PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rubert Kuminauha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Valeri Popo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kuminauha's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Celine Dion - Just Walk Away. This should be a great matchup!

Kuminauha
vs
Popo

198 cm
23
240 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

200 cm
22
260 lbs
2 - 0 - 1

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Supreme Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rubert Kuminauha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Valeri Popo!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kuminauha closes this distance looking for a takedown but Popo circles away.
Popo stuffs the takedown.
Kuminauha shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rubert Kuminauha. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kuminauha shoots in and drives through. Popo sprawls well.
Kuminauha moves out of range as Popo throws a body kick.
Popo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kuminauha wants to clinch up but Popo keeps it at a distance.

Kuminauha gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Popo is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Popo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kuminauha is proving hard to escape from.
Popo won't allow Kuminauha to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popo postures up in Kuminauha's guard and throws a big left but Kuminauha blocks it.
Popo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kuminauha swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Popo trying to control but Kuminauha is working from the bottom.
Popo tries to free his leg and advance position but Kuminauha is retaining full guard.
Popo with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Popo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kuminauha not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

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.
Popo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kuminauha can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Popo controls the pace.
Popo wants to control from the top but Kuminauha keeps moving.
Popo throws a big right hand that misses.

Kuminauha is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Popo trying to control but Kuminauha is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kuminauha working for a triangle but Popo defends it easily.
Kuminauha keeping moving, preventing Popo from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Kuminauha is looking for a triangle but Popo pushes his legs off easily.
Kuminauha throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Popo trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuminauha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Popo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kuminauha works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kuminauha is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Kuminauha throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valeri Popo dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kuminauha shoots and misses

and Popo counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Popo trying to control but Kuminauha is working from the bottom.
Popo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Popo trying to control but Kuminauha is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Valeri Popo just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kuminauha misses with a takedown

and Popo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Popo.

Kuminauha has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Popo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Popo tries to free his leg and advance position but Kuminauha is retaining full guard.
Popo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Kuminauha is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kuminauha trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Popo is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Popo trying to control the position from guard on top but Kuminauha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kuminauha throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popo looking to sit in guard and control but Kuminauha gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kuminauha passes Popo's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Kuminauha is working for a submission of some sort.

Popo is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Kuminauha pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kuminauha missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kuminauha is looking to take a break and control but Popo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Kuminauha is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Popo has managed to free his arm - good work.
Kuminauha throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valeri Popo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Kuminauha catches Popo with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Popo instigates a clinch.

Popo gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Kuminauha gets full guard.
Popo wants to control from the top but Kuminauha keeps moving.

Kuminauha has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Popo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kuminauha is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Popo flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuminauha not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kuminauha is trying to work for a kimura but Popo is defending well.
Popo tries to get to full guard but Kuminauha has control of the leg.
Popo trying to hold on to Kuminauha's head to control him but Kuminauha postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Kuminauha is looking for a kimura but Popo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kuminauha to get the leverage.
Kuminauha not landing any meaningful shots this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kuminauha tries for a takedown but Popo circles away easily

and Popo counters with a single leg into guard. Kuminauha didn't expect that.
Kuminauha throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Popo is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Kuminauha is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kuminauha is keeping the position for now.
Popo slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Popo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kuminauha is trying to improve his position.
Popo is looking to take a break and control but Kuminauha is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kuminauha can't do much from the bottom here.
Popo staying calm.
Valeri Popo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kuminauha sneaks back into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Valeri Popo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Popo has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Valeri Popo!