PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ej Balingit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pertti Rauta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Rauta's choice of entrance music: Frederik - Harva Meistä On Rautaa. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Balingit
vs
Rauta

205 cm
33
290 lbs
31 - 12 - 0

192 cm
36
264 lbs
31 - 20 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Hardcore Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 31 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ej Balingit!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pertti Rauta!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rauta ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Balingit keeps the fight on the outside.

Balingit clinches.

Rauta breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Balingit clinches up with Rauta and pushes him back against the cage.
The referee calls for Rauta to work.
Still in the clinch, Balingit scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rauta misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rauta unloads a knee to the mid-section. Balingit lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rauta is trying to push Balingit away but Balingit has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Balingit tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rauta misses with a body punch.
Rauta misses with a knee to the head.
A right hand to the body from Balingit.
Rauta lands an uppercut.
Balingit lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Pertti Rauta has been cut.
Rauta landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Balingit is breathing heavily.
Rauta misses with an elbow over the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rauta trying to land knees to the body.
Balingit connects with a knee to the head.
Balingit content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Rauta landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
A left hand lands to the body for Rauta.
Balingit takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Ej Balingit has been cut.
Balingit doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rauta with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Balingit misses with a body punch.
Balingit throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rauta has Balingit pressed against the cage.
Rauta is looking to control Balingit's arms but Balingit gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rauta has his back to the cage.
Balingit scores with a shoulder strike.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Balingit misses with a hook to the ribs.
Balingit using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rauta has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Balingit.
Rauta lands a hook that snaps the head of Balingit backwards.
Balingit goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rauta lands a good knee to the midsection. Balingit won't want to take too many of those.
Rauta is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Balingit is defending well for now.
Balingit with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rauta lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rauta tries to land knees in the clinch but Balingit avoids the damage to the body.
Rauta tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Balingit controlling the action here for a moment.
Rauta struggles to land a body shot inside as Balingit controls his hands.
Rauta trying to land knees to the body.
Balingit connects with a knee to the head.
Balingit blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rauta putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Balingit in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Rauta breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balingit jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Balingit checks a leg kick.

Rauta drives through and clinches with Balingit against the cage.
Balingit tries to throw a body punch but Rauta avoids it by throwing Balingit back against the cage.
Balingit goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rauta taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Rauta trying to stall but Balingit improves his position.
Rauta scores with a hook to the body.
Rauta landing knees to the body.
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!
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Rauta takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Good body shot from Rauta.
Rauta stalling.
Rauta lands a good knee to the midsection. Balingit won't want to take too many of those.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rauta.
Rauta throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rauta unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Rauta tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Balingit avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balingit with a knee to the head.
Rauta lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Balingit tries to stall but Rauta uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Rauta gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rauta lands a hook that snaps the head of Balingit backwards.
Balingit takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rauta misses with a punch to the body.
Balingit misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Rauta breaks the clinch.
Rauta getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Ej Balingit's cut is getting worse.
Balingit scores with a body shot.
Rauta tries to clinch up.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rauta thuds a left hand into Balingit's body.
Balingit thows a body shot but no joy.
Rauta tests Balingit's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Rauta clinches up with Balingit and pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pertti Rauta dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Balingit misses with a wild body shot.
Balingit takes a swing at Rauta's ribcage but misses.
Rauta lands a head shot.
Rauta has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A swing and a miss from Rauta.
Rauta lands with a good body shot.
Balingit blocks the body kick.
Rauta connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rauta tries to clinch up.
Rauta throws a leg kick which misses Balingit's front leg but catches the back leg as Balingit tries to avoid it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rauta works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Balingit steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Rauta. That one must have hurt.
Rauta connects with a leg kick. Balingit looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Rauta throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rauta is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Balingit takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Balingit tries to work over Rauta's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rauta lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Rauta tries a knee to the head but Balingit blocks it.
Balingit letting Rauta take a breather here.
Rauta lands a shot to the body.
Rauta will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Balingit up against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Rauta.
Rauta tries to land a knee to the head but Balingit blocks with his arms.
Come on Rauta - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balingit stalling in the clinch but Rauta improves position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balingit tries a knee to the head but Rauta blocks it.
Balingit tries to throw a body punch but Rauta avoids it by throwing Balingit back against the cage.
Pertti Rauta seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rauta on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Balingit takes an elbow to the temple.

Ej Balingit's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Rauta lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rauta lands an elbow inside.
Balingit swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rauta managing to block the knees to the body from Balingit.
Rauta pushes off an throws an elbow but Balingit leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Rauta putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Balingit in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rauta crunches a lovely knee into Balingit's ribcage.
Rauta taking a breather.
Still in the clinch, Rauta scores with a nice short uppercut.
Balingit landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Balingit misses with a body punch.
Rauta using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rauta taking a breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Balingit.
Rauta lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rauta can't find room to land a body shot as Balingit controls the action.
The referee calls for Rauta to work.
Balingit lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Rauta.
Rauta stalling against the cage.
Balingit is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rauta is defending well for now.
Rauta unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Rauta is struggling to control the position.
A hook to the body from Rauta.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rauta lands a knee to the body.
Rauta slows down the pace here.
Rauta tries to land knees in the clinch but Balingit avoids the damage to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rauta is leaning against Balingit and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rauta is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rauta can't find room to land a body shot as Balingit controls the action.
Rauta with a knee to the head.

Jeez, Ej Balingit's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Balingit working aggressively here.
Balingit is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rauta is defending well for now.
Rauta lands an elbow just above Balingit 's eye.
Rauta pushes Balingit back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rauta with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Balingit managing to block the knees to the body from Rauta.
Balingit misses with a knee to the head.
Balingit wants to stall.
Balingit with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pertti Rauta showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Balingit pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Balingit avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Balingit misses with a hook.
Balingit throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Balingit lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Rauta throws out a powerful jab.
Balingit misses with a straight left.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Balingit swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rauta lands a big head kick that sends Balingit tumbling to the mat! Rauta takes a step backwards and waves Balingit back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Balingit is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rauta lands a jab to Balingit's midsection.
Oh Balingit is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rauta moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rauta cracks Balingit on the jaw with a powerful right hand and Balingit falls backwards against the cage. Rauta follows up with more strikes that drop Balingit to his knees. Rauta keeps the pressure on and the referee jumps in to save Balingit! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Pertti Rauta!
After winning the bout, Pertti Rauta thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.