PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aapo Ik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gianpiero Tassotti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tassotti has chosen Alphazone - Stay as his entrance music. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Gianpiero Tassotti enters the cage!

Ik
vs
Tassotti

184 cm
20
178 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

175 cm
20
165 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

No Contest Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aapo Ik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gianpiero Tassotti!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tassotti misses with a leg kick

and Ik counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Tassotti's guard now.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ik accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tassotti not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ik showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Tassotti is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tassotti wants to stand up but Ik is controlling him.
Tassotti seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Gianpiero Tassotti hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Tassotti fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ik manages to avoid it.
Ik misses with a straight right.
Gianpiero Tassotti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tassotti throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tassotti shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ik avoids the body shot from Tassotti.
Ik fails with a takedown attempt.
Tassotti scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Tassotti swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tassotti misses the jab.
Tassotti throws out a loose jab but Ik uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tassotti misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Ik counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Ik seems content to control.
Ik scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Ik working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ik scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tassotti is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ik working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ik is nestled in close to Tassotti, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Tassotti on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ik not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tassotti trying to hold on to Ik's head to control him but Ik postures up.
Ik keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Ik working over Tassotti with some ground and pound. Tassotti looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Tassotti is rocked!
Tassotti keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Tassotti really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ik. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Tassotti on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Tassotti is still in real trouble! Can Ik finish him?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tassotti tries to get to full guard but Ik has control of the leg.
Tassotti seems to have recovered his senses.
Tassotti is not content to let Ik control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tassotti wants to control but Ik is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tassotti controlling the position well.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Gianpiero Tassotti.
Tassotti misses with a wild body shot.
Tassotti pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tassotti slips under a jab from Ik.
Ik keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tassotti.
Tassotti throws a hook but Ik blocks it.
Tassotti misses with an uppercut.
Ik shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tassotti as he avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ik shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Tassotti's guard.
Ik scoring with some ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ik accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tassotti preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tassotti is trying to control the position but Ik postures up.
Tassotti wants to stand and escape but Ik is having none of it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ik throwing strikes from guard but Tassotti blocks nicely.
Ik keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Tassotti's head.
Ik postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Ik trying to control but Tassotti is working from the bottom.
Ik throws a big elbow that misses.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ik cracks Tassotti with a solid left hand.
Tassotti wants to stand and escape but Ik is having none of it.
Ik scoring with some ground and pound.
Ik in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aapo Ik dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tassotti throws a leg kick

and Ik counters with a shoot takedown. Tassotti fights it but they end up in guard.
Ik has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Tassotti tries to strike from the bottom.
Tassotti looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ik is one step ahead there.
Aapo Ik overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ik lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ik engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Tassotti is trying to control the position but Ik postures up.
Ik sitting in guard here, content to control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tassotti defending well as Ik loads up on a big left hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A jab from Tassotti misses.
Tassotti motions for Ik to come forward. Tassotti throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tassotti ducks under a wild hook from Ik.
Tassotti loads up on a big right hand but Ik slips the punch.
Ik circles away from the clinch attempt

and Ik counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Tassotti wants to sweep here but Ik controlling him for the moment.
Tassotti utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ik cracks Tassotti with a solid left hand.
Ik looking to sit in guard and control but Tassotti gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ik is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ik throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ik is looking to stand up but Tassotti isn't so interested in that idea.
Ik is pulling down on Tassotti's head to control his posture.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ik wants to sweep but no luck.
Ik is adopting a defensive guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ik walks into a stiff left hand from Tassotti.
Tassotti clobbers Ik with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Tassotti misses with a double jab.
Tassotti tries to land a body kick

and Ik counters with a single leg into guard. Tassotti didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ik working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ik working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Tassotti working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ik.
Ik lands a couple of elbows.
Ik chips away with some ground and pound.
Tassotti keeping moving, preventing Ik from controlling successfully.
Ik is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Tassotti is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Ik throws a big elbow that misses.
Tassotti is trying to keep Ik in close.
Tassotti wants to stand and escape but Ik is having none of it.
Ik stopping the sweep attempt from Tassotti.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ik bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tassotti taking punishment in the form of punches.
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!
Ik working the head with strikes.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Ik lands an elbow.
Tassotti taking a bit of punishment here - Ik scoring with strikes.
A big shot lands for Ik! That's hurt Tassotti! Will he recover? Ik fires away with more strikes and the referee has to step in to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Aapo Ik!