PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mustafa Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Seppo Kova (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tanaka comes to the cage accompanied by This is why i'm hot. Kova has chosen Jääkärimarssi as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Seppo Kova was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Tanaka
vs
Kova

186 cm
18
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mustafa Tanaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Seppo Kova!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka misses with a straight right.
No joy there for Tanaka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kova closes the distance and clinches up with Tanaka, looking for a takedown. Kova pushes Tanaka against the cage but Tanaka circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Kova blocks a jab.
Kova throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tanaka's waist but Tanaka gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kova off to one side.

Kova feints and as Tanaka raises his hands in defense, Kova changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kova stopping the sweep attempt from Tanaka.
Kova throwing strikes but missing.
Kova wants to control from the top but Tanaka keeps moving.
Tanaka is looking to stand up but Kova isn't so interested in that idea.
Kova trying to control but Tanaka is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tanaka manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Mustafa Tanaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tanaka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kova paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kova shoots for a double leg takedown but Tanaka sprawls well. He's pushed Kova's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mustafa Tanaka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Seppo Kova.
Tanaka misses with a jab, cross combination.

Kova shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Tanaka takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

It looks like Mustafa Tanaka has been cut.
Kova controlling the position easily from mount.
Tanaka avoids a series of strikes thrown by Kova.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kova won't let Tanaka get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Kova lands a nice shot to the head.
Tanaka's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Kova in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kova takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Tanaka is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kova avoids the attempt from Tanaka to control.
Kova controlling his opponent.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tanaka wants to hold on but Kova pushes him away.
Tanaka squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Kova tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kova landing shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kova throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Tanaka tries to hold on but Kova pushes him away.
Kova controlling the pace for now.
Kova breaks from Tanaka's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Tanaka wants to get back to his feet.
Tanaka is squirming around, avoiding Kova's attempts to control the action.
Kova sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kova looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Kova dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mustafa Tanaka's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Tanaka throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kova fails with the takedown.
Tanaka throws a nice looking combination but Kova bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tanaka is looking to clinch.
Kova closes the distance and clinches up with Tanaka, looking for a takedown. Kova pushes Tanaka against the cage but Tanaka circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Kova fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Tanaka avoids it really well and circles away.
Mustafa Tanaka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Seppo Kova.
Tanaka looks to land a left hand but Kova moved out of range nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kova shoots in for a takedown but Tanaka shows good takedown defense.
Kova shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tanaka but Tanaka pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mustafa Tanaka is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tanaka misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kova circles away quickly and effectively.
Tanaka misses with a straight right.
Kova avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kova shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tanaka defends it nicely.
Tanaka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kova circles away quickly and effectively.
Nice takedown defense from Tanaka. No joy for Kova on that attempt.
Tanaka throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tanaka shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Kova counters with a takedown into side control.
Kova trying to control the action but Tanaka is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka tries to escape but Kova is in control.
Tanaka is not content to let Kova control the position.
Sloppy strikes there by Kova.
Tanaka avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Kova.
Tanaka is trying to get back to his feet.
Kova trying to control the position but Tanaka is working away.
Kova taking a break here but Tanaka is having none of it and regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tanaka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Tanaka misses with a double jab.
Kova shoots in for a double leg but Tanaka sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Left hook, right uppercut from Tanaka.
A right-left combo lands from Tanaka.
Tanaka falls off balance throwing a combination

and Kova counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kova.
Kova is trying to drag Tanaka to the mat but Tanaka just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Tanaka manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Kova trying to control but Tanaka is working from the bottom.
Seppo Kova has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka kicks Kova off and gets to his feet.
Tanaka swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Kova counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Tanaka!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kova trying to control but Tanaka is having none of it.
Kova throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Tanaka because Kova loaded up on that one.
Kova sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Tanaka is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Kova lands a heavy elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Seppo Kova will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Mustafa Tanaka's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Tanaka closes the distance but Kova moves to the side

and Kova counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kova.
Tanaka is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kova trying to control the position from guard on top but Tanaka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kova has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kova looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kova looking to pass the guard.
Kova 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 one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka wants to get back to his feet but Kova is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Tanaka managing to control the position.
Kova won't allow Tanaka to get back to his feet.
Kova wants to control from the top but Tanaka keeps moving.
Kova preventing the sweep.
Kova loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Seppo Kova is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kova fails with the takedown.

Kova fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Tanaka sprawls well initially but Kova persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Nice strikes from Kova there.
Kova trying to control the action but Tanaka is working from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Kova connects with a nice short shot to Tanaka's temple.
Kova prevents Tanaka from improving his position.
Kova wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tanaka keeps working.
Kova trying to control the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kova is keen to just control but Tanaka is a slippery customer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Tanaka clinches but Kova breaks the clinch

and Kova counters with a takedown into side control.
Tanaka wants to get back to his feet.
Tanaka is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Tanaka avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Kova.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kova wants to control but Tanaka is keeping him busy.
Tanaka is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Tanaka taking punishment in the form of punches.
Tanaka is letting Kova control him for a moment.
Kova trying to control the position but Tanaka is working away.
Mustafa Tanaka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kova is chipping away with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Seppo Kova comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kova winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Seppo Kova!