PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hannu Hanhi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tauno Tasalakki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hanhi comes to the cage accompanied by Hannu Hanhet Höyhennetään . Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Hanhi
vs
Tasalakki

178 cm
23
183 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

175 cm
24
170 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hannu Hanhi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tauno Tasalakki!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Arvi Lind and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hanhi tries to clinch there but Tasalakki circles away.
Tasalakki thows a body shot but no joy.
Decent striking displayed by Hanhi there.
Tasalakki lands with a straight right. Hanhi didn't see that one coming.
Tasalakki misses with a wild body shot.
Hanhi takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Hanhi misses with a body shot
and Tasalakki counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hanhi thinking.
Tasalakki tries to bum rush Hanhi with a series of wild strikes but Hanhi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hanhi lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Tasalakki throws a looping overhand right but Hanhi ducks down to avoid it.

Hanhi drives through and clinches with Tasalakki against the cage.
Tasalakki displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hanhi up against the cage.
Tasalakki working hard to break the clinch.
Hanhi looking to slow down the pace here.
Tasalakki tries to stall but Hanhi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Hanhi pushes Tasalakki back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Nice elbow from Hanhi.
Hanhi creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Hanhi stops a takedown attempt from Tasalakki.
Hanhi lands a knee to the head.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Tasalakki as Hanhi tries to tie him up.
Tasalakki softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Tasalakki slows down the pace here.
Tasalakki looking to throw knees to the head but Hanhi is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanhi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tasalakki blocks it with crossed arms.
Tasalakki tries to break free but Hanhi pushes him back against the cage.
Hanhi lands with a short shot to the head.
Hanhi crunches a lovely knee into Tasalakki's ribcage.
Tasalakki throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Hanhi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tasalakki tries to clinch but Hanhi moves out of range.
Hanhi slips a straight right by Tasalakki.
Hanhi lands a right hook to the body.
A big left from Hanhi misses.
A big right from Hanhi misses.
Hanhi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tasalakki lands an overhand right.
Tasalakki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hanhi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hanhi goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Hanhi's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Hanhi duly obliges.
Tasalakki moves out of range as Hanhi strikes.
Hanhi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tasalakki throws a leg kick but Hanhi sees it coming and moves out of range.
Hanhi looks to clinch
and Tasalakki counters with a thumping low kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hanhi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A punch combination from Tasalakki misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanhi throws a hook but Tasalakki avoids it easily.
Tasalakki throws a leg kick but Hanhi sees it coming and moves out of range.

Hanhi clinches.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Nice body punch from Hanhi.
Hanhi misses with a knee strike.
Hanhi with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hanhi gets through Tasalakki's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Hanhi swings wildly with an uppercut but Tasalakki uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tasalakki lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Hanhi throws an elbow that misses.
Hanhi lands an elbow just above Tasalakki 's eye.
Hanhi is breathing heavily.
Tasalakki stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Tasalakki misses with a body punch.
Hanhi misses with an elbow over the top.
Hanhi trying to stall but Tasalakki improves his position.
A short body shot lands from Tasalakki as the two fighters clinch.
Tasalakki has Hanhi pressed against the cage.
Tasalakki tries to work over Hanhi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Hanhi.
Hanhi tries to stall but Tasalakki uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tasalakki slows down the pace here.
Tasalakki has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hanhi avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Tasalakki breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tasalakki throws a nice looking combination but Hanhi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tasalakki misses with a straight left.
Hanhi throws a body punch but Tasalakki moves out of range.

Hanhi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Hanhi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tasalakki blocks it with crossed arms.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Tasalakki obliges.
Hanhi lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Tasalakki is looking to break free of the clinch but Hanhi has double underhooks.
Tasalakki misses with a punch on the inside.
Tasalakki gets through Hanhi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Tasalakki is trying to drag Hanhi to the mat but Hanhi just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Hannu Hanhi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tauno Tasalakki.
Hanhi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Tasalakki lands an uppercut.
Tasalakki misses with a knee strike.
Hanhi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hanhi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Tasalakki slows down the pace here.
Tasalakki takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hanhi tries to land a knee to the head but Tasalakki blocks with his arms.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Tasalakki on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Tasalakki lands a good knee to the midsection. Hanhi won't want to take too many of those.
A right hand to the body from Tasalakki.
Tasalakki scores with a shoulder strike.
Tasalakki lands a right hand.

Tasalakki has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hanhi is trying to keep an underhook but Tasalakki manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Tasalakki is trying to control. Hanhi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tasalakki is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Hanhi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tasalakki trying to control from half guard but Hanhi is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hanhi throws a solid leg kick but Tasalakki takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Hanhi.
Hanhi tries to clinch there but Tasalakki circles away.
Tasalakki comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Hanhi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Tasalakki swats away the attempt to clinch by Hanhi.

Tasalakki shoots in and bounces Hanhi off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Tasalakki throwing strikes from guard but Hanhi blocks nicely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tasalakki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tasalakki wants to pass the guard but Hanhi is keeping the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tasalakki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tasalakki looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Tasalakki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hanhi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tasalakki throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hanhi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Tasalakki keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Hanhi's head.
Tasalakki wants to control from the top but Hanhi keeps moving.

That's two 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.
Tasalakki wants to pass the guard but Hanhi is keeping the position.
Tasalakki is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Tasalakki wants to control from the top but Hanhi keeps moving.
Tasalakki trying to move into half guard but instead Hanhi has managed to sweep!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanhi won't allow Tasalakki to sweep him here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tasalakki can do anything to dispel that myth.
Hanhi trying to control the position from guard on top but Tasalakki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tasalakki wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

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.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Tauno Tasalakki hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Hanhi moves in looking to clinch but Tasalakki pushes him off.
Tasalakki doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Tasalakki throws out a powerful jab.
Tasalakki throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hanhi.
Hanhi slips a straight right by Tasalakki.
Hanhi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tasalakki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tasalakki misses with a looping left.
Hanhi throws a body kick that misses.
A combination from Hanhi does no damage.
Tasalakki throws out a powerful jab.
A big left from Tasalakki misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hanhi chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tasalakki can pounce on him.
Tasalakki misses with a looping left.
Hanhi scores with a three punch combo!
Tasalakki scores with the left hand. Hanhi knows he should have avoided that one.
Hannu Hanhi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tasalakki throws a body punch but Hanhi moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tauno Tasalakki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Danga de danga de dang - Tasalakki scores with a four punch combination!
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Tasalakki crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Hanhi - the referee stops the clock and Tasalakki gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Hanhi. Tasalakki manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A shot to the body from Hanhi misses
and Tasalakki counters with an outside leg kick.
Tasalakki misses with the combination.
Hanhi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Tasalakki throws a right hand that Hanhi ducks under and follows up with a left that Hanhi also avoids with ease.
Hanhi connects with a single shot there.
Tasalakki moves out of range of the body kick from Hanhi.
Hanhi swings for the body but Tasalakki moves out of range.
Tasalakki throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Hanhi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Hanhi throws a big shot that misses.
Hanhi throws a looping overhand right but Tasalakki ducks down to avoid it.
A thudding body kick lands there by Tasalakki!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Tasalakki.
Tasalakki on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Hanhi. Hanhi obviously looking to wear him down.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tasalakki bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hanhi stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Tasalakki.
Tasalakki cracks Hanhi with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Hanhi has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Tasalakki finds it's way round the side to connect with Hanhi's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanhi misses with an uppercut.
Tasalakki misses with a low kick as Hanhi jumps back.
Tasalakki misses with a wild combination.
Hanhi tries a head kick but it misses.
Hannu Hanhi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hanhi moves out of range of the strikes.
Tasalakki misses with the combination.
Hanhi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Hanhi checks a leg kick.
A good leg kick by Tasalakki.
Hanhi is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Hanhi takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A punch combination from Tasalakki misses.
Tasalakki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fighters circling - Tasalakki throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hanhi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tasalakki misses the shot to the body.
Hanhi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
A jab from Tasalakki misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hanhi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tasalakki lands with an uppercut that bounces Hanhi off the cage and back into rage.
Hanhi takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

It looks like Hannu Hanhi has been cut.
Tasalakki shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Tasalakki misses with a straight right.
Tasalakki throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Hanhi takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Hanhi moves into the clinch successfully.
Hanhi missing with knees to the body.
Hanhi unloads a knee to the mid-section. Tasalakki lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Hanhi throws a punch but it's blocked by Tasalakki.
Tasalakki managing to block the knees to the body from Hanhi.
A short right from Hanhi.
Tasalakki on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Tasalakki manages to break the clinch.
Tasalakki lands with a hook. Hanhi tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Hanhi takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Danga de danga de dang - Tasalakki scores with a four punch combination!
Tasalakki thows a body shot but no joy.
Tasalakki with a nice cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good exchange - Tasalakki coming out on top.
Tauno Tasalakki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tasalakki slips a jab and a cross from Hanhi.
Tasalakki is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Tasalakki lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Tasalakki smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Tasalakki scores with a jab to the body.
Tasalakki comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Tasalakki lands with a shot to the body.
Hanhi avoids the body shot from Tasalakki.
Tasalakki connects with a single shot there.
Tasalakki thuds his right hand into Hanhi's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A shot to the liver by Tasalakki. Beautiful body shot.
Tasalakki getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Tasalakki swinging wildly here.
Tasalakki misses with a jab, cross combination.
A clash of legs there as Tasalakki blocks the low kick.
Hannu Hanhi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tasalakki throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tauno Tasalakki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tasalakki fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hanhi manages to avoid it.
Tasalakki scores with a shot to the body.
Tasalakki turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Some wild striking there from Tasalakki.
A big left from Tasalakki misses.
Tasalakki throws a good cross that connects.
Tasalakki slips under a jab from Hanhi.
Hanhi tries to clinch but Tasalakki is having none of it.
Hanhi goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Tasalakki tries to score with a low kick but Hanhi moves his leg out of the way.
Hanhi looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Hanhi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hanhi tries to close the distance and clinch but Tasalakki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hanhi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Tasalakki.
Hanhi walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Tasalakki dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Tauno Tasalakki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hanhi throws a push kick but Tasalakki slaps the foot to one side.
Tasalakki lands a lovely overhand right.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tauno Tasalakki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tasalakki 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tauno Tasalakki!