PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sauli Somelainen (ranked 1455 p4p, 2140 weight class) and Riley Hatfield (ranked 203 p4p, 277 weight class). Hatfield has chosen Cruel World- Willie Nelson as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Somelainen
vs
Hatfield

181 cm
28
160
8 - 6 - 2

174 cm
27
160
12 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

FF Gear

Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sauli Somelainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Riley Hatfield!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Somelainen digs a good body shot into Hatfield's ribs.
Sauli Somelainen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Somelainen throws a lazy right hand but Hatfield sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hatfield swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Hatfield misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Somelainen.
Somelainen lunges at Hatfield with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Hatfield's hand.
Hatfield thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hatfield misses the shot to the body.
Somelainen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Somelainen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Despite the aggression on Hatfield's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Somelainen lands with a hook. Hatfield tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
A lazy left from Somelainen finds it's target.
Somelainen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hatfield was well out of range. Poor timing from Somelainen.
A telegraphed right hand from Hatfield misses the target.
Hatfield missing with a left hand there. Somelainen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hatfield misses with a hook. Somelainen ducked under it nicely.
Hatfield throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hatfield loads up on a big right hand but Somelainen slips the punch.
Somelainen is looking for a counter combo.
Somelainen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hatfield.
Some wild striking there from Somelainen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Somelainen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Hatfield takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Somelainen misses the jab.
Nice defenses there by Somelainen.
Hatfield is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Somelainen jabs Hatfield to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Hatfield lands a jab to the head.
Somelainen connects with the punch.
Somelainen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hatfield throws out the jab.
Somelainen jabs at Hatfield's body.
A head kick misses from Somelainen.
Somelainen jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Somelainen is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Somelainen connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hatfield bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Somelainen's head backwards.
Hatfield uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Somelainen.
Hatfield looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Hatfield throws a right hand that misses
and Somelainen counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Somelainen fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Hatfield looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Hatfield might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Somelainen.
Somelainen throws a lazy right hand but Hatfield sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A big right from Hatfield misses.
Somelainen blocks a head kick by Hatfield.
Hatfield on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Somelainen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hatfield as he avoids it easily.
Hatfield lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Somelainen circles away quickly and effectively.
Hatfield checks a leg kick.
Hatfield avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Somelainen misses with a double jab.
Hatfield throws the left hand but Somelainen avoids the punch easily.
Hatfield takes a swing at Somelainen's ribcage but misses.
Somelainen ducks under a wild hook from Hatfield.
Somelainen scores with a punch to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Somelainen misses with an uppercut. Hatfield saw that one coming.
Somelainen is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Hatfield looks to throw the jab but Somelainen is out of range.
A jab from Somelainen misses.
Somelainen lands with an uppercut that bounces Hatfield off the cage and back into range.
Hatfield connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Somelainen momentarily.
Somelainen throws a big shot that misses.
Nice shot by Somelainen.
Jab, jab by Somelainen - just one landing.
Somelainen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hatfield closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Somelainen lunges at Hatfield with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Hatfield's hand.
Hatfield displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Somelainen.
Hatfield walks into a straight right hand from Somelainen.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Somelainen misses with an uppercut. Hatfield saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hatfield throws a hook but Somelainen avoids it easily.
Somelainen misses with an uppercut
and Hatfield counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A lazy left from Somelainen finds it's target.
Hatfield thows a left - swing and a miss!
Somelainen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Hatfield throws a jab when Somelainen was well out of range.

Hatfield tries to keep at a distance but Somelainen has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hatfield softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hatfield tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Somelainen scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A shot in the inside from Somelainen.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Hatfield.
Hatfield tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Somelainen is trying to drag Hatfield to the mat but Hatfield just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sauli Somelainen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Somelainen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Hatfield manages to break the clinch.
Somelainen misses with a straight left.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sauli Somelainen 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.

Hatfield walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Somelainen throws a jab when Hatfield was well out of range.
Hatfield looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Somelainen moves away from the strike by Hatfield.
Somelainen lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Somelainen is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Hatfield swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Somelainen tries to land a leg kick but Hatfield saw it coming and moves away.
Somelainen stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Somelainen tries to clinch up but Hatfield circles away and keeps his distance.
An inside leg kick lands from Somelainen.
Somelainen doesn't manage to clinch there - Hatfield circles away.
Hatfield let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hatfield lands a really nice looking cross but Somelainen seems unphased.
Hatfield throws a hook to the side of Somelainen's head but Somelainen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Somelainen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Hatfield checks a leg kick nicely.
Somelainen throws a series of strikes that have Hatfield backpedaling.
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!
Hatfield stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Somelainen connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Somelainen throws a right hand that misses
and Hatfield makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Somelainen moves away from the strike by Hatfield.
Hatfield misses with a straight right.
Somelainen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Somelainen throws a right and a left that Hatfield avoids nicely.
Hatfield looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Hatfield uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Somelainen has time to react.
Hatfield tests Somelainen's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Somelainen is rocked!
Somelainen connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Oh Somelainen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hatfield misses with a hook. Somelainen ducked under it nicely.
Somelainen walks straight into a right hand from Hatfield - that's dropped him! Hatfield jumps into mount and starts pounding away - can he finish?! More strikes go undefended and the referee has to dive in to save Somelainen from any more punishment! Somelainen complains about the stoppage but falls over as he tries to stand back up, so it was clearly a good stoppage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Riley Hatfield!
An out of breath Riley Hatfield thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.