PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taako Taaco (ranked 4688 p4p, 5696 weight class) and Rocky Balboa (ranked 500 p4p, 576 weight class). Balboa has chosen Purge announcement as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Taaco
vs
Balboa

187 cm
21
200
2 - 4 - 0

180 cm
26
210
2 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Taako Taaco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rocky Balboa!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Balboa gets tackled into the cage by Taaco. Taaco maintains the clinch.
Taaco scores a nice knee to the body.
Taaco content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Taaco connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Rocky Balboa has been cut.
Taaco tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Balboa avoids it.
Taaco working aggressively here.
Balboa takes a knee to the side of the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Taaco tries to land knees in the clinch but Balboa avoids the damage to the body.
I was talking to Taaco's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taaco tries to throw a body punch but Balboa avoids it by throwing Taaco back against the cage.
Taaco missing with knees to the body.
Balboa blocks an uppercut.
Taaco using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Taaco with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taaco scores with a shoulder strike.
Taaco tries to throw a body punch but Balboa avoids it by throwing Taaco back against the cage.

Balboa has hold of one of Taaco's legs. Taaco is fighting the takedown attempt but Balboa gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Taaco had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Balboa defends it easily.
Balboa stopping the sweep attempt from Taaco.
Taaco controlling Balboa's posture.

Balboa is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Balboa 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taaco throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Balboa avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taaco drives through and clinches with Balboa against the cage.
Balboa has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Taaco seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Balboa can turn it around.

Taaco is fighting off a takedown attempt but Balboa is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Taaco to the mat. Taaco regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Taaco is wriggling around but Balboa manages to pass to half guard.

Balboa has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Balboa tries to control but Taaco wriggling away.
Taaco throwing hammer fists to the chest of Balboa. What's that going to do exactly?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balboa cracks Taaco with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Balboa looking to finish with strikes here!
Balboa throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Taaco because Balboa loaded up on that one.
Taaco is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Balboa trying to control but Taaco is having none of it.
Balboa thowing shots but they're missing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balboa misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Taako Taaco will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rocky Balboa's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Taaco throws a lazy right hand but Balboa sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Taaco sets himself, and Balboa steps forward looking for the clinch! Taaco avoids it this time.
Taaco misses with a double jab

and Balboa moves into the clinch.
Taaco misses with a hook to the ribs.
Taaco lands a knee to the head.

Balboa has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Taaco clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Balboa missing with strikes from the back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Balboa has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taaco can't escape the position.
Taaco covering up well and avoiding damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa struggling to keep hold of the position.
Taaco avoids the strikes from Balboa.
I really don't envy Taaco right now.
Taaco staying busy and making it hard for Balboa to control.
Taaco covering up well and avoiding damage.

Balboa is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Rocky Balboa has got the better of the ground game so far.

Balboa looking for the choke but no joy.

Balboa has the rear naked choke here! This is very bad for Taaco! Can he survive? No! He's out! Balboa gets to his feet and celebrates with his cornermen. He looks absolutely delighted. In the post fight interviews he takes time to thank his parents and everyone who has believed in him from the start. How sweet.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Rocky Balboa!
Post fight, an emotional Rocky Balboa said 'Thank you fans, coaches, Furnace Performance,Silverguard Outfitters, and MMA Helsieki for giving me the chance to do this. I want a Title shot.'.