PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raiskari Raimo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antonio Santos has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Santos
vs
Raimo

187 cm
23
215 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

184 cm
19
215 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Improved boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Antonio Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Raiskari Raimo!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Santos throws a right hand that Raimo ducks under and follows up with a left that Raimo also avoids with ease.
Horrible takedown by Santos or perhaps it was just good defense by Raimo which made him look bad.
Santos rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Raimo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Santos looks to land a combination but Raimo avoids it well.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Raimo.
The strikes coming from Raimo are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Raimo tries to score with some ground and pound. Santos controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
An elbow from Raimo crashes against the mat.
Raimo creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Santos sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Raimo stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Santos throws a right and a left that Raimo avoids nicely.
Raimo with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos throws a hook to the side of Raimo's head but Raimo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Raimo looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Raimo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Raimo scoring with some ground and pound.
Raimo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Raimo thows a big elbow that misses.
Raimo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Santos trying to control the position.
Raimo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Raimo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Santos is keeping the position for now.
Raimo pushes down on Santos's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos blocking the ground and pound attempt from Raimo.
Santos keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Santos throws a series of punches but Raimo avoids them all with ease.
Santos is breathing heavily.

Raimo feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Santos working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Raimo.
Raimo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Raimo makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Raimo throws a big right hand that misses.
Raimo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Raimo throws a strike but Santos rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Raimo tries to roll over but Santos keeps him under control.
Raimo wants to control but Santos is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Santos prevents Raimo from improving his position.
Raimo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Santos will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Santos misses with a series of wild punches.

Raimo shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Raimo throwing shots but Santos is blocking nicely.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Santos wants to get back to his feet.
Raimo with the ground and pound but Santos uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Raimo wants to pass the guard but Santos is keeping the position.
Raimo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Raimo won't allow Santos to get back to his feet.
Santos is trying to keep Raimo in close.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Santos misses with a jab, cross combination.
Santos fails to land with a series of punches.
Santos doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Raimo counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Raimo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Raimo stalling away here and it's allowed Santos to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Raimo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Raimo tries to free his leg and advance position but Santos is retaining full guard.
Santos is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Raimo is controlling him.
Raimo throwing strikes but missing.
Santos keeping full guard, as Raimo tries to pass.
Raimo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Santos falls off balance throwing a combination

and Raimo counters with a shoot takedown. Santos fights it but they end up in guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Raimo trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Raimo postures up in Santos's guard and throws a big left but Santos blocks it.
Raimo looking to pass the guard.
Raimo trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Raimo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Raimo from controlling successfully.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Santos throws a left and a right that both miss

and Raimo counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Santos's guard now.
Santos keeping full guard, as Raimo tries to pass.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Raimo from controlling successfully.
Santos wants to get back to his feet but Raimo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Santos controls Raimo momentarily but Raimo frees himself.
Santos wants to get back to his feet but Raimo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Raimo postures up in Santos's guard and throws a big left but Santos blocks it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Santos throws a left and a right that both miss

and Raimo counters with a single leg into guard. Santos didn't expect that.
Raimo won't allow Santos to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raiskari Raimo dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Santos lands a nice shot that snaps Raimo's head back.

Raimo clinches with his opponent.

Raimo has hold of one of Santos's legs. Santos is fighting the takedown attempt but Raimo gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Raimo throws a strike but Santos rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Santos won't allow Raimo to sweep him here.
Raimo looking to control.
Raimo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Santos manages to get himself to full guard.
Raimo is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raimo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Santos is keeping the position for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Santos is on top in guard.
Raimo is striking from the bottom but Santos uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Raimo is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Raimo looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Raiskari Raimo has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Raimo is trying to break free.
Raimo breaks Santos's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Raimo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Raimo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Raimo postures up in Santos's guard and throws a big left but Santos blocks it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Santos looks to land a combination but Raimo avoids it well.

Raimo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Raimo from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Raimo gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Santos darts in trying to clinch

and Raimo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Raimo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Raimo is stalling here. Santos is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Raimo seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Santos has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Raimo is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Raimo tries to improve position but can't.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Raimo fails to land with a series of punches.
Santos lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Santos falls off balance throwing a combination

and Raimo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Santos's guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Raimo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Raimo looking to sit in guard and control but Santos gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Raimo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Raimo is striking off his back. Santos thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Raimo is looking to improve his position.
Raimo is trying to control but Santos manages to pass to mount!

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Raimo is desperately trying to improve his position but Santos has a good base and remains in mount.
Raimo throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Raimo throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Raimo gets back to half guard.
Santos prevents Raimo from improving his position.
Raimo regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Santos preventing the sweep.
Santos wants to stand but Raimo has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Raimo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Santos is one step ahead there.
Raimo wants to hit a switch here but Santos passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Raimo there!
Raimo is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Raimo tries to control Santos's body but Santos pushes him off. Raimo squirms to his side and now Santos has his back!
Raimo tries to escape the position.
Santos tries to get the hooks in deep but Raimo pushed the leg off.
Santos is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Raimo is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Santos controlling well, preventing Raimo from escaping the position.
Raimo rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Raimo is looking to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Raimo scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raiskari Raimo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Raimo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight for Raiskari Raimo!
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight for Raiskari Raimo!
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Raiskari Raimo!

Raiskari Raimo wins by unanimous decision!