PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matti Taistelija (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muay Thai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taistelija comes into the arena with Bitches blaring out of the sound system. Matti Taistelija has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Taistelija
vs
Thai

200 cm
18
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
22
274 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matti Taistelija!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Muay Thai!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taistelija tries to clinch up but Thai circles away and keeps his distance.
Taistelija keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Taistelija swats away the attempt to clinch by Thai.
Taistelija closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Taistelija throws a head kick but Thai moves out of range.
A slow jab from Thai misses its intended target.
Taistelija takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Matti Taistelija has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Oh, that's a big right hand from Thai and Taistelija goes tumbling to the canvas! Thai follows him to the ground and looks to finish from half guard.
Taistelija trying to control here.
Thai thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Thai is looking to take a break and control but Taistelija is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thai wants to stand up but Taistelija has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thai seems to be working for a kimura but Taistelija defends the submission attempt.
Taistelija is looking to improve his position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Taistelija throws a right and a left that both miss.
Taistelija's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Taistelija duly obliges.
Thai is looking to clinch but Taistelija is avoiding it.
Thai fails in his attempt to clinch.

Thai has closed the distance and engaged Taistelija in a clinch.
Taistelija jumps guard but Thai stands there with Taistelija around his waist. Taistelija gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Thai decides to pull guard.

Thai has his foot on Taistelija's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Taistelija works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taistelija controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Taistelija seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Thai for as long as he can get away with.
Taistelija missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Taistelija tries to free his leg and advance position but Thai is retaining full guard.

Taistelija got a little sloppy there for a moment and Thai has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Taistelija has managed to get both his arms back between Thai's legs - danger averted.
Thai looks gassed!
Taistelija is pushing down on Thai's leg trying to pass to half guard. Thai is fighting to maintain full guard but Taistelija has managed to sneak the leg through.
Taistelija content to control rather than advance.
Thai has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Taistelija is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai punching from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thai is looking to escape.
Taistelija keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Taistelija stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Taistelija is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Taistelija tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thai falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Taistelija counter with a right hand.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taistelija looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Taistelija moves in looking to clinch but Thai pushes him off.
Taistelija uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Thai.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Taistelija keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Thai.
Thai is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Taistelija throws a left and a right that both miss
and Thai counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Taistelija thinking.
Taistelija stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Taistelija will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Taistelija tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Thai counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Taistelija is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Taistelija uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Thai.
Taistelija darts in trying to clinch
and Thai makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Taistelija really felt that one!
Thai circles away from the clinch attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Good exchange - Taistelija coming out on top.
Thai is looking to clinch but Taistelija is avoiding it.
Taistelija tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thai swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thai moves in looking to clinch but Taistelija pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muay Thai dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Matti Taistelija's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Taistelija fails in his attempt to clinch.
Thai misses with a two punch combination.
Matti Taistelija is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thai tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Taistelija paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Taistelija takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Thai wants to clinch.

Taistelija changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Thai looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Taistelija is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Thai's shoulder. That is not cool.
Taistelija wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thai keeps working.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taistelija prevents Thai from escaping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taistelija stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Thai misses with a jab, cross combination.
Taistelija's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Taistelija duly obliges.
Muay Thai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thai keeps the fight on the outside.
Thai scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Taistelija doesn't seem bothered though.

Thai instigates a clinch.

Thai pulls guard.
Thai can't keep his opponent in guard - Taistelija advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Thai wants to get back to full guard.
Taistelija performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Thai wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taistelija blocks the strikes from Thai.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Taistelija in particular looking to stall.
Thai is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Taistelija's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Taistelija's back!
Taistelija can't escape the position.

Thai is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Thai working for a choke but Taistelija is defending well.
Taistelija trying to control the action but Thai just sinks the hooks in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai lands punches and elbows.
Thai has the hooks in. Taistelija is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Taistelija trying to control but not successfully.
Thai tries to keep control of the position but Taistelija is staying busy.
Taistelija tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Thai not allowing Taistelija to control his hands.
Thai scores with punches from the back.
Taistelija has hold of Thai's arm. He needs to escape this position sooner or later but for now he's happy enough to control the position and prevent the submission attempts.

Taistelija showing good submission defense here.

Thai is looking for the choke from the back position but Taistelija is controlling his hands well.
Even with his hooks in, Thai manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Taistelija prevents Thai from getting a body triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Muay Thai will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Matti Taistelija's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Taistelija rushes Thai and presses him up against the cage.
Thai prevents the takedown attempt.

Thai jumps guard and drags Taistelija to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Thai throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Taistelija knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Thai on the ground.

Thai throws his legs up looking for a submission but Taistelija uses it to pass to side control.
Thai is trying to improve his position.
Taistelija just content to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taistelija has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Thai!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taistelija lands a big shot there that rocks Thai but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Thai keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Taistelija controlling the position easily from mount.
Thai is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Thai is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Taistelija controlling from the full mount.
Taistelija wants to control the pace but Thai is squirming around nicely.
Thai is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taistelija with a couple of short strikes.
Taistelija won't let Thai get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Taistelija connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Taistelija sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Muay Thai is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Matti Taistelija just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Thai tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Taistelija paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Taistelija throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Thai doesn't manage to clinch there - Taistelija circles away.

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.
Taistelija tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thai swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thai connects with a looping right hand.
Thai looks to land a combination but Taistelija avoids it well.
Thai plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Taistelija.

Thai darts in and clinches Taistelija up against the cage.
Taistelija's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Thai is working for takedown but Taistelija is calmly controlling the position for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thai gets underhooks to prevent Taistelija's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matti Taistelija. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taistelija prevents the takedown attempt.
Thai fails to pull guard.
Matti Taistelija has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thai blocks an elbow strike from Taistelija.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matti Taistelija showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Thai has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Muay Thai!