PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jarppi Virne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anderson Romario (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Virne's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Jeff van Dyck - Soldier's Chant. Romario has chosen Polly - By Nirvana as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Virne
vs
Romario

187 cm
27
262 lbs
9 - 11 - 0

184 cm
28
270 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jarppi Virne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Anderson Romario!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Virne looking to score a takedown here. Romario is defending well but Virne drives through and ends up in Romario's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Virne pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Romario is keeping the position for now.
Romario pulls Virne in close to prevent any damage.
Virne is looking to work some ground and pound but Romario has wrist control.
Virne postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Romario working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Virne.
Romario keeping moving, preventing Virne from controlling successfully.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Romario can do anything to dispel that myth.
Romario controls Virne momentarily but Virne frees himself.

Virne stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Virne fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Virne tries to close the distance and clinch up but Romario swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romario goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Romario's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Romario duly obliges.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Romario enables Virne to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Romario manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Virne throws a big elbow that misses.
Virne throws an elbow that misses. Romario uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Virne's guard. Nice move by Romario!
Romario must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Virne is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Virne keeping moving, preventing Romario from controlling successfully.
Virne 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.
Romario being controlled here momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Virne tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Romario manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Romario ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Virne moves away.
Virne has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Romario.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Virne shoots in and drives through. Romario sprawls well.
Romario tries to clinch up.
Romario throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Virne throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Virne swings away with a body shot that misses
and Romario counters with a nice body kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Romario.
Romario throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Virne takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A head kick from Romario lands but Virne takes it in his stride.
Romario scoring well with a low kick there.

Romario clinches up with Virne and pushes him back against the cage.

Virne breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Virne fails to land the takedown.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Virne pulls guard effortlessly.
Romario trying to stand up but can't free himself from Virne's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Virne is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Romario lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Virne!
Romario tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.
Virne keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jarppi Virne will probably get the nod.
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.

Romario turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Virne shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Virne showed some decent athleticism there.
Romario blocking the ground and pound attempt from Virne.
Romario gets back to full guard.
Romario really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Virne. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Virne trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Virne looking to pass the guard.
Virne missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Romario working a defensive guard here.
Virne preventing the sweep.
Jarppi Virne overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romario lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Virne!
Virne wants to hold on but Romario pushes him away.
Virne is wriggling around trying to escape.
Virne is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Virne is desperately trying to improve his position but Romario has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Virne is working hard here to advance position.
Virne tries to hold on but Romario postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Virne is desperately trying to improve his position but Romario has a good base and remains in mount.
Romario controlling the position easily from mount.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nice body kick from Romario.
Jarppi Virne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Virne lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Romario throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Jarppi Virne is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Virne shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Virne missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Romario keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ground and pound from Virne.
Virne thows a huge punch but Romario dodges it nicely.
Virne not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Romario taking some punishment here, with Virne in his half guard.
Virne throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Romario blocking the ground and pound attempt from Virne.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Virne thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Romario wants to control but Virne is keeping busy.
Virne lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jarppi Virne dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Romario takes a swing at Virne's ribcage but misses.

Virne closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Romario quickly recovers to half guard.
Virne takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Virne is trying to control. Romario wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Romario regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Virne.
Virne is looking to work some ground and pound but Romario has wrist control.
Virne is looking to work some ground and pound but Romario has wrist control.
Virne with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Virne loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Virne is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Virne tries to free his leg and advance position but Romario is retaining full guard.
Virne working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Romario controlling Virne's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Virne throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Romario works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Virne wanted to stand there but Romario had control of the position.
Romario trying to keep a closed guard but Virne is proving a slippery customer.
Virne pushes down on Romario's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Romario keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Virne working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Virne missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Anderson Romario has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romario keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Romario is trying to control but can't.
Romario is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Virne thows a huge punch but Romario dodges it nicely.
Virne working over Romario with some ground and pound. Romario looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Virne throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Romario to regain full guard.
Romario wants to sweep but no luck.
Virne throws a big elbow that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Virne postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Virne keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Romario's head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Virne accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Romario is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Virne scoring with punches to the head and body.
Virne postures up in Romario's guard and throws a big left but Romario blocks it.
Virne working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Virne accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Virne missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jarppi Virne is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Virne throws a big right hand that misses.
Virne content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jarppi Virne.
Virne looks for a takedown but Romario sprawls well.
Virne shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Romario sprawls well. Romario wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Virne gets slowly back to his feet.
Virne looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jarppi Virne. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Romario scores with a leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Romario throws a poor cross that misses

and Virne counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Romario escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Virne gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Virne is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jarppi Virne showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Virne, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jarppi Virne!