PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Icaro Asas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raimo Tuomela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Asas
vs
Tuomela

196 cm
34
198 lbs
14 - 16 - 0

184 cm
36
196 lbs
24 - 16 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 14 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Icaro Asas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raimo Tuomela!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Seu Braga and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tuomela throws a nice looking combination but Asas bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Asas gets a double leg takedown into Tuomela's guard.
Asas keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Tuomela's head.
Asas in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tuomela trying to control the position here.
Asas is working Tuomela over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Asas 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.
Asas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Asas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tuomela works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Asas throws an elbow that misses. Tuomela uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Asas's guard. Nice move by Tuomela!
Tuomela won't allow Asas to sweep him here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Asas looking to control.
Asas is adopting a defensive guard.
Asas doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Tuomela is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Asas throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asas trying to keep a closed guard but Tuomela is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Tuomela misses with a looping left.

Asas has taken the fight to the clinch.
Tuomela is trying to push Asas away but Asas has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Tuomela is trying to break the clinch but Asas has him pressed against the cage.

Tuomela breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tuomela blocks a leg kick.
Tuomela throws a hook but Asas blocks it.
Tuomela throws a series of punches but Asas moves out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Tuomela as Asas shoots in.
Asas feints a jab promting Tuomela to slip. Asas then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Tuomela slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tuomela tries to keep at a distance but Asas has taken the fight into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tuomela wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Asas has him pressed against the cage.

Asas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Asas misses with a takedown attempt
and Tuomela counters with a nice uppercut.
Asas tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tuomela swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Asas looks for a takedown but Tuomela sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Icaro Asas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Asas swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tuomela ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Asas takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Asas shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Asas was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Tuomela tries to buck Asas off but Asas is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You can see the frustration on Tuomela's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Asas is trying to get an arm triangle but Tuomela is defending well.
Asas working the ground and pound but Tuomela is defending the strikes.
Asas tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Tuomela tries to buck Asas off but Asas is having none of it.
Asas working the ground and pound but Tuomela is defending the strikes.
Tuomela really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Asas. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Asas throws a strike aimed at the side of Tuomela's head but Tuomela avoids it well.
Tuomela dodges the ground and pound from Asas.
Asas wants to control but Tuomela is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Tuomela's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tuomela tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Asas wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Asas grinds an elbow into Tuomela's temple.
Sloppy strikes there by Asas.
Asas cracks Tuomela with a big elbow.
Asas connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Tuomela some visible discomfort.
Tuomela taking punishment in the form of punches.

Asas wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Tuomela, who protects the arm well.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Asas grinds an elbow into Tuomela's temple.
Asas working the ground and pound but Tuomela is defending the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Icaro Asas dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Asas looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tuomela is fending him off so far but Asas persists. Nope, Tuomela circles away and we're back to standing.
Asas tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Tuomela manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Asas showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tuomela.
Tuomela throws an overhand right that lands on Asas's shoulder, as Asas tries to avoid the shot.
Tuomela throws a combination that misses
and Asas counters with a straight right hand.
Tuomela defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Asas.
Asas shoots in looking for a takedown but Tuomela manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Asas's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Icaro Asas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Asas is looking to clinch.
Tuomela stuffs the takedown.
Asas shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tuomela defends it nicely.
Icaro Asas is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuomela throws out a loose jab but Asas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Raimo Tuomela is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A punch combination from Tuomela misses.
Icaro Asas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tuomela throws a nice looking combination but Asas bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Asas tries to clinch but Tuomela is having none of it.
Asas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tuomela throws a head kick but Asas moves out of range.
Tuomela swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tuomela stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Tuomela wants it to stay on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asas tries to clinch up
and Tuomela counters with a three punch combo that has Asas backing up. Asas nods at Tuomela to acknowledge the strikes.
The fighters circling - Asas throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Asas is looking to clinch but Tuomela is avoiding it.
Asas shoots for a double leg takedown but Tuomela sprawls well. He's pushed Asas's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Tuomela moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tuomela throws a chopping leg kick but Asas manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Asas shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Tuomela sprawls well. Tuomela wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Asas gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuomela lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Asas circles away quickly and effectively.
Asas pivots, looking for a leg kick but Tuomela is out of range and Asas settles back down.
Asas is looking to clinch but Tuomela is avoiding it.
Tuomela will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tuomela dodges the punch combination from Asas.
Tuomela falls off balance throwing a combination
and Asas counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Asas dodges the punch combination from Tuomela.
Icaro Asas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tuomela takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Asas closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Tuomela did well to prevent Asas getting side control.
Asas trying to mount his opponent but Tuomela defends it.
Tuomela is looking for a sweep. Asas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tuomela wants to control but Asas is keeping busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Asas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tuomela keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Asas drops an elbow to the side of Tuomela's head.
Asas not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Icaro Asas will probably get the nod.
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!

Asas tries to clinch up.
Tuomela on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Asas dodges the punch combination from Tuomela.
Asas tries to clinch up.
Nice shot lands for Asas.
Tuomela sizes up Asas with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A punch combination from Asas misses.
Asas fails with the takedown.
Tuomela misses with a double jab
and Asas counters with a two punch combo.

Tuomela is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Tuomela misses.
Tuomela misses with a series of wild punches.
Nice sprawl there from Tuomela as Asas shoots in.
Asas takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Asas dives in and grabs Tuomela's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tuomela pushes down on Asas's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Icaro Asas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Asas slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Asas tries to clinch
and Tuomela counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Asas tries for a takedown but Tuomela sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tuomela circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asas has his takedown stuffed
and Tuomela counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Asas shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tuomela defends it nicely.
Asas throws a low kick but Tuomela avoids it.
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!
Asas tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tuomela swivels and escapes.
Asas closes the distance and clinches up with Tuomela, looking for a takedown. Asas pushes Tuomela against the cage but Tuomela circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Tuomela feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Asas's calf.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick from Tuomela.
Tuomela throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Asas.
Asas dodges the punch combination from Tuomela.
Asas shoots for a takedown but Tuomela saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Asas is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Tuomela fails to land with a series of punches.
Tuomela looks to land a combination but Asas avoids it well.
Tuomela stuffs the takedown.
Asas showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tuomela.
No luck for Asas with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tuomela lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Asas backs up against the cage.
Tuomela throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Asas.
Tuomela defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Asas.
Asas misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Raimo Tuomela has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tuomela misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Icaro Asas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Asas shoots for a takedown but Tuomela saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raimo Tuomela comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Asas has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Icaro Asas!
Icaro Asas seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.