PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Samuel Sycek (ranked 519 p4p, 517 weight class) and Baruto Tonissaar (ranked 67 p4p, 66 weight class). Baruto Tonissaar has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sycek
vs
Tonissaar

178 cm
28
193
15 - 13 - 0

191 cm
36
185
31 - 15 - 1

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Furnace Performance 🔥

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 15 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Samuel Sycek!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Baruto Tonissaar!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sycek dives in for a single leg takedown but Tonissaar sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Tonissaar working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Tonissaar pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tonissaar fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Sycek.
Sycek avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Tonissaar has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Tonissaar's jab looks to have found its range, popping Sycek under the eye.
Tonissaar throws out a powerful jab.
Horrible takedown attempt by Sycek or perhaps it was just good defense by Tonissaar, which made it look bad.
A slapping leg kick lands for Tonissaar.
Tonissaar jabs Sycek to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Tonissaar lands a jab to the nose.
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!
Sycek walks into a left hand.
Sycek takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Sycek shoots in for a takedown but Tonissaar shows good takedown defense.
Tonissaar throws out a counter right but Sycek avoids it with no problem.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Samuel Sycek. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tonissaar looks to throw the jab but Sycek is out of range.
Tonissaar connects with a crisp jab.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Sycek checks a leg kick.
Sycek looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Tonissaar stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Jab from Tonissaar.

Sycek is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Tonissaar as Sycek shoots in.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sycek looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sycek takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Sycek walks into a jab.
Tonissaar lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Tonissaar throws a series of punches but Sycek avoids them all with ease.
Tonissaar lands a really nice looking cross but Sycek seems unphased.
Tonissaar throws the left hand but Sycek avoids the punch easily.
Sycek tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tonissaar swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Sycek shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tonissaar keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sycek missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Tonissaar moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sycek missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sycek throwing strikes from guard but Tonissaar blocks nicely.
Sycek throws a big elbow that misses.
Sycek pushing down on Tonissaar's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Sycek not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sycek missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Tonissaar is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Sycek's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Sycek's back!
Tonissaar avoiding Sycek 's attempts to control his hands.
Sycek's corner are yelling at him, telling him to just focus on controlling Tonissaar's hands.
Sycek is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sycek trying to control but not successfully.
What can Sycek do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Sycek is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Tonissaar has good solid back control here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sycek is in bad spot here.
Sycek is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tonissaar biding his time, looking for the opening.
Sycek can't escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonissaar just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Sycek tries to escape the position.
What can Sycek do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Tonissaar is continuing to stall.
Tonissaar gets his hands free as Sycek looks to control.
Sycek is really stuck here.
Tonissaar is riding his opponent, not letting Sycek buck him off.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Baruto Tonissaar dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Tonissaar throws a body shot but no joy.
A big right from Tonissaar misses.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Tonissaar enables Sycek to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Tonissaar manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Tonissaar preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sycek makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Tonissaar has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sycek with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sycek trying to control but Tonissaar is working from the bottom.
Sycek trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sycek is fighting to break Tonissaar's control of his arms but Tonissaar is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Tonissaar's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sycek throwing strikes from guard but Tonissaar blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonissaar utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sycek trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sycek cracks Tonissaar with a solid left hand.
Tonissaar is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Tonissaar has momentary wrist control but Sycek slips an elbow through the middle.
Sycek throwing strikes but missing.
Sycek has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Tonissaar keeping full guard, as Sycek tries to pass.
Tonissaar has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sycek scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonissaar preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sycek throws an elbow that misses. Tonissaar uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sycek's guard. Nice move by Tonissaar!

Sycek not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sycek is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Tonissaar is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Tonissaar being controlled here momentarily.
Tonissaar is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Sycek is trying to control the position but Tonissaar postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonissaar wants to stand but Sycek has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Tonissaar preventing the sweep.
Sycek looking to control.
Tonissaar preventing the sweep.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Tonissaar throws a hook to the side of Sycek's head but Sycek sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Tonissaar lands with a hook. Sycek tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Sycek feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sycek loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sycek throwing strikes but missing.
Tonissaar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sycek trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sycek throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tonissaar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sycek postures up and lands a big shot to Tonissaar's brow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sycek throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tonissaar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sycek throwing strikes from guard but Tonissaar blocks nicely.
Tonissaar wants to sweep here but Sycek controlling him for the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sycek accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tonissaar preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tonissaar is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Sycek throwing strikes from guard but Tonissaar blocks nicely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sycek landing with the ground and pound.
Sycek loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Samuel Sycek dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sycek shoots for a double leg takedown but Tonissaar sprawls well. He's pushed Sycek's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Tonissaar throws a nice outside leg kick.
No luck for Sycek with that takedown attempt.
Sycek displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Tonissaar throws out the jab.
Sycek shoots in for a takedown but Tonissaar shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Tonissaar looks like he wants to counter punch here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Samuel Sycek. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sycek looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tonissaar is fending him off so far but Sycek persists. Nope, Tonissaar circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice uppercut there from Tonissaar.
Tonissaar is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Tonissaar lands with an overhand left.
Baruto Tonissaar seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A low kick from Tonissaar misses

and Sycek counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sycek with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sycek postures up in Tonissaar's guard and throws a big left but Tonissaar blocks it.
Tonissaar controlling Sycek's posture.
Sycek postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sycek chips away with some ground and pound.
Sycek postures up in Tonissaar's guard and throws a big left but Tonissaar blocks it.
Tonissaar working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sycek.
Sycek throws a strike but Tonissaar rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Tonissaar is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Tonissaar stopping the sweep attempt from Sycek.
Sycek might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sycek lands an upkick as Tonissaar stands over him.
Tonissaar trying to stand up but can't free himself from Sycek's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sycek wants to control but Tonissaar passes easily into half guard.
Tonissaar prevents Sycek from improving his position.
Sycek is pressing down on Tonissaar's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sycek looking to control.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sycek is on top in guard.

Sycek in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sycek missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sycek scoring with some ground and pound.
Sycek throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tonissaar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonissaar is adopting a defensive guard.
Sycek lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sycek with a nice head shot there.
Sycek missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sycek throwing strikes but missing.
Sycek trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sycek postures up in Tonissaar's guard and throws a big left but Tonissaar blocks it.
Sycek missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sycek landing some decent shots from guard.
Tonissaar is pulling down on Sycek's head to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonissaar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sycek throws a strike but Tonissaar rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Sycek lands a couple of shots from the bottom.
Sycek tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sycek wants to control the position but Tonissaar says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Sycek trying to hold on to Tonissaar's head to control him but Tonissaar postures up.
Sycek wants to improve his position but Tonissaar is controlling well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Samuel Sycek.
I think Sycek has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!