PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marc Tong Panong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Topi Takala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tong Panong comes to the cage accompanied by Tetris Song (remix). Takala has chosen Volga as his entrance music. Topi Takala has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Tong Panong
vs
Takala

190 cm
26
190 lbs
15 - 12 - 0

198 cm
20
194 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite 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 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marc Tong Panong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Topi Takala!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tong Panong takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Tong Panong ducks under a wild hook from Takala.
Tong Panong shoots for a takedown but Takala saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tong Panong lands the left hand.
Takala misses the shot to the body.
Takala is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Tong Panong tries to clinch there but Takala circles away.
Tong Panong misses with a takedown
and Takala counters with a big head kick but Tong Panong shrugs it off.
Takala steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Tong Panong. That one must have hurt.
Tong Panong tries for a takedown but Takala circles away easily
and Takala connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marc Tong Panong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tong Panong tries to move into range but Takala moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Takala keeps the fight on the outside.
Tong Panong tries to clinch up but Takala circles away and keeps his distance.
Takala looks to throw the jab but Tong Panong is out of range.
Takala swats away the attempt to clinch by Tong Panong.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fighters circling - Takala throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Takala lands an overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tong Panong takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Tong Panong bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Tong Panong rushes Takala and presses him up against the cage.
Tong Panong is looking to break free of the clinch but Takala has double underhooks.
A right hook to the body lands for Takala.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Takala.
Takala lands with a left to the head.
Takala gets underhooks to prevent Tong Panong's takedown attempt.
Takala misses with an elbow strike.

Takala's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
No luck for Tong Panong with that takedown attempt.
Tong Panong tries to clinch up.
Tong Panong looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Takala is fending him off so far but Tong Panong persists. Nope, Takala circles away and we're back to standing.
Takala misses with a head kick.
Takala throws an overhand right that lands on Tong Panong's shoulder, as Tong Panong tries to avoid the shot.
Takala scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tong Panong misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Takala.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tong Panong tries to clinch up.
Tong Panong misses with a two punch combination.
Tong Panong shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Takala sprawls well. Takala wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tong Panong gets slowly back to his feet.
Takala avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Takala throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Takala ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tong Panong moves away.
A left and a right from Takala both land. Nice combination.
Marc Tong Panong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tong Panong shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Takala sprawls well. Takala wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tong Panong gets slowly back to his feet.
Takala lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Takala.
Tong Panong blocks a jab.
Takala throws a sloppy head kick and Tong Panong moves out of range easily.
Takala lands with a nice combination. Tong Panong backs away looking to recover.
Takala circles away from the clinch attempt
and Takala counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Tong Panong is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takala throws an overhand right that drops Tong Panong like a sack of potatoes! Takala dives in to finish the fight with more strikes and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:16 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Topi Takala!