PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Thiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kim Ruuti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Thiago
vs
Ruuti

173 cm
20
177 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

203 cm
23
174 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Urban Vandal fight gear

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rodrigo Thiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kim Ruuti!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thiago tries to clinch up but Ruuti circles away and keeps his distance.
Ruuti tries a head kick but it misses.
Ruuti shoots for a takedown but Thiago saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ruuti stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
A head kick by Thiago misses
and Ruuti counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Rodrigo Thiago seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thiago throws a lazy head kick
and Ruuti counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Thiago is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Thiago tries to clinch
and Ruuti finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Ruuti throws a sloppy head kick and Thiago moves out of range easily.
Thiago tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ruuti counters with a head kick. That will keep Thiago thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ruuti throws a sloppy head kick and Thiago moves out of range easily.
Thiago tries to clinch but Ruuti moves away
and Ruuti counters with a head kick.
Ruuti lands with a nice body kick.
A good leg kick by Ruuti.
Thiago throws a leg kick

and Ruuti counters by clinching up.
Thiago throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ruuti blocks it with crossed arms.
Thiago misses with a knee to the head.
Ruuti managing to block the knees to the body from Thiago.
Ruuti avoiding damage as Thiago throws knees to the body.
Thiago is breathing heavily.
Ruuti blocks the elbow strike.

Ruuti pulls guard effortlessly.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ruuti pushes Thiago off and gets back to his feet.

Thiago fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ruuti, pushing him back against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Thiago just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ruuti's brow.
Thiago tries to land a knee to the head but Ruuti blocks with his arms.
Thiago has had enough of the clinch but Ruuti keeps him there for the moment.
Ruuti is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Thiago gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Thiago throws a knee to the head but misses.
Thiago throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ruuti blocks it with crossed arms.

Ruuti drags the fight down to the ground.
Ruuti manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Thiago manages to get himself to full guard.

Ruuti gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Ruuti clinches with his opponent.
Thiago with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Ruuti manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Ruuti is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ruuti kicks Thiago off and gets to his feet.
Ruuti tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thiago swivels and escapes.
Rodrigo Thiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kim Ruuti.

Ruuti takes the fight into the clinch.
Thiago using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Ruuti is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Thiago pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Thiago lands a knee to the body.

Thiago pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ruuti misses with a takedown attempt - Thiago sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ruuti tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thiago swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thiago throws a lazy head kick
and Ruuti counters with a good, hard body kick but Thiago shrugs it off.
Thiago throws a head kick that misses
and Ruuti counters with a nice leg kick.
Thiago avoids the head kick by Ruuti.
Rodrigo Thiago is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ruuti will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Thiago closes the distance but Ruuti moves to the side

and Ruuti moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thiago lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Thiago lands a knee to the body.
Thiago misses with an elbow strike.
Thiago with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A short body shot lands from Ruuti as the two fighters clinch.
Thiago tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Thiago is trying to drag Ruuti to the mat but Ruuti just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Thiago tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ruuti takes an elbow to the forehead.
Thiago misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ruuti.

Ruuti has hold of one of Thiago's legs. Thiago is fighting the takedown attempt but Ruuti gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Ruuti with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Thiago kicks Ruuti off and gets to his feet.
Thiago clinches but Ruuti breaks the clinch
and Ruuti cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruuti circles away from the clinch attempt

and Ruuti counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Thiago!
Thiago is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruuti is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Thiago somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thiago pushes Ruuti up against the cage in a clinch.
Thiago pushes off an throws an elbow but Ruuti leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Thiago using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ruuti has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Thiago looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Thiago comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Thiago landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Thiago tries a knee to the head but Ruuti blocks it.
Thiago with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Thiago throws a knee to the head but misses.
Thiago misses with a knee to the head.
Ruuti wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Thiago has him pressed against the cage.
Ruuti has Thiago pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Thiago manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Ruuti manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruuti tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ruuti lands an upkick as Thiago stands over him.
Thiago has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Ruuti is proving hard to escape from.
Ruuti is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thiago wants to stand but Ruuti has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Ruuti looking for a guillotine here but Thiago defends easily.
Thiago wants to stand but Ruuti has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Thiago knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ruuti on the ground.

Thiago decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thiago closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ruuti counters with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Thiago.
Ruuti throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Thiago tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ruuti counters with a nice kick to the body.
Thiago throws a head kick that misses

and Ruuti counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Thiago!
Thiago wants to get back to his feet.
Thiago trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruuti working the ground and pound effectively.
Thiago is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Ruuti trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Thiago is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Thiago is in a horrible position here. Ruuti smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Ruuti looking to control but Thiago is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

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.
Thiago trying desperately to get to his feet.
Ruuti fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Thiago really wants to buck Ruuti off and get back to his feet.
Kim Ruuti has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kim Ruuti showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Thiago throws a head kick that misses.
Thiago throws a sloppy head kick and Ruuti moves out of range easily.
Kim Ruuti seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Thiago has taken the fight to the clinch.
Thiago lands an elbow that stopped Ruuti in his tracks for a moment.
Thiago unloads a knee to the mid-section. Ruuti lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Thiago lands an elbow that stopped Ruuti in his tracks for a moment.
Ruuti drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Thiago gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Thiago scores a nice knee to the body.

Ruuti breaks the clinch.
Thiago tries to clinch up
and Ruuti counters with a solid body kick.
Thiago throws a body kick the misses

and Ruuti counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ruuti.

Thiago's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ruuti goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ruuti dodges the punch combination from Thiago.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruuti throws a head kick that Thiago semi-blocks.
Thiago tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Ruuti counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ruuti.
Ruuti is trying to break free.

Thiago breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Thiago closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ruuti counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Thiago closes the distance but Ruuti moves to the side

and Ruuti counters with a nice double leg into side control. Thiago won't be happy with that.
Ruuti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thiago keeps working.
Thiago wants to get back to his feet but Ruuti drags him back down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruuti is looking to take a break and control but Thiago is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thiago is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Ruuti is controlling him well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ruuti tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thiago swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruuti uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thiago.
Thiago closes the distance but Ruuti moves to the side

and Ruuti counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thiago's guard now.
Thiago wants to stand and escape but Ruuti is having none of it.

Thiago uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Thiago tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Ruuti decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Thiago's guard.
Ruuti makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ruuti has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Thiago is looking to stand up but Ruuti isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo Thiago has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Thiago looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ruuti throws a head kick that half lands.
Kim Ruuti is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Thiago throws a head kick that misses
and Ruuti finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kim Ruuti comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ruuti winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Kim Ruuti!
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Kim Ruuti!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Kim Ruuti!

Kim Ruuti wins by unanimous decision!