PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Armando Julio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Turo Vatanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Julio
vs
Vatanen

192 cm
20
240 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

198 cm
23
277 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Drago's Choice

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Armando Julio!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Turo Vatanen!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Dmitry Maklakov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vatanen closes the distance and clinches up with Julio, looking for a takedown. Vatanen pushes Julio against the cage but Julio circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Vatanen scores with a takedown into Julio's guard.
Vatanen pushes down on Julio's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Vatanen is looking for a kimura here.
Julio on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Vatanen lands a nice short elbow.
Vatanen is keen to just control but Julio is a slippery customer.
Julio misses with some strikes from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Julio tries to roll over but Vatanen keeps him under control.
Vatanen is keen to just control but Julio is a slippery customer.
Vatanen stalling away here and it's allowed Julio to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Vatanen throws a big right hand that misses.
Vatanen passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Vatanen moves into full mount!
Vatanen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Julio tries to reverse the position but Vatanen maintains control.
Julio is working hard here to advance position.

Vatanen with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Vatanen looking for a guillotine from mount but Julio is having none of it.
Julio is desperately trying to improve his position but Vatanen has a good base and remains in mount.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Vatanen goes for an armbar but Julio turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Julio.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Vatanen looks gassed!

Vatanen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Julio wants to pass the guard but Vatanen is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vatanen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Julio doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Julio manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Julio trying to control the position from guard on top but Vatanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vatanen is trying to keep Julio in close.

Vatanen is looking for a triangle but Julio pushes his legs off easily.
Julio trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Julio slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Julio wants to pass the guard but Vatanen is keeping the position.
Vatanen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vatanen fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vatanen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Vatanen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Julio looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Julio keeping moving, preventing Vatanen from controlling successfully.

Julio working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vatanen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vatanen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Julio had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Vatanen is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Julio Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Vatanen's back instead.
Vatanen turns into Julio and is now in his guard.
Vatanen looking to pass the guard.
Vatanen won't allow Julio to sweep him here.
Vatanen trying to control but Julio is working from the bottom.
Vatanen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Julio's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vatanen is thwarting Julio's attempts to control the position.
Vatanen is looking to advance position but Julio won't allow it.
Vatanen is controlling the pace.

Julio actively working from the bottom here.
Vatanen is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Vatanen goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Julio turns into him and now he's in Vatanen's guard.
Vatanen pulls Julio in to control the position.

Vatanen is looking for a triangle but Julio pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Turo Vatanen dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Vatanen fails with a takedown attempt.

Vatanen rushes Julio and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Vatanen stalling in the clinch.

Vatanen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Julio misses with a few strikes there.
Julio shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Vatanen as he jumps to the side.
Vatanen has his takedown stuffed

and Julio counters with a single leg into guard. Vatanen didn't expect that.

Vatanen looking for a guillotine here but Julio defends easily.
Julio scoring with punches to the head and body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Julio trying to control the position from guard on top but Vatanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Julio working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Vatanen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Julio is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Vatanen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Julio drops back looking for a leg! Vatanen is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Vatanen manages to kick Julio off! Julio jumps back into Vatanen's guard.
Julio has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Vatanen with a poor takedown

and Julio counters with a takedown into side control.
Armando Julio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Turo Vatanen.

Julio has hold of Vatanen's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Vatanen tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Julio cranks the arm and Vatanen screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Vatanen, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Armando Julio!
Armando Julio retains his heavyweight title!