PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tatu Lehto (ranked 1732 p4p, 3974 weight class) and Yoji Anjo Anjo (ranked 233 p4p, 479 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Lehto
vs
Anjo

180 cm
29
180
8 - 8 - 0

188 cm
30
178
16 - 26 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Furnace Performance 🔥
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

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 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tatu Lehto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Yoji Anjo Anjo!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Albert Achterberg and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lehto has Anjo up against the cage in a clinch.
Anjo drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Lehto gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Lehto tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Anjo tightens his grip and picks Lehto up, before dumping him to the ground. Lehto manages to land in guard.
Anjo passes Lehto's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Lehto avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Anjo.
Anjo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Anjo in particular looking to stall.
Anjo is looking to advance position but Lehto won't allow it.

Anjo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Anjo stands up and beckons Lehto to join him on the feet.
Lehto throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Yoji Anjo Anjo has been cut.

Lehto moves into the clinch successfully.
Anjo takes a knee to the side of the body.
Anjo tries to score a body lock takedown but Lehto shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Anjo is working for takedown but Lehto is calmly controlling the position for now.
Tatu Lehto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoji Anjo Anjo.
Anjo jumps guard but Lehto turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Lehto misses with a punch on the inside.
Lehto connects with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lehto is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Anjo is defending well for now.
Anjo tries to pull guard but Lehto holds him up against the cage and eventually Anjo drops back down to his feet.
Lehto tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Lehto tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Anjo's elbow.
Lehto with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Anjo wants to break free but Lehto has control.
Lehto lands a nice uppercut.
Lehto tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lehto lands a hook that snaps the head of Anjo backwards.
Lehto tries to land a knee to the head but Anjo blocks with his arms.
Lehto tries to throw a body punch but Anjo avoids it by throwing Lehto back against the cage.
Anjo looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Anjo gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Anjo is working for a submission of some sort.
Anjo sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Anjo stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Lehto throws a sloppy head kick and Anjo moves out of range easily.
Lehto scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tatu Lehto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Anjo instigates a clinch.
Lehto swings wildly with an uppercut but Anjo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lehto scores with a knee to the head.

Anjo has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Lehto is trying to keep an underhook but Anjo manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Lehto pushes Anjo off looking to stand but Anjo dives back in and keeps control.
Anjo is controlling the pace.

Anjo gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tatu Lehto dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Yoji Anjo Anjo's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Anjo shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lehto manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lehto keeping full guard, as Anjo tries to pass.
Anjo slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Anjo stands up and waves to Lehto to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anjo throws a head kick but Lehto moves out of range.

Lehto instigates a clinch.
Anjo wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Lehto is leaning against Anjo and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Anjo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Lehto keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Anjo's efforts to push away.
Tatu Lehto has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Lehto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Anjo has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Lehto connects with a knee to the head.
Lehto misses with a knee strike.
Lehto misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Lehto.
Lehto throws a knee to the head but misses.
Lehto with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Anjo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Lehto throws a knee to the head but misses.
Lehto misses with a knee strike.
Lehto connects with a nasty looking knee right to Anjo's face.
Lehto tries to land a knee to the head but Anjo blocks with his arms.
Lehto is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Anjo can do to turn this around?

Anjo successfully pulls guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Anjo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Lehto wants to stand but Anjo has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lehto stopping the sweep attempt from Anjo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anjo trying to keep a closed guard but Lehto is proving a slippery customer.
Anjo wants to sweep but no luck.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Anjo managing to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Anjo moves away from the strike by Lehto.

Lehto has taken the fight to the clinch.
Lehto misses with a knee to the head.
Anjo is looking to take this one to the mat.
Anjo stalls.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lehto misses with a punch to the body.
Lehto tries a knee to the head but Anjo blocks it.
Anjo has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Lehto with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Lehto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Anjo has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Anjo is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Lehto pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Tatu Lehto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoji Anjo Anjo.
Anjo is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Lehto to keep the fight standing.
Anjo trying to land knees to the body.
Lehto prevents a takedown attempt there.
Lehto tries to land a knee to the head but Anjo blocks with his arms.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lehto with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Lehto throws a knee to the head but misses.
Lehto tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tatu Lehto dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Yoji Anjo Anjo's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Lehto rushes Anjo and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Anjo can't get the takedown.
Lehto softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Anjo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Lehto misses with a punch to the body.
Anjo is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Lehto is keeping busy.

Anjo manages to break the clinch.
Anjo blocks a head kick by Lehto.

Lehto instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lehto tries to land a knee to the head but Anjo blocks with his arms.
Lehto scores a nice knee to the body.
Lehto gets underhooks to prevent Anjo's takedown attempt.
Anjo takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lehto misses with a knee strike.
Lehto tries to throw a body punch but Anjo avoids it by throwing Lehto back against the cage.
Lehto lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Lehto tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Lehto connects with a nasty looking knee right to Anjo's face.
Lehto misses with a knee strike.
Lehto tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Lehto throws a knee to the head but misses.
A right handed body shot lands from Lehto.
Lehto tries to land a knee to the head but Anjo blocks with his arms.
Anjo can't break the clinch.
Lehto lands a body shot.
Lehto looking to throw knees to the head but Anjo is blocking nicely.

Anjo drags the fight down to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anjo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lehto is one step ahead there.
Anjo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Anjo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lehto wants to stand but Anjo has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Anjo seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Anjo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Lehto is looking to stand up but Anjo won't let him.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Lehto closes the distance and pushes Anjo back into the cage.
Lehto throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Anjo blocks it with crossed arms.
Lehto tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Anjo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Tatu Lehto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoji Anjo Anjo.
Lehto with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Lehto tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Lehto lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anjo working hard to break the clinch.
Lehto misses with a knee strike.
Lehto with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Tatu Lehto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Anjo is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lehto gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Lehto misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lehto prevents the takedown attempt.
Anjo looking for a takedown.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Anjo has Lehto pressed against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tatu Lehto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lehto, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tatu Lehto!
Tatu Lehto very nearly forgot to thank FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!) amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.
Yoji Anjo Anjo spoke after the fight, saying 'I feel good! '.