PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sauli Niinisto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Colin Robinson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sauli Niinisto has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Niinisto
vs
Robinson

190 cm
19
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

208 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sauli Niinisto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Colin Robinson!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Konstantin Menshow and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Niinisto moves out of range as Robinson throws a body kick.

Niinisto fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Robinson, pushing him back against the cage.
Niinisto has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Robinson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Niinisto throws a knee to the head but misses.
Niinisto creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Robinson's defenses.

It looks like Colin Robinson has been cut.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Niinisto looking to throw knees to the head but Robinson is blocking nicely.
Niinisto scores with a knee to the head.
Niinisto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Robinson avoids it.
Robinson tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Niinisto throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Robinson blocks it with crossed arms.
Niinisto unloads a knee to the mid-section. Robinson lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Robinson is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Niinisto has hold of one of Robinson's legs. Robinson is fighting the takedown attempt but Niinisto gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Niinisto looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Robinson trying to strike off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Robinson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Niinisto is controlling him.
Niinisto slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Robinson is trying to get back to his feet.
You can see the frustration on Robinson's face as Niinisto controls the position.
Robinson regains half guard.
Robinson looks gassed!
Robinson tries to get to full guard but Niinisto has control of the leg.

That's two 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.
Niinisto is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Niinisto wants to pass to mount but Robinson is defending the position.
Robinson tries to kick Niinisto off in order to stand up. Niinisto Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Robinson sneaks back into half guard.
Niinisto tries to pass the half guard into mount. Robinson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robinson wants to get back to full guard.
Niinisto perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Niinisto passes to full mount!
Robinson is trying to stand but he's just given Niinisto his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Robinson is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Niinisto is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Good control from Niinisto.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sauli Niinisto dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Colin Robinson's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Niinisto closes the distance and clinches.
Robinson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Niinisto gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Robinson takes a knee right on the jaw!
Niinisto tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Robinson is trying to break the clinch but Niinisto has him pressed against the cage.
Niinisto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Robinson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Knees to the body from Niinisto.
Niinisto with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Niinisto obliges.
Niinisto lands an elbow inside.
Niinisto is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Niinisto lands an elbow just above Robinson 's eye.
Niinisto tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Niinisto misses with a knee to the head.
Niinisto looking to throw knees to the head but Robinson is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Niinisto misses with a knee strike.
Niinisto crunches a lovely knee into Robinson's ribcage.
Robinson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Niinisto pulls his leg out and moves away.
Niinisto tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Robinson swivels and escapes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niinisto misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Robinson checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Some wild striking there from Robinson.
Niinisto moves in looking to clinch but Robinson pushes him off.

Niinisto clinches up against the cage.

Niinisto is trying to trip Robinson. He has hold of a leg but Robinson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Niinisto persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Niinisto content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robinson is looking to stand up but Niinisto isn't so interested in that idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Niinisto pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Robinson is keeping the position for now.
Niinisto pushes down on Robinson's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robinson pushes Niinisto off but Niinisto dives into side control.
A lull in the action here as Niinisto stalls from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Niinisto prevents Robinson from escaping the position.
Robinson seems a little lost for a moment, as Niinisto dominates the positioning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sauli Niinisto dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Colin Robinson's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Niinisto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sauli Niinisto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Robinson lands a glancing blow to the side of Niinisto's head.
Robinson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Niinisto paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Niinisto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Niinisto wants to clinch but Robinson slips to the side
and Robinson counters with a series of strikes. Niinisto will be more careful next time no doubt.
Robinson keeps the fight on the outside.
Niinisto wants to clinch.
Niinisto avoids the head kick by Robinson.

Niinisto lands a big head kick that sends Robinson tumbling to the mat! Niinisto takes a step backwards and waves Robinson back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Robinson is rocked!

Niinisto drives through and clinches with Robinson against the cage.
Robinson is still on wobbly legs! Can Niinisto finish him?
Robinson takes a knee right on the jaw!
Niinisto lands a nice knee to the body.
Niinisto landing knees to the head.
Niinisto's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Niinisto utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Robinson tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niinisto avoiding damage.
Robinson seems to have recovered his senses.
Robinson is trying to force a seperation but Niinisto has the dominant position.
Niinisto lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Niinisto looking to throw knees to the head but Robinson is blocking nicely.
Niinisto lands a good knee to the midsection. Robinson won't want to take too many of those.
Niinisto tries for a takedown but Robinson manages to get underhooks.
Niinisto throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Robinson blocks it with crossed arms.
Niinisto throws a knee to the head but misses.
Niinisto wants a takedown.
Robinson misses with a knee strike.
Robinson managing to block the knees to the body from Niinisto.
Niinisto missing with knees to the body.
Robinson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Niinisto walks away with a smile on his face. Robinson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Niinisto swinging wilding here.
Robinson wants to clinch up but Niinisto keeps it at a distance.
Robinson wants to clinch
and Niinisto counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

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.
Niinisto misses with a kick to the body
and Robinson counters with an outside leg kick.
Niinisto cracks the inside of Robinson's front leg.
Niinisto avoids the body shot from Robinson.
Niinisto throws a head kick but Robinson moves out of range.
Robinson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Robinson misses with the combination.

Niinisto takes the fight into the clinch.
Niinisto lands a knee to the head.
Niinisto avoids a wild elbow strike from Robinson.
Niinisto unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Niinisto slowing the pace effectively.
Robinson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Niinisto putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Robinson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Niinisto misses with a knee strike.
Robinson wants to stall.
Niinisto using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niinisto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Robinson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Robinson content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Robinson takes an elbow to the forehead.
Niinisto lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Robinson looking to stall.
Robinson takes an elbow to the forehead.
Robinson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Niinisto landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Niinisto lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Robinson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Niinisto is defending well for now.
Niinisto landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Niinisto lands a knee to the head.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Robinson looking to throw knees to the head but Niinisto is blocking nicely.
Robinson throws a knee to the head but misses.
Niinisto looking to throw knees to the head but Robinson is blocking nicely.
Robinson tries for a takedown. No joy.
Sauli Niinisto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Colin Robinson.
Niinisto looking to stall.
Robinson looking to slow down the pace here.

Robinson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sauli Niinisto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Niinisto throws a head kick that misses.
Niinisto throws a push kick but Robinson slaps the foot to one side.
Niinisto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Niinisto lands a head kick!
Colin Robinson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Robinson takes one on the button.
Niinisto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Robinson keeps the fight on the outside.

Niinisto clinches.
Niinisto landing knees to the head.
Robinson blocks an elbow strike from Niinisto.
Niinisto avoiding damage.
Niinisto keeps control of Robinson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Robinson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sauli Niinisto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Niinisto 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sauli Niinisto!