PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Apolonio Papas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Risto Riekko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Papas
vs
Riekko

179 cm
26
180 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

176 cm
26
170 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Apolonio Papas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Risto Riekko!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Michael Johnstone and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riekko chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Papas cracks the inside of Riekko's front leg.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Papas.
Riekko scores with a punch to the head.

It looks like Apolonio Papas has been cut.
Riekko cracks Papas with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A slapping body kick lands there for Papas.
Riekko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Riekko throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fight stays on the outside here - Riekko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Riekko tried to score with a low kick but Papas checks it.
Riekko doesn't manage to clinch there - Papas circles away.
Riekko just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromPapas.
Papas throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Risto Riekko has been cut.
Riekko jabs at Papas's body.
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!
Riekko tries to clinch up.
Riekko moves into range and connects with a jab.
Riekko looks to land a right hand but Papas moved out of range.
Papas takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Riekko checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riekko works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Riekko throws a lazy uppercut
and Papas counters with a body kick that stops Riekko in his tracks momentarily.
Papas misses with a body kick.
Riekko lands a jab to Papas's midsection.
Riekko tries to clinch there but Papas circles away.
Riekko misses with a hook.
Papas looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Riekko swings away with a body shot that misses
and Papas counters with a nice low kick that buckles Riekko's knee momentarily.
Riekko fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Papas is out of range.
Riekko takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Riekko misses with a straight right.
Papas avoids the body shot from Riekko.
Riekko fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A head kick by Papas misses
and Riekko counters with a nice leg kick.
Riekko throws a lazy right hand but Papas sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Riekko misses with a wild body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Riekko instigates a clinch.
Riekko throws an elbow but it misses.
The referee is keeping an eye on Riekko - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Riekko creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Riekko lands an elbow that stopped Papas in his tracks for a moment.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Riekko.
Riekko has a couple of punches blocked by Papas.
Riekko throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Papas takes an elbow to the temple.
Riekko misses with an elbow over the top.
Riekko dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Riekko throws an elbow but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riekko creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Riekko just misses with a elbow thrown towards Papas's brow.
With the fighters up against the cage, Riekko throws an elbow but misses.
Riekko lands an elbow just above Papas 's eye.
Riekko throws an elbow that misses.
Stalling in the clinch from Riekko.
Riekko manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Papas avoids the elbow strike from Riekko, against the cage.
Papas has Riekko pressed against the cage.
Riekko pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Riekko just misses with a elbow thrown towards Papas's brow.
Riekko is trying to stall.

Papas pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Papas tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Riekko tries to clinch there but Papas circles away.
Papas is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Riekko wants to slow Papas down by chopping away at his legs.
Papas throws the kick towards the body but Riekko avoids it.
A jab lands there for Riekko.

Riekko takes the fight into the clinch.
Papas is trying to maintain a safe position but Riekko gets an underhook and turns Papas into the cage.
Papas blocks an elbow strike from Riekko.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Risto Riekko dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action!

Riekko blocks the body kick.
Papas blocks a jab.
Riekko wants to clinch.
Riekko throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Riekko throws a nice looking combination but Papas bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Riekko misses with a looping right.
Papas jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Riekko fails with an attempt to clinch.
Riekko throws a body shot but no joy.
Papas throws a jab when Riekko was well out of range.
Papas throws a head kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Riekko closes the distance and clinches.
Riekko pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Riekko.
Papas avoids a wild elbow strike from Riekko.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Riekko takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Riekko pushes off an throws an elbow but Papas leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Papas gets control of Riekko's arms and successfully pulls guard. Papas will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Papas keeping moving, preventing Riekko from controlling successfully.
Riekko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Papas is keeping the position for now.
Riekko trying to control the position from guard on top but Papas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Papas is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Risto Riekko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riekko avoiding damage.

Papas breaks the clinch.
Papas misses with a head kick.
Papas looks for the body kick but Riekko saw that one coming.
Riekko feints a counter leg kick.
Riekko cracks Papas with an open hand slap.
Papas throws a big shot that misses.
Riekko jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Riekko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Riekko punishes Papas's body with a nice straight punch.
Riekko misses with a body punch
and Papas counters with a big head kick but Riekko shrugs it off.
Riekko moves out of range of the leg kick from Papas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riekko cracks Papas with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Papas takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Papas tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Risto Riekko seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Riekko thumps Papas with a low kick.
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!
Riekko thuds his right hand into Papas's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Papas.
Riekko throws a low kick but Papas moves out of range easily.
Riekko cracks the inside of Papas's front leg.
Papas takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Riekko is looking to clinch.
Papas looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Riekko tries to counter with a clinch but Papas shakes him off and moves away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Papas scores with a kick to the midsection.
Riekko scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Riekko lands a jab-cross combination.
Riekko connects with an inside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Risto Riekko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Riekko is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Papas.
As Riekko backs away, Papas returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Riekko misses with a looping right.
Riekko throws a leg kick
and Papas counters with a good, hard body kick but Riekko shrugs it off.
Papas checks a leg kick.
Riekko is looking to clinch but Papas is avoiding it.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Papas.
Riekko lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Papas throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Papas goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A nice inside leg kick there by Riekko. That's going to slow Papas down.
Papas throws a head kick but Riekko moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riekko falls off balance throwing a combination
and Papas counters with a solid body kick.

Riekko moves into the clinch.
Riekko pushes off an throws an elbow but Papas leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Riekko lands an elbow that stopped Papas in his tracks for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Riekko.
Riekko pushes off an throws an elbow but Papas leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Riekko throws an elbow but it misses.
Riekko pushes off an throws an elbow but Papas leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Papas takes an elbow to the forehead.
Papas letting Riekko take a breather here.
Riekko lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Apolonio Papas's cut is getting worse.
Riekko misses with an elbow strike.
Riekko stalling against the cage.
Papas tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Riekko smiles and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Papas keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Riekko has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Riekko rushes Papas and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Riekko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Riekko moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Papas is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Riekko gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Riekko comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Riekko stalling the fight.

Papas breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Riekko tries to close the distance and clinch but Papas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Apolonio Papas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Riekko moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riekko lands with a shot to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Riekko misses the target.
Papas throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Papas turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Riekko moves into the clinch successfully.
Papas tries to pull guard but Riekko forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Riekko throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Riekko goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Riekko is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Riekko just misses with a elbow thrown towards Papas's brow.
Riekko throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Papas breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riekko moves out of range of the body kick.
Riekko misses with a low kick.
Papas thows a body kick. Riekko tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Riekko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Papas lands a big head kick that sends Riekko to the canvas! Papas follows up with strikes from the mount that forces the ref to step in and stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Apolonio Papas!