Rausku looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Rausku fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Silva pushes Rausku up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rausku in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Silva landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Silva.
Silva lands a knee to the body.
Nice body punch from Silva.
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
Silva connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rausku's face.
Silva landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rausku is looking for a takedown.
Knees in the clinch landing for Silva.

Silva breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva stuffs the takedown.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rausku.
Silva plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Rausku fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Silva avoids it really well and circles away.
Silva moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rausku shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rausku takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Rausku shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Silva but Silva pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Silva connects with an inside leg kick.
Rausku takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rausku shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Silva but Silva pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Silva dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Silva lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rausku's sensitive parts.
Silva lands a nice looking kick to the body. Rausku takes a step back to recover.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rausku shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Silva scores with a head kick.
Wazz Silva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rausku throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silva tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rausku manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Silva is looking to clinch.
Wazz Silva is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rausku shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Silva as he jumps to the side.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses Rausku's front leg but catches the back leg as Rausku tries to avoid it.
Silva throws a quick inside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wazz Silva dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Arvi Rausku's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rausku doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Silva finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rausku is defended easily by Silva.
Nice body kick from Silva.

Silva has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rausku is looking for a takedown.
Wazz Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arvi Rausku.
Silva digs a right hand underneath Rausku's ribcage. Rausku let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rausku misses with a takedown attempt
and Silva counters with a head kick. That will keep Rausku thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rausku takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rausku takes a head kick and keeps coming.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rausku takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rausku takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva leaves Rausku with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rausku's head.
Rausku with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Nice sprawl there from Silva as Rausku shoots in.
Rausku fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rausku has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Silva.
Rausku has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Silva.
A good leg kick by Silva.
Rausku fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Arvi Rausku is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva scores with a leg kick.

Silva darts in and clinches Rausku up against the cage.
Silva lands a nice knee to the body.
Silva utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Silva lands a knee to the head.
Arvi Rausku has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands a body shot.
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!
Silva landing knees to the head.
Silva gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rausku.
Rausku can't get the takedown.
Wazz Silva has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Silva lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Rausku wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rausku is working for takedown but Silva is calmly controlling the position for now.
Silva landing knees to the head.
Rausku drops down looking for an ankle pick but Silva pulls his leg out and moves away.
Silva scores with a kick to the body.
Silva lands a leg kick that knocks Rausku off balance momentarily.

Silva clinches with his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Silva stops a takedown attempt from Rausku.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Silva obliges.
A knee to the head by Silva.
Silva lands a nice knee to the body.
Rausku has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Silva is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Knees to the body from Silva.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rausku shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Silva pinned against the cage. Silva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Silva lands a head kick. Rausku smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rausku swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rausku.
Rausku working the head with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Rausku throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Silva on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Silva tries to get out of the position.
Silva pushes Rausku away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Rausku gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Rausku tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rausku has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Rausku tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Silva is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

And that's the end of the fight!
Wazz Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Silva, 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wazz Silva!