PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dwayn Lazovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esa Tikkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lazovich kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Madonna - Frozen. Esa Tikkanen is staring across the ring at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Lazovich
vs
Tikkanen

185 cm
19
213 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

186 cm
18
209 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good in bed

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dwayn Lazovich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Esa Tikkanen!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lazovich misses with a head kick.
Lazovich doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Tikkanen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lazovich won't be happy with that.
Tikkanen controlling the position from side mount.
Tikkanen misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Lazovich is trying to get back to his feet.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Tikkanen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Tikkanen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Lazovich avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Tikkanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tikkanen working away.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Tikkanen is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
An elbow from Tikkanen crashes against the mat.
Lazovich tries to buck Tikkanen off but Tikkanen is having none of it.
Lazovich is trying to get back to his feet.
Tikkanen moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Lazovich is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lazovich avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Tikkanen.
Tikkanen content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Sloppy strikes there by Tikkanen.
Lazovich is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tikkanen remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Tikkanen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lazovich. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lazovich wants to control but Tikkanen postures up.

Tikkanen looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Tikkanen moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

Tikkanen wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Lazovich, who protects the arm well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen tries to advance to mount but Lazovich denies him.
The referee asks Tikkanen politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Tikkanen prefers to stall for the moment though.
Lazovich regains half guard, as Tikkanen was trying to land strikes.

Tikkanen seems to be working for a kimura but Lazovich defends the submission attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lazovich blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tikkanen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esa Tikkanen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Tikkanen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Dwayn Lazovich is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tikkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lazovich swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lazovich shoots and misses

and Tikkanen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Tikkanen looking to pass the guard.
Lazovich is trying to control the position but Tikkanen postures up.
Tikkanen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tikkanen wants to control from the top but Lazovich keeps moving.
Tikkanen content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Esa Tikkanen hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tikkanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Tikkanen shoots in and bounces Lazovich off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Lazovich utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tikkanen is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Lazovich avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lazovich working a defensive guard here.
Lazovich utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tikkanen 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.
Tikkanen wants to stand but Lazovich has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Tikkanen has gone for a leg lock! Lazovich slips out almost immediately though and dives into Tikkanen's guard.
Tikkanen pulls Lazovich in close to prevent any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tikkanen can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen keeping moving, preventing Lazovich from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Tikkanen closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Lazovich did well to prevent Tikkanen getting side control.

Lazovich is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Tikkanen pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tikkanen looks to land a strike but Lazovich avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Tikkanen content to stall in guard here.
Tikkanen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lazovich is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Tikkanen's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Esa Tikkanen hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Tikkanen stuns Lazovich with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Tikkanen is looking to clinch but Lazovich is avoiding it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esa Tikkanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Tikkanen misses with a wild combination.
Lazovich keeps the fight on the outside.
Lazovich closes this distance looking for a takedown but Tikkanen circles away.
Tikkanen wants to clinch up but Lazovich keeps it at a distance.
Tikkanen is looking to clinch but Lazovich is avoiding it.
Esa Tikkanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tikkanen fails in his attempt to clinch.

Lazovich drives through and clinches with Tikkanen against the ropes.
Tikkanen is looking to control Lazovich's arms but Lazovich gets an underhook and turns him. Now Tikkanen has his back to the ropes.
Lazovich with a knee to the head.
Tikkanen is looking to control Lazovich's arms but Lazovich gets an underhook and turns him. Now Tikkanen has his back to the ropes.
Lazovich working hard to break the clinch.
Tikkanen stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tikkanen decides to pull guard.
Lazovich is fighting to break Tikkanen's control of his arms but Tikkanen is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Lazovich thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Lazovich postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Tikkanen is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Lazovich, into his guard.
Tikkanen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lazovich swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Lazovich looking for a guillotine here but Tikkanen defends easily.
Esa Tikkanen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen controls from within his opponent's guard.
Tikkanen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tikkanen passes Lazovich's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Tikkanen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tikkanen trying to control the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lazovich looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Tikkanen trying to control the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Esa Tikkanen.

Tikkanen gets a clinch.
Lazovich has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tikkanen is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Lazovich jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Tikkanen walks away with a smile on his face. Lazovich gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Dwayn Lazovich has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dwayn Lazovich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tikkanen fails with an attempt to clinch.

Tikkanen closes the distance and clinches.

Tikkanen has Lazovich pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Tikkanen pulls back from the ropes and twists to the side, sending Lazovich tumbling to the mat - Tikkanen dives into Lazovich's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Lazovich looking for subs off his back but Tikkanen has passed one foot through into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Esa Tikkanen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tikkanen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Esa Tikkanen!