PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alejandro Castro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esa Tikkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the ring it seems that Alejandro Castro has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Alejandro Castro seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Castro
vs
Tikkanen

190 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
209 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
KO power

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Alejandro Castro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Esa Tikkanen!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Castro misses with a takedown attempt - Tikkanen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Tikkanen lands with an uppercut that bounces Castro off the ropes and back into range.
Castro shoots and misses
and Tikkanen counters with a left and a right that stings Castro.

Castro gets caught flat footed, as Tikkanen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Castro being controlled here, momentarily.
Castro is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Castro is really struggling to control Tikkanen but he's trying to hold on to the position.
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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Tikkanen scores with a takedown into Castro's guard.
Tikkanen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Castro is proving hard to escape from.

Castro escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Tikkanen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Tikkanen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Tikkanen drops back looking for a leg! Castro is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Castro manages to kick Tikkanen off! Tikkanen jumps back into Castro's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Castro not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Castro avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tikkanen controlling from the top position.
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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Alejandro Castro wasn't doing enough on the ground.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Castro checks a leg kick.
Tikkanen cracks Castro with a right hand to the side of the head.
Tikkanen lands with a shot to the body.
Tikkanen jabs at Castro's body.
Castro is breathing heavily.

Tikkanen has closed the distance and engaged Castro in a clinch.
Tikkanen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Tikkanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tikkanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Castro checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jab, jab by Tikkanen - just one landing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Tikkanen has closed the distance and engaged Castro in a clinch.
Tikkanen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Castro.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alejandro Castro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.

Tikkanen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Tikkanen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Tikkanen slows down the pace here.
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 drives through with a takedown into guard.
Tikkanen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Tikkanen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tikkanen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Castro is keeping the position for now.
Tikkanen looking to sit in guard and control but Castro gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
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.
Tikkanen looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Castro trying to control but Tikkanen is working from the bottom.
Tikkanen is pulling down on Castro's head. It's preventing any offense from Castro, at least for the moment.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Esa Tikkanen wasn't active enough on the ground.

Tikkanen moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tikkanen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tikkanen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tikkanen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Castro.
Castro tries to clinch but Tikkanen moves out of range.
Tikkanen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Castro paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No luck for Castro with that takedown attempt.
Tikkanen jabs Castro to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Castro misses with a few strikes there.
Tikkanen tries to clinch but Castro is having none of it.
Castro takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen is looking to land body kicks.
Tikkanen stalks Castro and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Castro's face. Castro staggers backwards, shaken.
A left lands for Tikkanen.
Tikkanen stuffs the takedown attempt from Castro. Castro gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alejandro Castro. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tikkanen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Tikkanen dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.
Tikkanen is trying to break the clinch but Castro is controlling him.
Tikkanen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Castro drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tikkanen is working on a single leg takedown against the ropes. Castro can't fight it off and eventually Tikkanen manages to take the fight to the floor. Castro looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tikkanen stays in close to Castro's body and controls the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
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.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Tikkanen finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

Tikkanen has Castro up against the ropes in a clinch.
Tikkanen controlling the action here for a moment.
Tikkanen stops a takedown attempt from Castro.

Tikkanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tikkanen throws a head kick that half lands.
Tikkanen scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tikkanen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Tikkanen trying to control the pace.
Esa Tikkanen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tikkanen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tikkanen looks to land a strike but Castro avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Castro being controlled here, momentarily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tikkanen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
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 engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Esa Tikkanen was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Castro circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tikkanen lands a two punch combo.
Tikkanen throws a head kick but Castro moves out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Castro.
Tikkanen darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Castro circles away from the clinch attempt.
Castro keeps the fight on the outside.
Tikkanen throws a good cross that connects.
Tikkanen moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Tikkanen scores with a nice strike.
A head kick by Tikkanen misses
and Castro counters with a stiff right hand.

Tikkanen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Tikkanen lands in his opponent's guard.
Tikkanen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tikkanen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen tries to free his leg and advance position but Castro is retaining full guard.
Tikkanen content to stall in guard here.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Esa Tikkanen wasn't active enough on the ground.
Tikkanen lands a leg kick that knocks Castro off balance momentarily.
Alejandro Castro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Danga de danga de dang - Tikkanen scores with a four punch combination!

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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 26:30

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