PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Psycho Boy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esko Tikkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tikkanen has chosen Nyrkillä naamaan - Ei kannattais ees yrittää! as his entrance music. Psycho Boy has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Boy
vs
Tikkanen

180 cm
19
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
20
184 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Psycho Boy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Esko Tikkanen!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Boy drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Boy throws a big elbow that misses.
Tikkanen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Boy working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Tikkanen's head.
Boy trying to control the position from guard on top but Tikkanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boy throwing strikes but missing.

Boy drops back, looking for a kneebar! Tikkanen looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Tikkanen looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Tikkanen!
Tikkanen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Boy. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Boy prevents Tikkanen from improving position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boy is looking for a sweep.
Tikkanen working away.
Boy is looking for a sweep.
Boy is trying to control Tikkanen's posture but Tikkanen avoids it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boy is looking for a sweep.
Boy gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Boy trying to hold on to Tikkanen's head to control him but Tikkanen postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Boy actively working from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boy wants to get back to full guard.
Tikkanen wants to control but Boy is keeping him busy.
Boy trying to control here.
Tikkanen tries to stand and escape but Boy is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boy desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Tikkanen is keen to just control but Boy is a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Esko Tikkanen was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Tikkanen on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Tikkanen throws a body punch but Boy moves out of range.
A big right from Boy misses.
Boy throws a series of punches but Tikkanen avoids them all with ease.
Boy tries to bum rush Tikkanen with a series of wild strikes but Tikkanen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Psycho Boy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Boy throws a body punch but Tikkanen moves out of range.
Tikkanen with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Boy has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Tikkanen.

Boy shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Tikkanen napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tikkanen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Boy wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Tikkanen is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Boy is controlling him well.
Tikkanen is looking to reverse the position.
Boy is putting a hurting on Tikkanen here, landing some big shots from side control.

Boy is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tikkanen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Boy trying to control the action but Tikkanen is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Psycho Boy dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tikkanen wants to clinch up but Boy keeps it at a distance.

Boy drives through with a takedown into Tikkanen's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Boy sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Boy throws a strike but Tikkanen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Boy trying to keep a closed guard but Tikkanen is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Boy working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tikkanen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tikkanen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Boy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Boy looking to control.
Boy wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Tikkanen postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Psycho Boy.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boy misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Tikkanen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Boy wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Boy fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Tikkanen tries to buck Boy off but Boy is having none of it.
Boy trying to control the position but Tikkanen is working away.
Boy looks up at the clock and then as Tikkanen takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Boy smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
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!
Tikkanen regains half guard there - taking advantage of Boy's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Tikkanen is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boy trying to mount his opponent but Tikkanen defends it.
Tikkanen is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Boy scores with a couple of nice shots.
Nice strikes from Boy there.

Boy wants to work for an arm triangle but Tikkanen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Boy lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Tikkanen is trying to get back to full guard.

Boy is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Boy cracks Tikkanen with a solid left hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Boy trying to control but Tikkanen is working from the bottom.
Boy slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Psycho Boy dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nice defenses there by Tikkanen.
Boy blocks a jab.
Boy swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Tikkanen moves into the clinch.
Boy wants a takedown.
Tikkanen is trying to stall.
Tikkanen utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Boy is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Tikkanen to keep the fight standing.
Tikkanen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Boy works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tikkanen is trying to control the position but Boy postures up.
Boy missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tikkanen looking to control but Boy passes into half guard.

Boy is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Tikkanen is trying to control but can't.

Boy wants to work for an arm triangle but Tikkanen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Boy working over Tikkanen with some ground and pound. Tikkanen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen is positioning himself well to prevent Boy advancing to mount.
Tikkanen is staying active underneath Boy, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Boy is nestled in close to Tikkanen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Boy moves nicely into side control.
Boy wants to control but Tikkanen is keeping him busy.
Boy cracks Tikkanen with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Esko Tikkanen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen is looking for a sweep.
Boy working away.
Boy working the head and body with strikes.
Boy wants to control but Tikkanen is keeping him busy.
Tikkanen takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Psycho Boy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tikkanen takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Boy controls the position from side control.
Tikkanen tries to buck Boy off but Boy is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boy landing strikes.
Boy controlling the position from side mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Boy is looking to take a break and control but Tikkanen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Boy moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Boy grinds an elbow into Tikkanen's temple.

And that's the end of the fight!
Psycho Boy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Boy, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Psycho Boy!
A relieved looking Psycho Boy thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
In defeat, Esko Tikkanen stepped up to the mic, saying 'Nice going Boy.. Hmm.. hopefully Mr.Rossi gives me chance again in 185 or even gives me contract to 170.'.