PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Valdemar Rantakoko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wempula Waara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wempula Waara will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Rantakoko
vs
Waara

175 cm
21
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
22
170 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Valdemar Rantakoko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Wempula Waara!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rantakoko connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Waara looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Rantakoko tries to clinch but Waara is having none of it.
Rantakoko throws a shot from downtown. Waara moves away and avoids it.
Rantakoko throws a nice looking combination but Waara bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Rantakoko closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rantakoko leaning his opponent against the cage.
Rantakoko lands a shoulder strike.

Waara has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Rantakoko clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Rantakoko just trying to survive but Waara is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Waara is trying to stick to Rantakoko's back but Rantakoko is turning into Waara. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Waara's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Rantakoko.

Rantakoko is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rantakoko lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rantakoko wants to control from the top but Waara keeps moving.

Waara throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Waara looking for a sweep. Not yet Waara, not yet.

Waara looking for a guillotine here but Rantakoko defends easily.
Rantakoko scoring with punches to the head and body.
Waara keeping full guard, as Rantakoko tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Waara bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rantakoko's guard.
Rantakoko pulls Waara in close to prevent any damage.
Rantakoko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Waara is one step ahead there.
Rantakoko wants to stand and escape but Waara is having none of it.
Rantakoko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Waara is one step ahead there.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Waara slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Waara is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rantakoko knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Waara in the domination position with Rantakoko hanging on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rantakoko is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Waara's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Rantakoko is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Waara's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Waara's back!
Waara breaks Rantakoko's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Rantakoko working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Waara has passed into half guard!
Waara wants to pass to mount but Rantakoko is defending the position.
Waara is thwarting Rantakoko's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rantakoko tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Rantakoko gets back to full guard.
Rantakoko throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Waara pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rantakoko is keeping the position for now.
Rantakoko is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Rantakoko striking from the bottom here.
Rantakoko looking to control.
Rantakoko looking to hit a scissor sweep but Waara is one step ahead there.
Waara trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wempula Waara dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rantakoko scores with a jab.

Rantakoko drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Waara's face as Rantakoko controls the position.
Rantakoko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Waara keeps working.
An elbow from Rantakoko crashes against the mat.
Waara is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Rantakoko's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Rantakoko works his way into side control.
Waara is breathing heavily.
Rantakoko scoring with punches and elbows.

Rantakoko has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Rantakoko looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Waara!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waara is desperately trying to improve his position but Rantakoko has a good base and remains in mount.
Rantakoko in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Waara wants to hold on but Rantakoko pushes him away.
Rantakoko looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rantakoko tries to control but Waara wriggling away.
Rantakoko prevents Waara from getting the reversal.
Waara tries to buck Rantakoko off but he can't manage it.
Rantakoko lands a big shot there that rocks Waara but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

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.
The referee warns Waara that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Waara is rocked!
Rantakoko looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Waara covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:23 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Valdemar Rantakoko!