PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kostas Papantoniou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cordero Rodolfo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Papantoniou comes to the ring accompanied by Phobophobia. Kostas Papantoniou has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Papantoniou
vs
Rodolfo

187 cm
22
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

184 cm
21
197 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Powerful

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kostas Papantoniou!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cordero Rodolfo!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rodolfo is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Papantoniou's half guard.
Rodolfo wants to take a breather but Papantoniou is having none of it.
Rodolfo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rodolfo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Papantoniou gets back to full guard.
Rodolfo trying to control but Papantoniou is working from the bottom.
Rodolfo wants to pass the guard but Papantoniou is keeping the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Papantoniou wants to get back to his feet but Rodolfo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rodolfo trying to control but Papantoniou is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodolfo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rodolfo is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rodolfo trying to control but Papantoniou is working from the bottom.
Papantoniou working a defensive guard here.
Rodolfo lands a couple of digs.
Rodolfo tries to free his leg and advance position but Papantoniou is retaining full guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Papantoniou 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.
Rodolfo wants to control from the top but Papantoniou keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

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.
Papantoniou shoots for a takedown but Rodolfo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rodolfo is defended easily by Papantoniou.

Rodolfo closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Papantoniou did well to prevent Rodolfo getting side control.
Papantoniou moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Papantoniou lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Papantoniou trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodolfo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Papantoniou pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rodolfo is keeping the position for now.
Rodolfo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Papantoniou.
Rodolfo pulls Papantoniou in close to prevent any damage.
Rodolfo controls Papantoniou momentarily but Papantoniou frees himself.
Rodolfo pulls Papantoniou in close to prevent any damage.

Rodolfo looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Papantoniou passes into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rodolfo is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Papantoniou working away.

Papantoniou thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Papantoniou working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cordero Rodolfo dominated that round.
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.

Papantoniou shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rodolfo pinned against the ropes. Rodolfo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rodolfo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Papantoniou.
Rodolfo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Papantoniou.

Rodolfo gets a clinch.

Papantoniou breaks from the clinch.
Rodolfo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Papantoniou sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Papantoniou stuffs the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodolfo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Papantoniou paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rodolfo shoots and misses
and Papantoniou counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kostas Papantoniou has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cordero Rodolfo.
Papantoniou changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rodolfo tries to avoid it but Papantoniou manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rodolfo to the ground. Rodolfo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kostas Papantoniou is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rodolfo feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodolfo throws a big elbow that misses.
Papantoniou bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rodolfo's guard.

We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rodolfo can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rodolfo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rodolfo looking for a sweep. Not yet Rodolfo, not yet.

Rodolfo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Papantoniou stops Rodolfo from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Rodolfo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Papantoniou can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Papantoniou trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodolfo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Rodolfo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Papantoniou drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rodolfo is looking to sweep but instead, Papantoniou has passed into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Papantoniou is working for a submission of some sort.
Rodolfo trying to control but Papantoniou postures up.
Rodolfo tries to kick Papantoniou off but Papantoniou keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rodolfo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Papantoniou. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Papantoniou is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Well, if Papantoniou is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Rodolfo moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Papantoniou wants to control from the top but Rodolfo keeps moving.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rodolfo lands some strikes from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kostas Papantoniou dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Papantoniou misses with a series of wild punches.
Rodolfo looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Papantoniou looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Papantoniou displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rodolfo.
Papantoniou will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Papantoniou clinches with his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rodolfo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Papantoniou feints and then cracks Rodolfo's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rodolfo down.
Papantoniou throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rodolfo stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Rodolfo dives in and scores a takedown into Papantoniou's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodolfo works over Papantoniou with some ground and pound from guard.
Rodolfo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Papantoniou swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rodolfo controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rodolfo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Papantoniou is keeping the position for now.
Rodolfo trying to control but Papantoniou is working from the bottom.
Papantoniou trying to strike off his back.
Rodolfo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

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.
Rodolfo tries to free his leg and advance position but Papantoniou is retaining full guard.
Rodolfo trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Papantoniou manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Rodolfo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Papantoniou doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Papantoniou manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rodolfo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Papantoniou is one step ahead there.
Papantoniou trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodolfo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodolfo is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rodolfo seems keen to control Papantoniou's posture.
Papantoniou pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rodolfo is keeping the position for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rodolfo tries to sprawl but Papantoniou drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Rodolfo actively working from the bottom here.
Papantoniou wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rodolfo keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rodolfo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rodolfo tries to get to full guard but Papantoniou has control of the leg.
Rodolfo striking from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rodolfo tries to get to full guard but Papantoniou has control of the leg.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kostas Papantoniou showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Papantoniou 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kostas Papantoniou!
Kostas Papantoniou thanked the fans post fight for their support.