PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Solovyev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takanori Gomi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gomi comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Scary kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Solovyev
vs
Gomi

171 cm
28
157 lbs
22 - 5 - 2

173 cm
30
165 lbs
23 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Diamond Nutrition 160q
FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 5 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Vladimir Solovyev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Takanori Gomi!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomi slips a straight right by Solovyev.

Solovyev has taken the fight to the clinch.
Solovyev struggles to land a body shot inside as Gomi controls his hands.

Gomi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gomi blocks a jab.
Solovyev pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gomi misses with the combination.
Solovyev throws a leg kick
and Gomi counters with a three punch combo that has Solovyev backing up. Solovyev nods at Gomi to acknowledge the strikes.
Gomi misses with a few strikes there.
Solovyev cracks Gomi with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A nice combination there by Solovyev.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gomi throws a quick inside leg kick.
Solovyev misses the shot to the body.
Solovyev swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Gomi misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Gomi throws a lazy right hand but Solovyev sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Solovyev misses with a body kick.
Gomi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Solovyev scores with a three punch combo!
Solovyev will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Gomi takes a swing at Solovyev's ribcage but misses.
Solovyev tries to clinch up but Gomi circles away and keeps his distance.
Gomi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Solovyev.
Gomi jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solovyev lands a nice shot that snaps Gomi's head back.
Solovyev throws a big shot that misses.
Solovyev misses with a hook.
Solovyev thows a leg kick but Gomi checks it
and Gomi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gomi lands a nice leg kick that just misses Solovyev's sensitive parts.
Solovyev is looking to slow Gomi down with leg kicks.
Gomi's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Gomi duly obliges.
Gomi looks to score with a jab to the body but Solovyev is just out of range.
Gomi lands a jab to Solovyev's midsection.
Gomi scores with the left hand. Solovyev knows he should have avoided that one.
Gomi blocks a head kick by Solovyev.

Solovyev gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solovyev misses with a body punch.
Gomi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Gomi lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Solovyev backwards.
Solovyev misses with a body punch.

Gomi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gomi on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Gomi misses with a low kick as Solovyev jumps back.
Gomi throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Solovyev throws a leg kick that is checked
and Gomi counters with a nice body shot.
Gomi lands a jab to the head.
Solovyev swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gomi avoids the head kick by Solovyev.
Solovyev misses with an uppercut. Gomi saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solovyev avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Solovyev cracks the inside of Gomi's front leg.
Gomi pushes Solovyev away with a front kick.
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!
Gomi misses the shot to the body.
Gomi checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Solovyev throws a lazy head kick
and Gomi counters with a left and a right that stings Solovyev.
Good leg kick by Gomi there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Solovyev scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Solovyev pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gomi misses with a head kick.
Solovyev digs a good body shot into Gomi's ribs.
Gomi connects with a solid leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gomi throws a hook but Solovyev blocks it.
Solovyev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Solovyev connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Vladimir Solovyev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gomi with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Solovyev jabs Gomi to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Solovyev misses the body punch
and Gomi counters with a nice uppercut.
Solovyev throws out a leg kick but Gomi moves out of range and Solovyev only half commits.
Gomi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Gomi cracks Solovyev with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Solovyev throws a head kick that half lands.
Gomi misses with a leg kick
and Solovyev counters with a leg kick.
Takanori Gomi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Solovyev lands a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gomi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Solovyev slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Solovyev looks to score with a jab to the body but Gomi is just out of range.
Gomi throws a leg kick
and Solovyev counters with a head kick.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Solovyev.
Solovyev defending well as Gomi loads up on a big left hand.
Solovyev takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Danga de danga de dang - Gomi scores with a four punch combination!
Gomi fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Solovyev.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solovyev throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gomi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
An inside leg kick lands from Solovyev.
Solovyev throws a leg kick which misses Gomi's front leg but catches the back leg as Gomi tries to avoid it.
Solovyev wants to clinch up but Gomi keeps it at a distance.
Good exchange - Gomi coming out on top.
That kick from Solovyev tenderised Gomi's leg. Gomi is trying to keep his angry face on.
Solovyev scores with a leg kick.
Gomi's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Solovyev throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Takanori Gomi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Solovyev takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Solovyev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gomi manages to avoid it.
Gomi takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomi scores with a nice strike.
Solovyev does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Solovyev doesn't manage to clinch there - Gomi circles away.
Solovyev throws out a loose jab but Gomi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gomi lands a right hook to the body.
Solovyev misses with a body shot.
Gomi scores with a sloppy right hand. Solovyev should have avoided that one.
Gomi tests Solovyev's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Solovyev scores with a punch to the head.
Solovyev lands an overhand right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solovyev lands with a hook. Gomi tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Gomi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Solovyev was well out of range. Poor timing from Gomi.
Solovyev checks a leg kick nicely.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Solovyev thows a body shot but no joy.
Gomi catches Solovyev with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Gomi lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Gomi swinging wildly here.
Gomi scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Solovyev throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Gomi swings for the body but Solovyev moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Takanori Gomi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Solovyev wants to clinch
and Gomi counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Gomi lands with a cross.
Solovyev misses with a low kick.
Gomi tries to bum rush Solovyev with a series of wild strikes but Solovyev uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A slapping leg kick lands for Solovyev.
Gomi shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Solovyev misses with a two punch combination.
Solovyev takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Solovyev attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Gomi throws a leg kick that misses.
Gomi goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Solovyev swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Solovyev thows a body shot but no joy.
Gomi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gomi has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Solovyev.
Gomi moves forwards but Solovyev connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Solovyev walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Gomi checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Gomi tries a head kick but it misses.
Solovyev tries to land a leg kick but Gomi saw it coming and moves away.
Nice shot by Gomi.
Solovyev throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solovyev thows a body shot but no joy.
Solovyev has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Gomi.
Solovyev jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gomi misses with an uppercut. Solovyev saw that one coming.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nice jab there from Solovyev.
Solovyev wants to clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gomi. Solovyev does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gomi is looking to chop away at Solovyev's legs.
Gomi throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Vladimir Solovyev has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solovyev connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Gomi momentarily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Solovyev. Gomi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gomi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gomi lands a leg kick that knocks Solovyev off balance momentarily.
Gomi scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Gomi throws a lazy right hand but Solovyev sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gomi takes a kick to the side of the head.
Solovyev jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Vladimir Solovyev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Solovyev staying out of range there.
Solovyev misses with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solovyev rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Gomi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gomi moves away from the strike by Solovyev.
Solovyev fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Gomi has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Gomi misses with a two punch combination.
Gomi on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Solovyev. Solovyev obviously looking to wear him down.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice body punch from Gomi.
Gomi tries to score with a low kick but Solovyev moves his leg out of the way.
Gomi blocks the body kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gomi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gomi fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Solovyev is out of range.
Gomi lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takanori Gomi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gomi 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takanori Gomi!
During a confident post fight interview, Takanori Gomi thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.