PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ukko Metso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rich Piana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rich Piana struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 186.1lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Metso
vs
Piana

180 cm
29
190 lbs
16 - 4 - 0

192 cm
28
204 lbs
19 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

PED Nutrition
Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ukko Metso!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rich Piana!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Piana misses with a lunging right hand

and Metso counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Metso missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Metso stalling.
Piana is looking to improve his position.
Metso content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Piana is trying to maintain the position but Metso is very close to passing his half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Well, if Metso 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.
Metso slips a nice elbow through Piana's hands, connecting with Piana's forehead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piana has his hands clasped together around Metso's back. He's all about the action.
Metso sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Piana defending well though.
Metso is thwarting Piana's attempts to control the position.
Metso lands with a punch from half guard.
Metso passes to side control.

Metso working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Metso tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Metso has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Piana tries to hold on but Metso postures up.
Metso connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Piana tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Metso raining down shots from the mount!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Piana can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piana is looking to get to half guard.
Metso landing shots from mount.
Metso takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Piana is looking to get to half guard.
Metso lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Piana hang on?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Metso cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Piana in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Metso is working for a guillotine from mount but Piana frees his head quite easily.
Metso working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Metso has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Piana's face.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Metso is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Piana is rocked!
Metso lands a couple of good shots and Piana has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Piana is still in real trouble! Can Metso finish him?
Piana wants to control his opponent's hands but Metso gets his hands free.
Metso trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Metso has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Piana seems to have recovered his senses.
Piana is covering up but some of the strikes from Metso are getting through and doing damage.
Piana is keeping busy.
Piana just trying to survive but Metso is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ukko Metso dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Metso.

Metso shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Metso was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Piana tries to improve position but can't.
Metso 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.
Metso working the head with strikes.
Metso working the head and body with strikes.
Metso working away.

Metso is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Piana knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Metso wants to lay and pray for a moment but Piana keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Metso is working Piana over with some ground and pound from side control.
Piana really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Metso. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Metso working the ground and pound.
The ground and pound from Metso seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Piana on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Piana gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Metso seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Piana does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Metso thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Piana's head.
Ground and pound from Metso.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piana tries to roll over but Metso keeps him under control.
Metso passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Piana!
Metso is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Metso raining down hammerfists from mount.
Metso lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Metso jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Piana manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Metso landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Metso moves into full mount!
Metso is landing with some decent strikes but Piana is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Metso lands a couple of good shots and Piana has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
The referee is taking a good look at Piana as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Metso!
Piana takes a big shot to the side of the head.

Piana is in a bad position with Metso working for a choke. Piana manages to spin nicely into guard and the danger is over for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Metso is on top in guard.

Piana is pulling down on Metso's head to control his posture.
Metso is in close to Piana's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Piana preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Metso throws a big right hand that misses.
Metso stands up over Piana, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Piana avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Piana looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Ukko Metso overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Metso showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Metso postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Metso misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Metso misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Metso fails with a takedown attempt.
Piana throws out a counter right but Metso avoids it with no problem.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ukko Metso. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Piana scores with the left hand. Metso knows he should have avoided that one.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Metso fails with a takedown attempt.
Piana looks to land a combination. Metso sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice sprawl there from Piana as Metso shoots in.
Piana has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Metso is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Piana scores with the left hand. Metso knows he should have avoided that one.
Piana cracks Metso with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Metso shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Piana but Piana pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Metso shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Metso lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Piana tries to get to full guard but Metso has control of the leg.
Metso throwing shots but Piana is blocking nicely.
Piana wants to get back to full guard but Metso has mounted him!
Metso landing strikes from the mount.
Piana is in a horrible position here. Metso smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Metso content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Metso has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Piana's face.
Piana takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Metso is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Metso can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Piana is looking to escape.
Piana takes a big shot to the dome and his eyes have rolled back in his head! Metso's killer instinct has kicked in as he finishes the fight with more strikes. Impressive finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ukko Metso!
Ukko Metso retains his middleweight title!
An out of breath Ukko Metso thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.