PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Seppo Taalasmaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grant Soper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Grant Soper has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Taalasmaa
vs
Soper

170 cm
18
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Seppo Taalasmaa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Grant Soper!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Valeri Chadov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taalasmaa drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Taalasmaa advances to full mount.
Soper really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Soper is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Taalasmaa wants to control the pace but Soper is squirming around nicely.
Soper regains half guard.
Taalasmaa is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Soper tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taalasmaa trying to mount his opponent but Soper defends it.
Soper trying to control here.
Soper wants to improve his position but Taalasmaa is controlling well.

Taalasmaa is working for a kimura but Soper is defending it quite comfortably.
Soper is not content to let Taalasmaa control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Soper tries to clinch up but Taalasmaa circles away and keeps his distance.

Taalasmaa shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Taalasmaa looks to land a strike but Soper avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Soper will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Soper is looking for a triangle but Taalasmaa pushes his legs off easily.
Soper wants to sweep here but Taalasmaa controlling him for the moment.
Taalasmaa wants to pass the guard but Soper is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa advances to half guard.
Soper is trying to get back to full guard.
Taalasmaa tries to pass to full mount but Soper defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taalasmaa trying to control the action but Soper is working from the bottom.
Soper is on the bottom, trying to hold on to half guard. He's throwing a few small shots here, to keep his opponent honest.
Taalasmaa missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four 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.
Taalasmaa trying to control from half guard but Soper is working away.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Taalasmaa looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Soper is fending him off so far but Taalasmaa persists. Nope, Soper circles away and we're back to standing.
Taalasmaa is breathing heavily.
Soper tries to close the distance and clinch but Taalasmaa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Soper wants to clinch up but Taalasmaa keeps it at a distance.
Soper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Soper tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Taalasmaa counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Taalasmaa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Soper is keeping the position for now.
Soper bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Taalasmaa's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Taalasmaa dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Taalasmaa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
An inside leg kick lands from Soper.
Soper tries to clinch up but Taalasmaa circles away and keeps his distance.
Nice straight punches there by Soper. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Soper.
Soper clobbers Taalasmaa with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Taalasmaa swats away the attempt to clinch by Soper.
Taalasmaa lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Soper lands an elbow that stopped Taalasmaa in his tracks for a moment.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Soper.
A short left from Soper.
Soper misses with a knee strike.
Soper gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Taalasmaa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Soper pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Nice elbow from Soper.
Soper is leaning against Taalasmaa and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Soper lands with a short shot to the head.
Soper lands a nice elbow.
Soper lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taalasmaa has had enough of the clinch but Soper keeps him there for the moment.
Taalasmaa is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Soper gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taalasmaa fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Seppo Taalasmaa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taalasmaa wants a takedown.
Soper lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Soper stops a takedown attempt from Taalasmaa.
Soper tries to land a knee to the head but Taalasmaa blocks with his arms.
The is referee keeping an eye on Soper - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Soper lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Soper lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Taalasmaa backwards.
Soper lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Taalasmaa backwards.
Taalasmaa takes a knee right on the jaw!
Soper stalls.
Soper scores with a shoulder strike.
Soper prevents a takedown attempt there.
Soper stalling against the cage.
Taalasmaa has Soper pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Soper manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Soper pushes Taalasmaa back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa goes for a takedown attempt but Soper pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Soper moves out of range of the body kick.
Taalasmaa shoots in looking for a takedown. Soper tries to sprawl out of it but Taalasmaa keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Soper manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Soper fails in his attempt to clinch.
Taalasmaa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Soper as he avoids it easily.
Taalasmaa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Taalasmaa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Taalasmaa feints and as Soper raises his hands in defense, Taalasmaa changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Taalasmaa throwing strikes from guard but Soper blocks nicely.
Taalasmaa connects with a couple of short punches.
Taalasmaa throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa wants to control from the top but Soper keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taalasmaa pushes down on Soper's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Soper is defending against the submission attempts here by Taalasmaa.
Soper is refusing to be controlled, as Taalasmaa sits in half guard.
Soper trying to hold on to Taalasmaa's head to control him but Taalasmaa postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Taalasmaa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Taalasmaa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Soper avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Taalasmaa.
Soper is not content to let Taalasmaa control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice sprawl there from Soper as Taalasmaa shoots in.

Soper moves into the clinch.
Taalasmaa tries to score a body lock takedown but Soper shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Soper lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Soper looking to slow down the pace here.
Taalasmaa takes a shot to the head.

Taalasmaa is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Soper can't fight it off and eventually Taalasmaa manages to take the fight to the floor. Soper looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Grant Soper will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Nice sprawl there from Soper as Taalasmaa shoots in.

Taalasmaa changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Soper looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Taalasmaa is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Soper is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Taalasmaa trying to control the position but Soper is working away.
Soper prevents Taalasmaa from improving position.
Taalasmaa wants to control but Soper is keeping him busy.
Taalasmaa has knee on belly and moves into mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soper has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taalasmaa wants to control but Soper is keeping busy.
Taalasmaa wants to control the position but Soper frees himself and scrambles - Taalasmaa manages to regain control in side control.
Soper manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Taalasmaa wants to take a breather but Soper is having none of it.
Taalasmaa is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Soper is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Taalasmaa slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Soper trying to control here.

Taalasmaa is looking for a kimura but Soper is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Taalasmaa to get the leverage.
Soper makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Soper.
Taalasmaa 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.
Soper keeping moving, preventing Taalasmaa from controlling successfully.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Seppo Taalasmaa just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Taalasmaa throws the kick towards the body but Soper avoids it.
Seppo Taalasmaa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taalasmaa throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Soper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Taalasmaa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Taalasmaa looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Taalasmaa closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Taalasmaa wants to work for an arm triangle but Soper is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Soper wants to get back to full guard.
Taalasmaa passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Soper!
Soper is desperately trying to improve his position but Taalasmaa has a good base and remains in mount.
Taalasmaa tries to control but Soper wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taalasmaa jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Soper is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Soper and Taalasmaa has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Soper is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Taalasmaa's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Taalasmaa is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Soper won't allow Taalasmaa to pass to mount.
Taalasmaa is tying to control. Soper wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Taalasmaa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Seppo Taalasmaa showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Taalasmaa 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28

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