PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Luka Modric (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Seppo Taalasmaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luka Modric has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Modric
vs
Taalasmaa

180 cm
30
186 lbs
10 - 1 - 0

170 cm
37
160 lbs
48 - 23 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Luka Modric!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 48 - 23 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Seppo Taalasmaa!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Daniel Blasius and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taalasmaa tries to clinch but Modric is having none of it.
Taalasmaa scores with a body shot.
Taalasmaa goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Modric ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Taalasmaa moves away.
Taalasmaa looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Modric avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
We've been told by Modric's head coaches at Araba Fenice that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Modric pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Taalasmaa ducks under a wild hook from Modric.
Modric throws a leg kick but Taalasmaa sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Taalasmaa scores with a nice head shot.
Taalasmaa ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Modric is looking to chop away at Taalasmaa's legs.
Taalasmaa bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Modric lands with a thumping leg kick.
Modric misses with a double jab.
Taalasmaa tries for a takedown but Modric sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Seppo Taalasmaa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taalasmaa misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Modric throws a leg kick

and Taalasmaa counters with a takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Taalasmaa seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Modric is trying to get back to half guard.
An elbow from Taalasmaa crashes against the mat.
Taalasmaa tries to advance to mount but can't.
Taalasmaa lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Modric taking punishment in the form of punches.
A lull in the action here.
Taalasmaa in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa misses with the ground and pound.
Taalasmaa working the head and body with strikes.
Taalasmaa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Modric tries to bench press Taalasmaa off him but Taalasmaa keeps the position.
Modric taking punishment in the form of punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The strikes coming from Taalasmaa are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Taalasmaa wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Modric, who protects the arm well.
Modric takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Modric tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Taalasmaa wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa tries to score with some ground and pound. Modric controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Taalasmaa wants to control but Modric is keeping him busy.
Modric is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Taalasmaa looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Modric avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Taalasmaa.
Taalasmaa sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Modric defending well though.
Modric moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Taalasmaa throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Modric works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Modric knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Taalasmaa on the ground.
Taalasmaa is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Taalasmaa is working Modric over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Taalasmaa tries to free his leg and advance position but Modric is retaining full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Taalasmaa throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Taalasmaa forces his way into half guard.
Taalasmaa throwing shots but Modric is blocking nicely.
Taalasmaa wants to pass the guard but Modric is defending well.
Taalasmaa looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Taalasmaa sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Modric defending well though.
Taalasmaa thows a huge punch but Modric dodges it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Taalasmaa 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.

Taalasmaa catches Modric with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Modric throws a series of strikes that have Taalasmaa backpedaling.
Taalasmaa misses with a few strikes there.
Modric on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Modric uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Taalasmaa.

Taalasmaa throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Modric tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Taalasmaa is in Modric's guard.
Taalasmaa makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Taalasmaa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Modric swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Taalasmaa won't allow Modric to get back to his feet.
Taalasmaa throwing strikes but missing.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Taalasmaa's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Taalasmaa keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Modric's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Modric working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Taalasmaa.
Taalasmaa looking to sit in guard and control but Modric gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Taalasmaa is looking to cinch up a triangle. Modric throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Taalasmaa's body to avoid the submission. Taalasmaa has instead reached around Modric's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Taalasmaa arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Seppo Taalasmaa!