PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Toni Rajamaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rajamaki has chosen Absolute Monster as his entrance music. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Gracie
vs
Rajamaki

191 cm
30
186 lbs
20 - 16 - 0

176 cm
35
174 lbs
18 - 7 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

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 20 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ryan Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Toni Rajamaki!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Russell Pearce and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie misses with a series of wild punches.
Gracie paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Rajamaki takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Gracie throws a combination that misses
and Rajamaki cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rajamaki tries a head kick but it misses.
Gracie sizes up Rajamaki with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gracie takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Gracie looks for the body kick but Rajamaki saw that one coming.
Gracie throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rajamaki.
Rajamaki leaves Gracie with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Rajamaki looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Gracie throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Rajamaki.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rajamaki wants to clinch.
Gracie is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Rajamaki fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Rajamaki closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Gracie fails with the takedown

and Rajamaki holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rajamaki's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rajamaki lands a head kick!
Rajamaki has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Gracie finds it's way round the side to connect with Rajamaki's head.
Gracie misses with a right hand
and Rajamaki counters with a good low kick that Gracie was not able to check.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rajamaki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rajamaki throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

It looks like Ryan Gracie has been cut.
Ryan Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie misses with a hook to the body

and Rajamaki counters by moving into the clinch.
Rajamaki is trying to break free.
Gracie managing to block the knees to the body from Rajamaki.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rajamaki wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rajamaki looking to throw knees to the head but Gracie is blocking nicely.
Rajamaki looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Gracie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Rajamaki is just out of range.
A big left from Gracie misses.

Gracie changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rajamaki looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Gracie misses with the ground and pound.
Gracie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rajamaki is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.
Gracie misses with the ground and pound.
Rajamaki is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie tries for a kimura but Rajamaki is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rajamaki is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Gracie off and has taken his back!
Rajamaki throwing sloppy strikes.
Gracie trying to control the position but Rajamaki manages to sink in the hooks.
Gracie manages to reverse the position and now he's in Rajamaki's guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Rajamaki keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rajamaki looking to control.
Rajamaki is controlling Gracie's posture.

Rajamaki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gracie passes Rajamaki's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rajamaki is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rajamaki is trying to control but can't.
Gracie passes to side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie cracks Rajamaki with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Rajamaki is trying to buck Gracie off.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rajamaki has escaped the position, nice work there.
Gracie is staying tight to Rajamaki's torso, preventing him from escaping.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Gracie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rajamaki knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ryan Gracie will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ryan Gracie's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rajamaki fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie lands a right hook to the body.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Rajamaki.
Gracie misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rajamaki moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Decent striking displayed by Gracie there.
Gracie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Gracie is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Gracie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rajamaki circles away quickly and effectively.
Rajamaki shoots in but Gracie avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rajamaki ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rajamaki is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Rajamaki circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Rajamaki shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Gracie is trying to defend but Rajamaki finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rajamaki thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gracie's head.
Gracie is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rajamaki's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rajamaki's back!
Rajamaki breaks Gracie's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Rajamaki loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rajamaki sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gracie's guard.
Rajamaki moves nicely into side control.
Rajamaki working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rajamaki with the ground and pound but Gracie regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rajamaki throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gracie manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gracie holds on and takes a little breather.

Rajamaki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rajamaki postures up in Gracie's guard and throws a big left but Gracie blocks it.
Rajamaki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rajamaki wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Rajamaki postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Ryan Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gracie preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Rajamaki decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rajamaki sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rajamaki moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.

Rajamaki has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rajamaki keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gracie's efforts to push away.
Rajamaki tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracie just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ryan Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Toni Rajamaki.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rajamaki has him pressed against the cage.
Rajamaki tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracie just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rajamaki prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rajamaki has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Rajamaki manages to break the clinch.

Gracie drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rajamaki is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.
Rajamaki wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toni Rajamaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ryan Gracie's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Gracie misses with a body shot.
Rajamaki fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Rajamaki fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gracie avoids it really well and circles away.
Gracie misses with a wild combination.
Gracie's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Gracie duly obliges.

Rajamaki drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Rajamaki has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Gracie!
Rajamaki lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie regains half guard.
Gracie is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rajamaki thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gracie's head.
Rajamaki sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gracie defending well though.

Rajamaki is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Rajamaki is looking for a kimura here.
Rajamaki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gracie manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rajamaki trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie looking to control.
Rajamaki keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gracie's head.
Rajamaki pushing down on Gracie's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Gracie has hold of Rajamaki's hands but Rajamaki slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Gracie keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rajamaki working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Gracie's thigh. Gracie counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Rajamaki trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rajamaki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rajamaki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rajamaki stands and throws Gracie's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Gracie is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Gracie gets back to full guard.
Rajamaki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rajamaki wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Rajamaki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rajamaki throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rajamaki loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Gracie pushes Rajamaki off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Rajamaki is looking to clinch.
Gracie thows a body shot but no joy.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Rajamaki.
Rajamaki doesn't manage to clinch there - Gracie circles away.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Gracie dives in and scores a takedown into Rajamaki's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rajamaki is pulling down on Gracie's head. It's preventing any offense from Gracie, at least for the moment.

Rajamaki working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gracie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gracie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

And that's the end of the fight!
Toni Rajamaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rajamaki 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Toni Rajamaki!
A relieved looking Toni Rajamaki thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.