PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jake Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Risto Velttonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Velttonen has chosen Ultra Bra - Hauki as his entrance music. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Souza
vs
Velttonen

185 cm
27
185 lbs
11 - 14 - 1

192 cm
26
192 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
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 11 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Jake Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Risto Velttonen!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Paul Gruel and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Souza throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Velttonen's waist but Velttonen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Souza off to one side.
Velttonen misses with an uppercut

and Souza counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Velttonen!
You can see the frustration on Velttonen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Souza tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Souza has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Souza working the body and head with strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Velttonen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Souza working the ground and pound but Velttonen is defending the strikes.
Velttonen wants to control but Souza postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza lands a few punches from side control.
You can see the frustration on Velttonen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Souza 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.
Velttonen is holding Souza down, trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velttonen gets back to half guard.
Velttonen tries to roll over but Souza keeps him under control.
Velttonen works his way to full guard. Good work.

Souza gets to his feet. Velttonen looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Velttonen shoots in for a takedown but Souza shows good takedown defense.
Souza shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Velttonen but Velttonen pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Souza shoots in and bounces Velttonen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Souza stopping the sweep attempt from Velttonen.
Velttonen is trying to control the position but Souza postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza trying to control but Velttonen is working from the bottom.
Souza postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Souza preventing the sweep.
Souza wants to control from the top but Velttonen keeps moving.

Souza is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Souza trying to control but Velttonen is working from the bottom.

Souza thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Souza trying to control but Velttonen is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Velttonen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Souza is aware though and is defending well.
Velttonen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Souza scoring with punches to the head and body.
Velttonen controls Souza momentarily but Souza frees himself.
Souza missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Souza trying to control but Velttonen is working from the bottom.
Souza stopping the sweep attempt from Velttonen.
Velttonen trying to keep a closed guard but Souza is proving a slippery customer.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Souza wants to control from the top but Velttonen keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jake Souza wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Souza misses with an uppercut.
Velttonen shoots for a double leg takedown but Souza sprawls well. He's pushed Velttonen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Souza misses with a takedown attempt - Velttonen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Souza fails with the takedown.
Velttonen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Souza. Souza circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Velttonen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Souza swivels and escapes.
Velttonen lands a jab to the nose.
Souza shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Velttonen as he jumps to the side.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Velttonen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Velttonen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Velttonen works over Souza's head and body with a nice combination.
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 Jake Souza will probably get the nod.
That's time! Souza's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Souza dives in and grabs Velttonen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Velttonen pushes down on Souza's head and hops out.
Souza ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Souza fails with the takedown.
Risto Velttonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Souza wants to clinch.
Souza blocks a jab.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Souza is defended easily by Velttonen.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Souza swinging wildly here.

Velttonen closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Souza quickly recovers to half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Souza is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Velttonen pulls his head out easily.
Jake Souza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Velttonen working Souza over with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velttonen works his foot free and advances to mount.
Velttonen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Souza is looking to escape.
Souza is looking to get to half guard.
Velttonen avoids the attempt from Souza to control.
Velttonen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Velttonen wants to control the pace but Souza is squirming around nicely.
Souza is working to get back to half guard.
Souza is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza can't escape the position.
Souza is working hard here to advance position.
Velttonen controlling the pace for now.
Souza tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Souza is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Souza is bucking up trying to escape but Velttonen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Velttonen raining down hammerfists from mount.
Souza keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Velttonen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Souza?
Souza is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Velttonen controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Velttonen looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Souza is squirming around, avoiding Velttonen's attempts to control the action.
Souza working to try and regain half guard.

Velttonen is working for a guillotine from mount but Souza frees his head quite easily.
Velttonen tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Souza is squirming around, avoiding Velttonen's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velttonen landing strikes from the mount and Souza is in trouble!
Souza is desperately trying to improve his position but Velttonen has a good base and remains in mount.
Velttonen looking to control but Souza is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Souza is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Velttonen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Souza is trying desperately to improve position.
Souza throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Velttonen tries to control but Souza wriggling away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Souza is working to get back to half guard.
Souza tries to lock up and control but Velttonen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Risto Velttonen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Velttonen drives through with a takedown into Souza's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Souza is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Velttonen defends well.
Velttonen chips away with some ground and pound.
Souza throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Souza keeping moving, preventing Velttonen from controlling successfully.
Souza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Souza has his foot on Velttonen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Velttonen works his way back into a safe position though.
Velttonen trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.
Velttonen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Souza not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Souza has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Velttonen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Souza keeping moving, preventing Velttonen from controlling successfully.
Souza is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Velttonen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Souza's guard.
Souza is staying active underneath Velttonen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Souza looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Velttonen pushes past his half guard into mount!
Souza is bucking up trying to escape but Velttonen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Velttonen looking to control but Souza is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Velttonen is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Souza can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
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!
Velttonen wants to control the pace but Souza is squirming around nicely.
Velttonen pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Velttonen landing strikes, looking to finish!
Souza is bucking up trying to escape but Velttonen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Velttonen with the ground and pound from mount.
Velttonen trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Souza regains half guard.

Velttonen is working for a submission of some sort.

Souza looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Souza taking some punishment here, with Velttonen in his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Souza tries to roll over but Velttonen keeps him under control.

Souza actively working from the bottom here.

Velttonen is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Souza is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Risto Velttonen!
After winning the bout, Risto Velttonen thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.