PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jim Morrison (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juha Tappio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tappio has chosen Kari Tapio - Juna kulkee vaan as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Morrison
vs
Tappio

165 cm
33
167 lbs
16 - 18 - 0

180 cm
29
165 lbs
14 - 12 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 16 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jim Morrison!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Juha Tappio!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morrison doesn't manage to clinch there - Tappio circles away.
Morrison tries to clinch up but Tappio circles away and keeps his distance.
Tappio swinging wildly here.

Morrison decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Tappio moves into full guard.

Tappio throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tappio looking to control.
Morrison works over Tappio with some ground and pound from guard.
Tappio wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Tappio tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Morrison gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morrison tries for a takedown but Tappio sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrison cracks Tappio with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Morrison digs a good body shot into Tappio's ribs.
Morrison looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Morrison closes this distance looking for a takedown but Tappio circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jim Morrison. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morrison tries to close the distance and clinch but Tappio swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Tappio shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Tappio controlling from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morrison is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Tappio pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Morrison is keeping the position for now.
Tappio throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morrison can't keep his opponent in guard - Tappio advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Ground and pound from Tappio.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tappio passes to side control.

Tappio is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Morrison has escaped the position, nice work there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You can see the frustration on Morrison's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Tappio is putting a hurting on Morrison here, landing some big shots from side control.
Tappio lands a few punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tappio wants to control but Morrison is keeping him busy.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Tappio throws an elbow but Morrison slips to the side and avoids it well.
Tappio working the ground and pound.
Morrison prevents Tappio from moving into mount.
Morrison is letting Tappio control him for a moment.
Morrison tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tappio wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Morrison takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Morrison manages to work his way to half guard, despite Tappio's best efforts.
Tappio wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morrison keeps working.
Morrison avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Tappio.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tappio is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Morrison is not content to let Tappio control the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tappio thows a huge punch but Morrison dodges it nicely.
Morrison is refusing to be controlled, as Tappio sits in half guard.
Tappio drops an elbow to the side of Morrison's head.
Tappio is trying to control the action in half guard but Morrison is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Morrison won't allow Tappio to pass to mount.
Morrison wants to improve his position but Tappio is controlling well.
Tappio not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tappio is looking to take a break and control but Morrison is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tappio not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Morrison dodges the punch combination from Tappio.
Tappio shoots in and drives through. Morrison sprawls well.
Tappio throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Morrison tries to clinch but Tappio is having none of it.
Morrison moves out of range as Tappio strikes.
Morrison walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Tappio checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

Tappio closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Morrison did well to prevent Tappio getting side control.
Tappio wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morrison keeps working.
Tappio throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Morrison tries to roll over but Tappio keeps him under control.
Tappio trying to control the action but Morrison is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrison wants to get back to his feet.
Tappio trying to control from half guard but Morrison is working away.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Tappio stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Tappio tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Morrison swivels and escapes.
Morrison throws a hook but Tappio avoids it easily.
Morrison throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Morrison misses with a two punch combination.
Nice sprawl there from Morrison as Tappio shoots in.
Jim Morrison has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juha Tappio.
Tappio throws a right and a left that Morrison avoids nicely.

Tappio scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morrison has hold of Tappio's hands but Tappio slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Morrison is refusing to be controlled, as Tappio sits in half guard.
Morrison works his way to full guard. Good work.
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!
Morrison lands a good elbow from the bottom.
Tappio trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Morrison is looking for a triangle but Tappio pushes his legs off easily.
Morrison has momentary wrist control but Tappio slips an elbow through the middle.
Tappio chips away with some ground and pound.
Morrison keeping moving, preventing Tappio from controlling successfully.
Tappio sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrison controls Tappio momentarily but Tappio frees himself.
Tappio throwing strikes from guard but Morrison blocks nicely.
Tappio landing some decent shots from guard.
Tappio controlling from the top position.
Morrison is trying to keep Tappio in close.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Tappio stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morrison swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tappio landing with the ground and pound.
Tappio stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morrison swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tappio missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Morrison working for a triangle but Tappio defends it easily.
Tappio trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tappio preventing the sweep.
Tappio has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Tappio works over Morrison with some ground and pound from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juha Tappio showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Tappio blocks a head kick by Morrison.
Tappio slaps away a takedown attempt from Morrison, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jim Morrison is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morrison fails with the takedown.

Tappio darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Tappio is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Morrison defends it well.
Morrison is refusing to be controlled, as Tappio sits in half guard.
Juha Tappio has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tappio working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Morrison's thigh. Morrison counters though and makes it back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tappio wants to control from the top but Morrison keeps moving.
Tappio stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morrison swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tappio is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Tappio stops Morrison from standing up.
Tappio trying to control the position from guard on top but Morrison is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Juha Tappio.

Tappio drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tappio creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Morrison sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Tappio creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Morrison sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Morrison gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Morrison is refusing to be controlled, as Tappio sits in half guard.
Tappio throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Tappio is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Morrison is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrison trying to hold on to Tappio's head to control him but Tappio postures up.
Tappio throwing shots but Morrison is blocking nicely.
Morrison is looking to improve his position.

Morrison is defending against the submission attempts here by Tappio.
Morrison taking some punishment here, with Tappio in his half guard.
Tappio not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morrison wants to get back to full guard.
Tappio trying to control from half guard but Morrison is working away.
Tappio wants to free his trapped foot but Morrison is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Tappio prevents Morrison from standing back up.
Juha Tappio is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tappio scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Still in half guard, Tappio seems content to control.

Morrison actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tappio scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tappio sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Jim Morrison has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Morrison punching from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juha Tappio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tappio 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juha Tappio!
Juha Tappio seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.