PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marco Polo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johanna Tukiainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Polo
vs
Tukiainen

176 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
20
192 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marco Polo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johanna Tukiainen!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Cecil Peabody and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tukiainen shoots in and drives through. Polo sprawls well.
Tukiainen has a takedown stuffed.
Polo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tukiainen swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Polo shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Polo passes into side control, despite Tukiainen's attempt to control the position.
Polo tries to advance to mount but can't.
Polo trying to control the action but Tukiainen is working from the bottom.
Polo controls the position.
Tukiainen wants to control but Polo postures up.
Polo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tukiainen on the ground.
Tukiainen is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Tukiainen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Polo fails with a takedown attempt.
Tukiainen misses with a takedown attempt

and Polo counters with a single leg into guard. Tukiainen didn't expect that.
Marco Polo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johanna Tukiainen.
Tukiainen trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Polo looking to pass the guard.
Polo postures up.
Polo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Polo trying to control the position from guard on top but Tukiainen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tukiainen working a defensive guard here.
Polo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tukiainen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Polo manages to get himself to full guard.
Tukiainen looking to sit in guard and control but Polo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Polo postures up.

Tukiainen has his foot on Polo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Polo works his way back into a safe position though.
Polo trying to stand up but can't free himself from Tukiainen's guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tukiainen keeping moving, preventing Polo from controlling successfully.

Tukiainen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tukiainen looks gassed!
Polo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tukiainen has his foot on Polo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Polo works his way back into a safe position though.
Tukiainen wants to sweep but no luck.
Polo scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Tukiainen is looking for a triangle but Polo pushes his legs off easily.
Polo sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Polo preventing the sweep.
Polo might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Polo postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Polo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Polo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Tukiainen is proving hard to escape from.

Tukiainen has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Polo doesn't defend quickly enough and Tukiainen has managed to lock this one up! Can Polo escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Tukiainen on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:29 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Johanna Tukiainen!