PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dick Ekelund (ranked 1142 p4p, 1145 weight class) and Ilari Rahamies (ranked 107 p4p, 108 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.

Ekelund
vs
Rahamies

178 cm
29
150
10 - 8 - 0

175 cm
28
145
9 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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FF Gear

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 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dick Ekelund!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ilari Rahamies!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, William Gold and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good work by Ekelund as he checks the leg kick.
Rahamies connects with an inside leg kick.
Rahamies throws a half hearted mid kick.
Ekelund is looking to clinch but Rahamies is avoiding it.
Rahamies lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Ekelund fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ekelund tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rahamies manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ekelund tries to clinch up but Rahamies circles away and keeps his distance.
Rahamies uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ekelund.
A telegraphed right hand from Ekelund misses the target.
Ekelund wants to clinch but Rahamies slips to the side
and Rahamies connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rahamies misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rahamies goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rahamies throws a jab when Ekelund was well out of range.
Rahamies lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Ekelund on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rahamies. Rahamies obviously looking to wear him down.
Rahamies lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rahamies tries a head kick but it misses.
Ekelund wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rahamies scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Ekelund looks to land a left hand but Rahamies moved out of range nicely.
Rahamies throws a body punch but Ekelund moves out of range.
Ilari Rahamies seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ekelund misses with a hook. Rahamies ducked under it nicely.
Ekelund is looking to clinch but Rahamies is avoiding it.
Rahamies tries a low kick but Ekelund avoids it.
Rahamies misses with a kick to the body.
Rahamies has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Ekelund is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Rahamies throws a shot from downtown. Ekelund moves away and avoids it.
Rahamies throws an overhand right that lands on Ekelund's shoulder, as Ekelund tries to avoid the shot.
Rahamies pulls out of a head kick attempt.
As Rahamies tries to get set, Ekelund tries to push him back and clinch up but Rahamies manages to avoid the attempt.

Ekelund has managed to clinch.
Rahamies pushes Ekelund back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rahamies working aggressively here.
Ekelund misses with the head strike.
Ekelund blocks an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rahamies throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ekelunds head.
Rahamies scores with a nice hook to the head.

Ekelund breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ekelund tries to bum rush Rahamies with a series of wild strikes but Rahamies uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A low kick lands for Rahamies.
Ekelund connects with a right hand. Rahamies shakes it off.
Rahamies walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Ekelund checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
A big right from Rahamies misses.
Rahamies throws a leg kick but Ekelund checks it.
Rahamies attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Ekelund misses with a lunging right hand
and Rahamies counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rahamies looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ekelund lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rahamies circles away quickly and effectively.
Ekelund throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rahamies dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Ekelund. That did some damage!
A good leg kick by Rahamies.
Ekelund ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ekelund is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Rahamies stuffs the takedown attempt from Ekelund. Ekelund gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rahamies turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nice jab there from Ekelund.
Rahamies throws a push kick but Ekelund slaps the foot to one side.
Ekelund takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Ekelund closes the distance but Rahamies moves to the side
and Rahamies counters with a low kick, right behind Ekelund 's knee.
Ekelund tries to clinch there but Rahamies circles away.
Rahamies looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rahamies keeps the fight on the outside.
Ekelund cracks Rahamies with a good jab.
Rahamies swats away the attempt to clinch by Ekelund.
Ekelund lands with a shot to the body.
Ekelund uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rahamies.

Ekelund drives through and clinches with Rahamies against the cage.
Rahamies blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rahamies throws a head punch that misses.
Rahamies throws a head punch that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rahamies tries to throw a body punch but Ekelund avoids it by throwing Rahamies back against the cage.
Rahamies on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rahamies swings wildly with an uppercut but Ekelund uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rahamies swings wildly with an uppercut but Ekelund uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rahamies tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ekelund fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rahamies has a couple of punches blocked by Ekelund.
Ekelund lands with a left to the head.
Ekelund throws a head punch that misses.
Rahamies lands a body shot.
Rahamies working aggressively here.
Rahamies blocks an uppercut.
Rahamies lands a body punch.

Ekelund breaks from the clinch.

Ekelund moves into the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ilari Rahamies dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Rahamies dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Ekelund. That did some damage!
Ekelund checks the leg kick nicely there.
Rahamies lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Ekelund backs up against the cage.
Rahamies pushes Ekelund away with a front kick.
Ekelund swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rahamies was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Ekelund on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Ekelund missing with a left hand there. Rahamies was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rahamies is looking for the big counter here.
Rahamies throws a low kick but Ekelund moves out of range easily.
Rahamies throws a jab when Ekelund was well out of range.
Rahamies is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ekelund.
Ekelund is looking to counter the offense by Rahamies and move into the clinch.
Rahamies bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Ekelund's head.
Ekelund missing with a left hand there. Rahamies was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rahamies has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rahamies looks for the body kick but Ekelund saw that one coming.
Ekelund tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Rahamies manages to circle out of the way.
Ekelund listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ekelund throws a looping overhand right but Rahamies ducks down to avoid it.
Rahamies only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Rahamies pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ekelund lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Rahamies throws a half hearted mid kick.
Ekelund tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rahamies manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rahamies throws a combination. Ekelund tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Ekelund fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ekelund fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ilari Rahamies seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ekelund displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rahamies throws out the jab.
The crowd cheers as Ekelund lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rahamies doesn't seem phased though.
Ekelund tries to clinch but Rahamies moves out of range.
Rahamies looks for the body kick but Ekelund saw that one coming.
Ekelund throws a poor cross that misses
and Ekelund takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ekelund moves in looking to clinch but Rahamies pushes him off.
Rahamies keeps the fight on the outside.
Rahamies tries a quick counter leg kick but Ekelund is wise to it.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Ekelund is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Ekelund takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Ekelund wants to clinch.
Rahamies connects with a solid leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Rahamies.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rahamies lands a nice leg kick that just misses Ekelund's sensitive parts.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rahamies loads up on a big right hand but Ekelund slips the punch.
Ekelund is looking to clinch but Rahamies is avoiding it.
A slapping leg kick lands for Rahamies.
Rahamies throws a nice inside leg kick.
Ekelund is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rahamies throws a front kick that sends Ekelund stumbling back into the cage.
Rahamies scores with the left hand. Ekelund knows he should have avoided that one.
Ekelund swinging wildly here.
Ekelund wants to clinch up but Rahamies keeps it at a distance.
Ekelund is looking to clinch.
Rahamies was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
A jab lands there for Ekelund.

Ekelund closes the distance and clinches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ekelund.
Ekelund working aggressively here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rahamies misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rahamies struggles to land a body shot inside as Ekelund controls his hands.
Rahamies tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Ekelund lands a knee to the body.
Ekelund working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short left from Rahamies.

Rahamies breaks from the clinch.
Ekelund on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Ekelund gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rahamies misses with the head strike.
Ekelund swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Ekelund fails to land.
Rahamies blocks an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ekelund.
Rahamies can't find room to land a body shot as Ekelund controls the action.
Rahamies misses with the head strike.
Rahamies tries to work over Ekelund's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Rahamies breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rahamies throws a right hand that misses

and Ekelund counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rahamies lands with a left to the head.
Rahamies misses with the head strike.
Ekelund has a couple of punches blocked by Rahamies.
Rahamies swings wildly with an uppercut but Ekelund uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rahamies swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ekelund misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ekelund misses with the head strike.
Ekelund lands a knee to the body.
Rahamies misses with a shot to the kidneys.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rahamies.
Rahamies struggles to land a body shot inside as Ekelund controls his hands.
Ekelund fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ekelund throws a head punch that misses.
Rahamies misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rahamies misses with a hook to the ribs.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ekelund.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ilari Rahamies showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Ekelund tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rahamies manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rahamies paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Ekelund misses the jab.
Ekelund is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice uppercut there from Rahamies.
Rahamies throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rahamies misses with a head kick.
Rahamies tries to land a leg kick but Ekelund saw it coming and moves away.
Ekelund scores with a jab to the head.
Rahamies misses with a low kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ekelund moves into the clinch successfully.
Ekelund misses with some punches.
Rahamies tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rahamies throws a punch but it's blocked by Ekelund.
Ekelund fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ekelund.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rahamies misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rahamies blocks an uppercut.
Rahamies throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ekelunds head.
Rahamies misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Rahamies fails to land.
Ekelund blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ekelund.
Rahamies misses with the head strike.
Ekelund blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rahamies has a couple of punches blocked by Ekelund.
Ekelund has a couple of punches blocked by Rahamies.
Ekelund tries to land knees in the clinch but Rahamies avoids the damage to the body.
Ekelund lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A short right from Rahamies on the inside.
Ekelund blocks an uppercut.
Rahamies misses with a punch on the inside.
Rahamies blocks an uppercut.
Rahamies misses with a hook from the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ekelund.
Dick Ekelund has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rahamies breaks from the clinch.
Ekelund just misses with a punch to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rahamies looks for the body kick but Ekelund saw that one coming.
Rahamies circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rahamies dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Ekelund. That did some damage!
Rahamies bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Ekelund tries to clinch up.
Ekelund tries to clinch up.
Rahamies with a nice calf kick.
Rahamies scores with a body shot.
Ekelund tries to clinch but Rahamies is having none of it.
Ekelund tries to clinch up but Rahamies circles away and keeps his distance.
Ekelund has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rahamies.
Ekelund tries to close the distance and clinch but Rahamies swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rahamies scores with a leg kick.
Rahamies uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ekelund.
Rahamies uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Ekelund.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekelund avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Ekelund moves in looking to clinch but Rahamies pushes him off.

Ekelund has closed the distance and engaged Rahamies in a clinch.
Rahamies tries to work over Ekelund's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rahamies tries to throw a body punch but Ekelund avoids it by throwing Rahamies back against the cage.
Ekelund misses with some punches.
Nice body punch from Rahamies - that landed with a thud.
Rahamies fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Dick Ekelund has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Rahamies breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rahamies scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Ekelund wants to clinch up but Rahamies keeps it at a distance.
Rahamies thows a left - swing and a miss!
A slapping leg kick lands for Rahamies.
Ekelund stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rahamies.
Ekelund checks a leg kick.
Ekelund defending well as Rahamies loads up on a big left hand.
Ekelund connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Rahamies keeps Ekelund at a distance using the push kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekelund tries to clinch up but Rahamies circles away and keeps his distance.
Ekelund rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Rahamies counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ekelund listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Rahamies looks for the body kick but Ekelund saw that one coming.

Ekelund gets a clinch.
Rahamies blocking some punches.
Rahamies fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ekelund blocking some punches.
Ekelund misses with a punch on the inside.
Ekelund lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Rahamies misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ekelund scores with a shot to the side of Rahamies's head.
Ekelund has a couple of punches blocked by Rahamies.
Rahamies blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Rahamies manages to break the clinch.
Ekelund fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ekelund is looking to clinch but Rahamies is avoiding it.
A jab from Ekelund does it's job there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ilari Rahamies comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rahamies winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilari Rahamies!
A relieved looking Ilari Rahamies thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.