PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kalle Reinikainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raylan Givens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Reinikainen comes to the cage accompanied by Turmion Kätilöt - Verta ja Lihaa (Proteus Mental remix). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Reinikainen
vs
Givens

190 cm
32
194 lbs
30 - 15 - 0

187 cm
32
195 lbs
24 - 14 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kalle Reinikainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Raylan Givens!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reinikainen misses with a looping right.
Reinikainen throws a head kick that Givens semi-blocks.
Reinikainen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Givens fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Reinikainen avoids it really well and circles away.
Reinikainen takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Reinikainen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Reinikainen takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Givens shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Givens avoids the head kick by Reinikainen.
Givens avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Givens darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Givens connects with a nice short shot to Reinikainen's temple.
Reinikainen slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Givens passes Reinikainen's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Givens wants to free his trapped foot but Reinikainen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Reinikainen is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reinikainen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Givens missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Reinikainen is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Athletic Advantage, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Givens wants to control but Reinikainen is keeping him busy.
Givens thows a huge punch but Reinikainen dodges it nicely.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Givens prevents Reinikainen from improving his position.
Givens not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Givens 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.
Reinikainen is not content to let Givens control the position.
Givens thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Givens wants to pass to mount but Reinikainen is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Givens looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Reinikainen with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Givens throwing shots but Reinikainen is blocking nicely.
Reinikainen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Givens.
Givens sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Reinikainen defending well though.
Givens trying to control the action but Reinikainen is working from the bottom.
Reinikainen tries to roll over but Givens keeps him under control.
Givens throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reinikainen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Reinikainen is trying to maintain the position but Givens is very close to passing his half guard.
Givens lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Reinikainen is refusing to be controlled, as Givens sits in half guard.
Givens is pressing down on Reinikainen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Reinikainen is holding on for now.
Givens thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Givens throws a strike but Reinikainen avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Reinikainen working a defensive guard here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Givens throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raylan Givens dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Reinikainen blocks a head kick by Givens.
Reinikainen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Givens avoids the head kick by Reinikainen.
Givens slips a straight right by Reinikainen.
Givens checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Reinikainen lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Givens lands a nice leg kick that just misses Reinikainen's sensitive parts.
Reinikainen staying out of range there.
Reinikainen plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like Raylan Givens has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Givens fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reinikainen misses with a few strikes there.
Reinikainen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Givens moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nice straight punches there by Reinikainen. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Reinikainen.
Kalle Reinikainen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Reinikainen throws a sloppy head kick and Givens moves out of range easily.
Givens cracks Reinikainen with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Givens clobbers Reinikainen with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Reinikainen takes a swing at Givens's ribcage but misses.
Reinikainen walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Givens checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Givens jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Nice shot by Givens.
Givens throws a hook to the side of Reinikainen's head but Reinikainen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A slapping leg kick lands for Givens.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Reinikainen throws a looping overhand right but Givens ducks down to avoid it.
Givens fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Reinikainen avoids it really well and circles away.
Givens rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Reinikainen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Givens lunges at Reinikainen with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Reinikainen's hand.
Reinikainen misses with a low kick as Givens jumps back.
Reinikainen looks to land a body kick but Givens moved away.
Givens throws a head kick but Reinikainen moves out of range.

Givens darts in and clinches Reinikainen up against the cage.
Givens tries a body shot but Reinikainen blocks it.
Givens tries for a takedown. No joy.
Kalle Reinikainen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raylan Givens.
Givens misses with some punches.
Reinikainen scores with a shoulder strike.
Reinikainen pushes Givens back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Reinikainen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Reinikainen tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Givens avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Givens tries to work over Reinikainen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Givens has a couple of punches blocked by Reinikainen.

Givens escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Givens fails to land the takedown.
Reinikainen throws a sloppy head kick

and Givens counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Reinikainen's guard now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Givens throws a strike but Reinikainen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Raylan Givens has got the better of the ground game so far.
Givens tries to land a sweep but no joy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Givens looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Reinikainen stopping the sweep attempt from Givens.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Raylan Givens will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Raylan Givens's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Givens misses with a hook.
Givens pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Givens staying out of range there.
Givens tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Reinikainen swivels and escapes.
Reinikainen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Givens pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Reinikainen lands a leg kick that knocks Givens off balance momentarily.
Givens ducks right into an uppercut from Reinikainen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Givens connects with a high kick.
Givens throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Reinikainen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Reinikainen thuds his right hand into Givens's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Givens takes one to the chin there.
Reinikainen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Givens throws a hook but Reinikainen avoids it easily.
Reinikainen lands with a kick to the temple. Givens shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
This has been an exciting period of action!
Givens takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Kalle Reinikainen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Givens fails with the takedown.
Reinikainen takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Givens stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Reinikainen.
A slow jab from Reinikainen misses its intended target.
A low kick from Givens is predictable there
and Reinikainen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Givens shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Reinikainen sprawls well. Reinikainen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Givens gets slowly back to his feet.
Kalle Reinikainen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raylan Givens.
Givens tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Givens throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Reinikainen lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Reinikainen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Raylan Givens is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Raylan Givens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Reinikainen takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Kalle Reinikainen is winning the standup battle so far.
Reinikainen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Givens manages to avoid it.
Givens shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Reinikainen sprawls well. Reinikainen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Givens gets slowly back to his feet.
Reinikainen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Givens.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Givens shoots in for a double leg but Reinikainen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Reinikainen misses with an uppercut.
Givens chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Reinikainen can pounce on him.
Reinikainen is looking to score with low kicks.
Givens throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Reinikainen counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Reinikainen takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Givens checks a low kick from Reinikainen.
Reinikainen swats away the attempt to clinch by Givens.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kalle Reinikainen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Givens 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raylan Givens!
An out of breath Raylan Givens thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.