PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between George Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esko Takanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Pierre
vs
Takanen

185 cm
27
177 lbs
16 - 7 - 0

175 cm
29
179 lbs
23 - 12 - 2

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Fast

Sharon Needles Nutrition (Donation givebacks PROMO

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 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, George Pierre!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 12 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Esko Takanen!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Tiny Johnson and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takanen tries a head kick but it misses.
Takanen takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Takanen moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Takanen slips under a jab.
Takanen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Takanen wants to clinch.
Pierre lands with a shot to the body.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Takanen.
Pierre blocks a leg kick.
Takanen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Both fighters circling a little - Pierre finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Pierre takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Takanen misses with a body shot.
Takanen comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Takanen gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Pierre will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Pierre. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Pierre.
Takanen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Pierre.
Pierre is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Takanen.
Takanen fails to land with a series of punches.
Takanen gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Pierre misses with a hook. Takanen ducked under it nicely.
A leg kick checked by Pierre.
Pierre misses with a straight right.
Nice defenses there by Takanen.
Pierre has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Pierre keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Takanen.
Takanen misses with a straight left.
Takanen throws a body punch but Pierre moves out of range.
Pierre lands with a straight right. Takanen didn't see that one coming.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Pierre defending well as Takanen loads up on a big left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pierre moves forwards but Takanen connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Takanen connects with a crisp jab.
Takanen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Pierre throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Takanen moves out of range as Pierre strikes.
Pierre scores with a leg kick.
Takanen throws a right and a left that Pierre avoids nicely.
Pierre throws a leg kick but Takanen moved away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pierre. Takanen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pierre lands a jab to the head.
Takanen moves out of range of the strikes.
Pierre takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Pierre throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Takanen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Pierre on the side of the head.

Takanen has taken the fight to the clinch.

Takanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierre just misses with a punch to the body.
Takanen feints and then cracks Pierre's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Pierre down.
Pierre fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Takanen looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Takanen moves out of range as Pierre strikes.
Pierre jabs Takanen to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Pierre has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Takanen.
Pierre thows a body shot but no joy.
Takanen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Pierre's sensitive parts.
Pierre throws an overhand right that lands on Takanen's shoulder, as Takanen tries to avoid the shot.
Pierre takes a swing at Takanen's ribcage but misses.
George Pierre seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takanen throws the kick towards the body but Pierre avoids it.
Pierre throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Left hook, right uppercut from Takanen.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pierre shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Takanen eats them both and turns towards Pierre to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Takanen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Takanen misses its intended target.
Pierre fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Takanen manages to avoid it.
Pierre throws a push kick but Takanen slaps the foot to one side.
Pierre wants to land a leg kick but Takanen is out of range.
Takanen thumps Pierre with a low kick.
Takanen throws a jab when Pierre was well out of range.
Pierre uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Takanen.
Pierre misses with a wild body shot.
Takanen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Takanen moves forwards but Pierre connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Pierre throws a jab but it's blocked by Takanen.
Pierre lands with a nice combination. Takanen backs away looking to recover.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Pierre walks into a left hand.
A left lands for Takanen.
Pierre takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Takanen throws a body kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Pierre dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Pierre throws a looping overhand right but Takanen ducks down to avoid it.
Takanen takes one on the chin but seems OK.

Takanen closes the distance and pushes Pierre back into the cage.
Takanen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Pierre tries to break free but Takanen pushes him back against the cage.
Pierre throws a punch but it's blocked by Takanen.
Pierre working aggressively here.
Pierre lands with a short shot to the head.
A hook to the body from Pierre.
Pierre misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pierre lands a right hand that snaps the head of Takanen backwards.
Takanen stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Takanen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierre throws a head punch that misses.
Takanen tries to throw a body punch but Pierre avoids it by throwing Takanen back against the cage.
Takanen is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Pierre is keeping busy.
Takanen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Takanen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Takanen misses with a punch to the body.
Takanen misses with a body punch.
Takanen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Takanen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Takanen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Pierre lands a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takanen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Pierre is looking to break free of the clinch but Takanen has double underhooks.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Pierre blocks a body shot from Takanen.
Takanen lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

It looks like George Pierre has been cut.
A head punch on the inside from Takanen fails to land.
Takanen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Pierre prevents a body shot from Takanen.
Pierre lands a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takanen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Takanen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Takanen lands with a short shot to the head.
Takanen misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanen scores with a nice hook to the head.
Takanen scores with a nice hook to the head.
Pierre is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Takanen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Pierre's efforts to push away.
Takanen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Takanen tries to land knees in the clinch but Pierre avoids the damage to the body.
Takanen throws a punch but it's blocked by Pierre.
Pierre swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pierre lands a body punch in the clinch.
Pierre can't find room to land a body shot as Takanen controls the action.
Takanen throws a punch but it's blocked by Pierre.
Takanen misses with a punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takanen throws a head punch that misses.
Pierre fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Takanen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Pierre scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Takanen lands with a light punch inside.
Takanen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A left hand lands to the body for Takanen.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Takanen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pierre blocks it with crossed arms.
A right hand to the body from Takanen.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Takanen lands an uppercut.
Pierre goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Pierre has a couple of punches blocked by Takanen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Esko Takanen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on George Pierre's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Pierre missing with a left hand there. Takanen was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Takanen slips a jab from Pierre.
Takanen throws a leg kick that misses.
Takanen catches Pierre with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Pierre shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Takanen eats them both and turns towards Pierre to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Takanen cracks Pierre with a right hand to the side of the head.
Takanen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Takanen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pierre.
Takanen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pierre throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The fighters circling - Pierre throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Pierre takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Takanen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pierre moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Takanen checks a leg kick.

Takanen darts in and clinches Pierre up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pierre is trying to force a seperation but Takanen has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanen landing knees to the body.
Takanen tries to land knees in the clinch but Pierre avoids the damage to the body.
Takanen blocks an uppercut.
Pierre pushes Takanen back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Takanen misses with the head strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pierre.
Takanen blocking some punches.
Pierre blocks an elbow strike from Takanen.
Takanen scores with a hook to the body.
Pierre is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Takanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pierre misses with a right hand
and Takanen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takanen scores with a three punch combo!
Pierre throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Takanen stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pierre lands with a shot to the body.
Takanen connects with a nice looking jab.
Takanen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pierre throws out the jab.
Pierre ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Takanen moves away.
Takanen scores with a decent looking hook.
Pierre pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pierre misses with a hook to the body
and Takanen counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Takanen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Pierre.
Takanen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Takanen lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Pierre throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Takanen throws a right hand that misses
and Pierre counters with a right hand to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Takanen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Takanen scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Pierre misses with a body shot.
Pierre digs a good body shot into Takanen's ribs.
Pierre connects with a looping right hand.
Takanen cracks Pierre with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Pierre digs a good hook to Takanen's body.
Takanen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Pierre misses with a wild combination.
Pierre's jab looks to have found its range, popping Takanen under the eye.
Takanen wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Pierre misses with a double jab.
Takanen takes one on the chin but seems OK.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takanen misses with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pierre misses the shot to the body.
Takanen jabs Pierre to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Takanen fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Pierre is out of range.
Takanen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
George Pierre is winning the standup battle so far.
Pierre takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Pierre fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Pierre punishes Takanen's body with a nice straight punch.
A nice inside leg kick there by Takanen. That's going to slow Pierre down.
Pierre blocks a head kick by Takanen.
Pierre throws a looping overhand right but Takanen ducks down to avoid it.
Takanen takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Takanen pivots, looking for a leg kick but Pierre is out of range and Takanen settles back down.
Takanen ducks right into an uppercut from Pierre.
Pierre moves out of range of the body kick from Takanen.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to George Pierre.
I think Pierre has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Esko Takanen!