PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Iso Paa (ranked 64 p4p, 23 weight class) and Pekka Toivonen (ranked 10 p4p, 5 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Paa
vs
Toivonen

180 cm
29
190
23 - 7 - 0

193 cm
33
189
30 - 9 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Savage Fightwear
Aspire Clothing

Conviction
Savage Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Iso Paa!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pekka Toivonen!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Sam Margolis and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Toivonen staying out of range there.
Iso Paa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice uppercut there from Paa.
A nice leg kick from Paa, right into the meat of the thigh.
Paa fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
An inside leg kick from Toivonen misses.
Toivonen lands with a nice body kick.
Toivonen misses with a wild combination.
Toivonen has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Toivonen there as he acknowledges the shot.
Toivonen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Paa.
Paa bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Paa slips a jab from Toivonen.
Paa has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
A swing and a miss from Toivonen.
Paa bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Toivonen.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Paa throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Toivonen scores with a leg kick.
Toivonen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Toivonen shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A chopping leg kick lands by Paa.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toivonen moves forwards but Paa connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Paa blocks a jab.
Toivonen checks the leg kick nicely there.
Paa connects with a solid leg kick.
Paa avoids a kick to the body.
Paa uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Toivonen.
Toivonen throws a hook to the side of Paa's head but Paa sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Paa closes the distance and clinches.
Paa lands a left hand.
Paa cracks Toivonen with a nice body shot.
Paa misses with a short punch on the inside.
Toivonen lands a body punch in the clinch.
Toivonen tries a body shot but Paa blocks it.
A nice right hand lands inside from Paa.
Paa lands a damaging elbow.
Paa tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Paa misses with some punches.
Paa lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Pekka Toivonen has been cut.
Paa throws a punch but it's blocked by Toivonen.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Paa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Paa throws a head punch that misses.
Paa swings wildly with an uppercut but Toivonen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Paa misses with some punches.
Paa lands a shoulder strike.
Paa tries to work over Toivonen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Toivonen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Toivonen tries to work over Paa's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Toivonen tries to throw a body punch but Paa avoids it by throwing Toivonen back against the cage.
Toivonen lands a left hand.
Paa lands a body shot.
Toivonen can't find room to land a body shot as Paa controls the action.
Nice elbow from Paa.
Paa scores with a nice hook to the head.
Paa lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Toivonen.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Toivonen.
A short uppercut from Paa.
Toivonen has a couple of punches blocked by Paa.
Toivonen tries a body shot but Paa blocks it.
Paa is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paa misses with the head strike.
A short uppercut from Toivonen.
Paa misses with some punches.

Toivonen breaks from the clinch.
Toivonen lands with a slapping head kick.
Paa wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Toivonen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Paa to score with a decent uppercut.
Paa doesn't manage to clinch there - Toivonen circles away.
Paa buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Paa moves out of range of the body kick from Toivonen.
Paa misses with an attempted mid kick.
Toivonen throws a quick inside leg kick.
Toivonen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Good leg kick by Toivonen.

Paa gets a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Toivonen.
Toivonen misses with some punches.
Paa takes a shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toivonen lands a hook that snaps the head of Paa backwards.
Toivonen lands with a short shot to the head.
Paa swings wildly with an uppercut but Toivonen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Paa prevents a body shot from Toivonen.
Nice body punch from Toivonen.
Toivonen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Toivonen blocks a body shot from Paa.
Paa stalls.
With the fighters up against the cage, Paa throws an elbow but misses.
Toivonen blocking some punches.
Toivonen digs a right hand underneath Paa's ribcage. Paa let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Toivonen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Paa lands an elbow inside that Toivonen shrugs off.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Toivonen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Paa blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Toivonen lands a left hand that snaps the head of Paa backwards.
Toivonen has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Paa seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Toivonen can turn it around.
Paa lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Toivonen blocking some punches.
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 Iso Paa will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Pekka Toivonen's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Paa throws a body kick that misses
and Toivonen counters with a stiff right hand.
Toivonen takes one to the chin there.
Paa throws a shot to the body.
Paa pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Toivonen does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Paa blocks a low kick nicely.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Toivonen in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Paa lands a slapping body shot.
Paa tests Toivonen's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Iso Paa is winning the standup battle so far.
Paa throws the left hand but Toivonen avoids the punch easily.
Toivonen scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Paa lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Paa getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd cheers as Paa lands an impressive looking overhand right. Toivonen doesn't seem phased though.
Paa takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Toivonen lands a nice hook to Paa's body. Paa takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Toivonen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Toivonen moves out of range of the leg kick from Paa.
Toivonen throws a shot from downtown. Paa moves away and avoids it.
Toivonen throws the left hand but Paa avoids the punch easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paa comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Paa misses with a right hand
and Toivonen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Toivonen staying out of range there.
Toivonen lands with a thumping leg kick.
Paa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Toivonen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Paa looks to score with a jab to the body but Toivonen is just out of range.
Toivonen scores with a jab.
A low kick lands for Toivonen.
Paa scores with a nice body kick.
Toivonen takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Decent striking displayed by Toivonen there.
Toivonen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Paa swings for the body but Toivonen moves out of range.
Toivonen swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Paa.
Paa throws a leg kick
and Paa takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Paa dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Paa misses with a straight right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Paa. Toivonen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Paa takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Paa explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
A nice leg kick lands there from Toivonen.
A decent looking cross lands there for Toivonen.

Paa is rocked!
Paa connects with a good right hand that stumbles Toivonen. Toivonen circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Oh Paa is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Paa misses with a shot to the body
and Toivonen counters with a big left hand that crumples Paa! He was out before he hit the floor! Brutal knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Pekka Toivonen! Pekka Toivonen retains his middleweight title!
Pekka Toivonen decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.