PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ruslan Bajdaczny (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rian Powers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Powers has chosen Foggy Dew as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bajdaczny
vs
Powers

150 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
25
152 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ruslan Bajdaczny!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rian Powers!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bajdaczny ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Powers moves away.
Powers wants to counter with a clinch but Bajdaczny pushes him away.
Powers scores with a jab to the head.
Bajdaczny misses with a wild combination.
Bajdaczny tries to clinch up but Powers circles away and keeps his distance.
Powers tries for a takedown but Bajdaczny sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bajdaczny swats away the attempt to clinch by Powers.

Bajdaczny rushes Powers and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Powers tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bajdaczny avoids it.
Bajdaczny jumps guard but Powers stands there with Bajdaczny around his waist. Bajdaczny gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Bajdaczny pulls guard successfully.
Bajdaczny could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Bajdaczny tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Powers passes Bajdaczny's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Powers stands up and beckons Bajdaczny to join him on the feet.
Powers stuffs the takedown attempt from Bajdaczny. Bajdaczny gets slowly back to his feet.
Bajdaczny tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Powers paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Powers wants to counter with a clinch but Bajdaczny pushes him away.
Bajdaczny defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Powers.
Bajdaczny fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Powers.

Bajdaczny moves into the clinch successfully.
Bajdaczny is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Powers to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ruslan Bajdaczny. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Powers blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bajdaczny gets control of Powers's arms and successfully pulls guard. Bajdaczny will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Bajdaczny utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Powers stands up from Bajdaczny's guard - Powers perhaps looking for a knockout.
Bajdaczny looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Powers is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Powers throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Powers fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Powers misses with a takedown attempt - Bajdaczny sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bajdaczny blocks a low kick nicely.
Bajdaczny shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Powers pinned against the cage. Powers gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Bajdaczny is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powers closes the distance and clinches up with Bajdaczny, looking for a takedown. Powers pushes Bajdaczny against the cage but Bajdaczny circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Powers throws a combination. Bajdaczny tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Powers fails with the takedown
and Bajdaczny counters with a head kick.
Bajdaczny tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Powers swivels and escapes.
Bajdaczny throws the kick towards the body but Powers avoids it.
Bajdaczny moves out of range as Powers throws a body kick.
Powers shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bajdaczny but Bajdaczny pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bajdaczny tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Powers paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bajdaczny tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Powers dives in for a single leg takedown but Bajdaczny sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Bajdaczny throws a big counter combination but Powers scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Powers clinches.
Powers controlling the action here for a moment.
Powers lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Powers jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bajdaczny walks away with a smile on his face. Powers gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Bajdaczny doesn't manage to clinch there - Powers circles away.
Bajdaczny shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Powers as he avoids it easily.
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!
Bajdaczny tries a head kick but it misses.

Bajdaczny pushes Powers up against the cage in a clinch.
Powers changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bajdaczny fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Powers fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bajdaczny avoids it really well and circles away.
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 Ruslan Bajdaczny will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bajdaczny tries to close the distance and clinch but Powers swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Powers shoots in but no luck this time.
Powers scores with a sloppy right hand. Bajdaczny should have avoided that one.
Powers dives in for a single leg takedown but Bajdaczny sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Ruslan Bajdaczny is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bajdaczny keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bajdaczny throws a quick counter head kick but Powers was just out of range.
Ruslan Bajdaczny has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rian Powers.

Bajdaczny shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Bajdaczny is working for a kimura but Powers is defending it quite comfortably.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Powers makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Powers.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Powers is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Powers is looking to stand up but Bajdaczny isn't so interested in that idea.
Bajdaczny trying to control the position from guard on top but Powers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Powers bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bajdaczny's guard.

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.
Powers throws a big right hand that misses.
Bajdaczny being controlled here, momentarily.
Bajdaczny doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Bajdaczny pulls Powers in close to his closed guard and prevents Powers from doing any damage or advancing position.
Bajdaczny knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Powers on the ground.

Powers gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bajdaczny fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Powers goes for a double leg but Bajdaczny avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bajdaczny continues to drive forward.
Bajdaczny tries to clinch but Powers moves out of range.
Powers throws a fast counter high kick but Bajdaczny manages to duck under it in time.
Bajdaczny is looking to clinch.
Bajdaczny shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Powers defends it nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bajdaczny throws a sloppy head kick
and Powers counters with a series of strikes. Bajdaczny will be more careful next time no doubt.
Powers fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Powers shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Powers gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bajdaczny drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Powers tries to land knees in the clinch but Bajdaczny avoids the damage to the body.
Powers is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Bajdaczny manages to break the clinch.
Powers stalks Bajdaczny and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Bajdaczny's face. Bajdaczny staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Ruslan Bajdaczny has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Bajdaczny has managed to clinch.
Bajdaczny is defending well against a takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bajdaczny breaks from the clinch.
Bajdaczny moves to clinch but Powers breaks away
and Powers cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rian Powers showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ruslan Bajdaczny's cut.
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!

Powers looks to land a body kick but Bajdaczny moved away.

Bajdaczny gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Powers tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Powers is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Bajdaczny is defending well.
Powers wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Bajdaczny has him pressed against the cage.
Powers is trying to break the clinch but Bajdaczny is controlling him.
Powers jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bajdaczny walks away with a smile on his face. Powers gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ruslan Bajdaczny has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rian Powers.

Bajdaczny shoots in and gets a takedown into Powers's guard.

Powers has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Bajdaczny has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bajdaczny breaks from the clinch.

Bajdaczny drives through with a takedown into guard.

Powers pushes Bajdaczny off and scrambles back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Powers swats away the attempt to clinch by Bajdaczny.
Bajdaczny shoots in looking for a takedown. Powers tries to sprawl out of it but Bajdaczny keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Powers manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Bajdaczny is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Powers is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Bajdaczny throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Powers is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bajdaczny sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Powers misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Powers shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Powers showed some decent athleticism there.

Powers seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Powers 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.
Bajdaczny wants to control but Powers is keeping busy.
Powers prevents Bajdaczny from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powers works his way into side control.
Bajdaczny is looking to regain half guard here but Powers keeps moving and retains side control.
Powers sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Bajdaczny is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

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.

Powers thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Bajdaczny on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bajdaczny tries to get out of the position.
Powers throws an elbow but Bajdaczny slips to the side and avoids it well.
Bajdaczny is being controlled here.
Powers is continuing to stall.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Powers throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

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!
Rian Powers comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Powers has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rian Powers!