PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Peter Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arvi Rausku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rausku has chosen Notkea Rotta - Taas Lähtee Taju as his entrance music. Arvi Rausku has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ward
vs
Rausku

188 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
39
190 lbs
24 - 40 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Peter Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 40 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Arvi Rausku!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rausku scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Ward misses with a leg kick.
Rausku misses with a takedown attempt
and Ward counters with a nice leg kick.
Rausku misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rausku keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ward.
Ward fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Arvi Rausku seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ward avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rausku fails with the takedown.
Rausku shoots in looking for a takedown but Ward manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rausku's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Peter Ward has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arvi Rausku.
Ward is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rausku.
Ward throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rausku looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ward is fending him off so far but Rausku persists. Nope, Ward circles away and we're back to standing.
Ward fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Rausku is out of range.
Rausku gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ward counters with a leg kick.
Rausku ducks under a wild hook from Ward.
Ward misses with a low kick.
Rausku ducks under a wild hook from Ward.
Rausku takes a swing at Ward's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rausku with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Ward to score with a decent uppercut.
Ward bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Ward will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A swing and a miss from Ward.
Ward slips under a jab.
Ward pushes Rausku away with a front kick.
Ward leaves Rausku with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ward throws a lazy right hand but Rausku sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ward throws a half hearted mid kick.
Peter Ward is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rausku ducks under a wild hook from Ward.
Rausku throws a nice looking combination but Ward bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ward keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ward misses with a straight right.
Rausku sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Ward dodges the punch combination from Rausku.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rausku closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rausku lands in his opponent's guard.
Ward wants to get back to his feet but Rausku is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rausku postures up in Ward's guard and throws a big left but Ward blocks it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rausku postures up in Ward's guard and throws a big left but Ward blocks it.
Rausku landing with the ground and pound.
Ward avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rausku drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rausku jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Rausku wants to pass the guard but Ward is keeping the position.
Rausku trying to control but Ward is working from the bottom.
Ward is looking to stand up but Rausku isn't so interested in that idea.
Ward keeping full guard, as Rausku tries to pass.
Rausku slips nicely into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rausku seems to be working for a kimura but Ward defends the submission attempt.

Rausku is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Rausku trying to control the pace.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rausku is trying to control the action in half guard but Ward is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arvi Rausku dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ward pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rausku looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ward is fending him off so far but Rausku persists. Nope, Ward circles away and we're back to standing.
The fighters circling - Rausku throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ward plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Ward misses with a leg kick.
Rausku misses with a takedown attempt - Ward sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ward throws a leg kick but Rausku sees it coming and moves out of range.
Arvi Rausku is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rausku will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Peter Ward has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arvi Rausku.
Rausku moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Rausku closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Ward did well to prevent Rausku getting side control.

Rausku seems to be working for a kimura but Ward defends the submission attempt.
Rausku has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rausku is trying to control. Ward wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rausku 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rausku wants to pass the guard but Ward is defending well.
Ward looks like he's trying to stand up.
Rausku seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Rausku trying to control from half guard but Ward is working away.
Rausku trying to mount his opponent but Ward defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rausku missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ward pushes Rausku off looking to stand but Rausku dives back in and keeps control.

Rausku maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Ward could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Rausku has cracked it and Ward is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Rausku!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Arvi Rausku!
Arvi Rausku decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.