PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tero Taikina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arttu Nieminen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taikina comes to the cage accompanied by Cookie song. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Taikina
vs
Nieminen

166 cm
23
183 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

182 cm
22
183 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Decent wrestler
Decent elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Tero Taikina!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Arttu Nieminen!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taikina feints and as Nieminen raises his hands in defense, Taikina changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nieminen looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Taikina content to stall in guard here.
Nieminen wants to stand but Taikina is controlling the position.
Taikina slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Nieminen wants to stand up but Taikina is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taikina sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Tero Taikina.

Taikina shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Nieminen's guard.
Taikina stays in close to Nieminen's body and controls the position.
Nieminen keeping full guard, as Taikina tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taikina stands up and waves to Nieminen to follow him.

Taikina shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Taikina showed some decent athleticism there.
Taikina wants to stand but Nieminen has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Nieminen pushes Taikina off looking to stand but Taikina dives back in and keeps control.

Taikina is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Nieminen doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Taikina.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taikina content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Taikina has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Nieminen squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Taikina breaks from Nieminen's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Taikina misses with a head shot.

Taikina looking for a guillotine from mount but Nieminen is having none of it.
Nieminen tries to buck Taikina off but he can't manage it.

Taikina is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Nieminen to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Nieminen shrugs it off.

Taikina working for a submission but Nieminen is keeping him at bay.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tero Taikina dominated that round.
That's time! Taikina's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nieminen tries to clinch there but Taikina circles away.

Taikina scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Taikina controlling the position from side mount.
Taikina has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taikina trying to control the action but Nieminen is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nieminen pushes Taikina away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Taikina gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taikina 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 Nieminen's shoulder. That is not cool.
Taikina's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Tero Taikina.

Taikina shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Taikina sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Nieminen holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Taikina tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taikina stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Taikina fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Good work by Nieminen as he checks the leg kick.
Nieminen moves in looking to clinch but Taikina pushes him off.

Taikina clinches up against the cage.

Taikina successfully pulls guard.
Nieminen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taikina manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Nieminen is trying to stand.
Nieminen is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Nieminen wants to try and get back to his feet.
Taikina working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Taikina throws some wild stikes that Nieminen manages to avoid easily.
Nieminen is trying to stand.
Taikina takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

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.
Poor strikes thrown by Taikina there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Nieminen is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Taikina sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Taikina is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Nieminen can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tero Taikina dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Taikina looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Taikina decides to stand and escape the position.

Taikina has taken the fight to the clinch.
Nieminen is trying to stall.
Taikina lands an elbow inside.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taikina looking for a takedown.
Taikina controlling the action here for a moment.
Taikina drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Nieminen gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taikina pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Taikina gets the takedown into side control.
Taikina taking a breather here.

Taikina goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Nieminen rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Taikina's guard! Nice work there by Nieminen!
Taikina controls Nieminen momentarily but Nieminen frees himself.
Taikina might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taikina bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nieminen's guard.
Nieminen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Taikina controls the pace.
Nieminen wants to get back to his feet but Taikina is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Taikina throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Taikina is pushing down on Nieminen's leg trying to pass to half guard. Nieminen is fighting to maintain full guard but Taikina has managed to sneak the leg through.
Taikina takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nieminen is not content to let Taikina control the position.
Nieminen is trying to stand up here but Taikina is controlling him well.

Nieminen pushes Taikina off and gets back to his feet.
Nieminen slips a jab and a cross from Taikina.
Taikina shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nieminen pinned against the cage. Nieminen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tero Taikina. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taikina tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nieminen tries to clinch

and Taikina counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taikina stops Nieminen from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taikina wants to pass the guard but Nieminen is defending well.
Nieminen wants to get back to his feet.
Tero Taikina overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Taikina looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Tero Taikina is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nieminen is trying to stand up here but Taikina is controlling him well.
Arttu Nieminen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Nieminen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Taikina is figuring out what he wants to do next.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tero Taikina showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Taikina, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Tero Taikina!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Tero Taikina!
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Tero Taikina!

Tero Taikina wins by unanimous decision!