PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Risto Ruskea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and JohnAmund Skaar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Skaar has chosen Spiderbait - Black betty as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. JohnAmund Skaar has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Risto Ruskea's chin.

Ruskea
vs
Skaar

180 cm
23
188 lbs
4 - 5 - 1

185 cm
21
190 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 4 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Risto Ruskea!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, JohnAmund Skaar!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Skaar wants to clinch up but Ruskea keeps it at a distance.

Ruskea looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Skaar!
Ruskea sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ruskea wants to control the pace but Skaar is squirming around nicely.
Skaar is looking to improve his position but Ruskea isn't that keen on the idea.
Ruskea avoids the attempt from Skaar to control.
A nice elbow there by Ruskea.
Ruskea 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.

Ruskea wants to finish this one by submission but Skaar is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Ruskea.
Ruskea looking to control but Skaar is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Skaar tries to hold on but Ruskea pushes him away.
Skaar really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruskea throws some wild stikes that Skaar manages to avoid easily.
Skaar is trying to escape the mount.
Ruskea landing punches.
Ruskea lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Skaar hang on?
Ruskea trying to control but Skaar is having none of it.
Skaar really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ruskea. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ruskea lands a nice shot to the head.
Skaar keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skaar is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ruskea throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Ruskea looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Ruskea content just to control the position here.
A nice elbow there by Ruskea.
Skaar tries to hold on but Ruskea postures up.
Skaar keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Ruskea lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Skaar hang on?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skaar wants to control but Ruskea is having none of it.
Skaar is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.

Ruskea swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Skaar is now in Ruskea's guard. A big mistake from Ruskea there, giving up the dominant position!

Ruskea is looking for a triangle but Skaar pushes his legs off easily.
Ruskea is breathing heavily.
Ruskea wants to sweep but no luck.
Skaar looking to sit in guard and control but Ruskea gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ruskea preventing the sweep.
Ruskea is fighting to break Skaar's control of his arms but Skaar is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Skaar working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruskea stopping the sweep attempt from Skaar.
Ruskea keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Skaar's head.
Ruskea postures up in Skaar's guard and throws a big left but Skaar blocks it.
Skaar with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Ruskea can't handle though.
Ruskea scoring with some ground and pound.
Ruskea is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Skaar can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ruskea controls the pace.
Ruskea throws a big right hand that misses.
Skaar not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ruskea sitting in guard, not really doing much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Risto Ruskea dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Skaar shoots and misses

and Ruskea counters with a single leg into guard. Skaar didn't expect that.
Skaar manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ruskea regains half guard.
Skaar trying to control from half guard but Ruskea is working away.
Ruskea is pressing down on Skaar's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Skaar wants to control from the top but Ruskea keeps moving.
Skaar stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ruskea swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Skaar trying to control but Ruskea is working from the bottom.
Skaar is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruskea looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Ruskea escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Skaar gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ruskea looking for a sweep. Not yet Ruskea, not yet.
Ruskea manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Ruskea is working for a guillotine from mount but Skaar frees his head quite easily.
Ruskea avoids the attempt from Skaar to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skaar slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Ruskea looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Skaar is refusing to be controlled, as Ruskea sits in half guard.
Skaar wants to get back to full guard.
Ruskea wants to free his trapped foot but Skaar is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Skaar wants to control but Ruskea is keeping busy.
Ruskea is trying to control the action in half guard but Skaar is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Skaar moves into full guard.
Skaar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ruskea tries a head kick but it misses.

Ruskea scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Skaar is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ruskea off and has taken his back!
Skaar is looking to control Ruskea but Ruskea is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Ruskea rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Ruskea is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Skaar's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Skaar's back!
You can see the frustration on Skaar's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Ruskea. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Ruskea avoiding Skaar 's attempts to control his hands.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruskea scores with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Skaar defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Ruskea's arms.
Skaar turns into Ruskea and is now in his guard.

Ruskea has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Skaar can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Skaar landing with the ground and pound.
Ruskea striking off his back but it's not causing Skaar any problems.
Ruskea looking for a sweep. Not yet Ruskea, not yet.
Skaar trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruskea is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Risto Ruskea dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Skaar throws a head kick that misses
and Ruskea counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Skaar misses the body punch
and Ruskea makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Skaar really felt that one!
Skaar darts in trying to clinch
and Ruskea cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Skaar looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ruskea looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ruskea not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Skaar loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Risto Ruskea overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ruskea keeping full guard, as Skaar tries to pass.
Skaar wants to control from the top but Ruskea keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruskea not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Skaar tries to free his leg and advance position but Ruskea is retaining full guard.
Ruskea looking for a sweep. Not yet Ruskea, not yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Skaar takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Ruskea clinches.
Ruskea looking for a takedown.
Skaar keeps control of Ruskea as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Skaar gets underhooks to prevent Ruskea's takedown attempt.

Skaar pulls Ruskea into guard.
Ruskea preventing the sweep.
Ruskea wants to control from the top but Skaar keeps moving.
Ruskea with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skaar tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ruskea scoring with some ground and pound.

Ruskea postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Skaar is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Ruskea, into his guard.
Ruskea can't keep his opponent in guard - Skaar advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Skaar is trying to control. Ruskea wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ruskea is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Skaar's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Skaar's back!
Ruskea has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Skaar.
Ruskea tries to get the hooks in deep but Skaar pushed the leg off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Skaar defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Ruskea's arms.
Skaar rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Ruskea looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Skaar moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Ruskea drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ruskea jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ruskea trying to control the position from guard on top but Skaar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skaar manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ruskea working to try and regain half guard.
Risto Ruskea is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Skaar breaks from Ruskea's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Skaar controlling from mount.
JohnAmund Skaar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ruskea tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ruskea is working hard here to advance position.

And that's the end of the fight!
JohnAmund Skaar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ruskea has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Risto Ruskea!