PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eagles Giants (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esa Tikkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Giants
vs
Tikkanen

190 cm
28
215 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

186 cm
33
208 lbs
28 - 10 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Australian Xtreme Elite Supplements 160Q
GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Eagles Giants!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Esa Tikkanen!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tikkanen checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Tikkanen dodges the punch combination from Giants.
Giants will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Tikkanen shoots in and drives through. Giants sprawls well.
Giants is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tikkanen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Giants connects with a single shot there.
Nice body punch from Tikkanen.

Tikkanen instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tikkanen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A hook to the body from Tikkanen.
Tikkanen misses with a punch to the body.
Tikkanen stops a takedown attempt from Giants.
Giants blocks a body shot from Tikkanen.

Giants breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giants checks a leg kick.
Tikkanen feints and then cracks Giants's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Giants down.
Giants's corner calls for a 1-2. Giants obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Giants tries to move into range but Tikkanen moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Jab, jab by Tikkanen - just one landing.
Tikkanen with a lazy takedown attempt
and Tikkanen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Esa Tikkanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Giants tries to clinch

and Tikkanen counters with a takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tikkanen scores with punches from side control.
Giants is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Giants gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Nice strikes from Tikkanen there.
Giants is refusing to be controlled, as Tikkanen sits in half guard.
Giants has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tikkanen is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Giants defending well though.
Tikkanen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Giants has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tikkanen is working away from the top position though.
Tikkanen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Giants is not content to let Tikkanen control the position.
Tikkanen 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.
Tikkanen wants to control but Giants is keeping him busy.
Tikkanen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tikkanen drops an elbow to the side of Giants's head.
Giants has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tikkanen is working away from the top position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Giants is in trouble now - Tikkanen has advanced to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Tikkanen avoids the attempt from Giants to control.
Giants tries to reverse the position but Tikkanen maintains control.
Tikkanen lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Tikkanen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Giants is looking to escape.
Tikkanen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Giants wants to control but Tikkanen is having none of it.
Giants is desperately trying to improve his position but Tikkanen has a good base and remains in mount.
Giants tries to hold on but Tikkanen postures up.
Tikkanen lands a big shot there that rocks Giants but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen working the ground and pound effectively.
Giants is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Tikkanen tries to control but Giants wriggling away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Giants working to try and regain half guard.
Giants tries to hold on but Tikkanen postures up.
Tikkanen landing strikes from the mount and Giants is in trouble!
Giants is looking to improve his position but Tikkanen isn't that keen on the idea.
Giants taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nice sprawl there from Tikkanen as Giants shoots in.
Giants misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tikkanen.
Giants fails in his attempt to clinch.
A cross from Tikkanen lands.
Giants avoids the head kick by Tikkanen.
Giants was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Tikkanen digs a good body shot into Giants's ribs.
Tikkanen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Tikkanen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Tikkanen lands a jab to the head.
Giants throws out a leg kick but Tikkanen moves out of range and Giants only half commits.
Tikkanen slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Tikkanen clobbers Giants with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
A shot to the liver by Tikkanen. Beautiful body shot.
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 lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Giants at a distance.

Giants shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Giants was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tikkanen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Giants wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Tikkanen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tikkanen manages to get back to half guard.
Giants trying to control from Tikkanen's half guard. Tikkanen has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Tikkanen is trying to control the position but Giants postures up.
Tikkanen lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Tikkanen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Giants has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tikkanen has managed to get both his arms back between Giants's legs - danger averted.

Giants throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tikkanen working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Tikkanen connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Giants is looking for a triangle but Tikkanen pushes his legs off easily.
Tikkanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Giants is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tikkanen is working Giants over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Giants is looking to stand up but Tikkanen isn't so interested in that idea.
Tikkanen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Giants keeping moving, preventing Tikkanen from controlling successfully.

Giants is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Giants throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tikkanen trying to control but Giants is working from the bottom.

Tikkanen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tikkanen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Tikkanen is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Tikkanen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Giants looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tikkanen is one step ahead there.

Giants 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.
Giants trying to keep a closed guard but Tikkanen is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Tikkanen lands a nice shot to the body.
Eagles Giants is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tikkanen lands with a nice body punch.
Nice uppercut there from Tikkanen.
Tikkanen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Giants takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esa Tikkanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Giants moves out of range of the body kick.
Tikkanen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tikkanen tries to land a leg kick but Giants saw it coming and moves away.
Tikkanen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Giants.

Tikkanen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Tikkanen passes to full mount!
Tikkanen pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Giants tries to lock up and control but Tikkanen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Giants is working to get back to half guard.
Tikkanen breaks from Giants's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tikkanen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Giants is looking to escape.
Tikkanen controlling from the full mount.
Giants wants to try and get back to his feet.
Tikkanen trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Tikkanen landing strikes from the mount.
Tikkanen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Tikkanen wants to control the action but instead Giants gets a body lock and reverses into Tikkanen's guard! Nice work!
Giants trying to control the position from guard on top but Tikkanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giants cracks Tikkanen with a solid left hand.

Giants got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tikkanen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Giants has managed to get both his arms back between Tikkanen's legs - danger averted.
Giants has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Giants throws a strike but Tikkanen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Tikkanen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Esa Tikkanen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tikkanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Giants is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Giants has an active guard here but Tikkanen has managed to pass into half guard.

Giants actively working from the bottom here.
Tikkanen is trying to control. Giants wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tikkanen drops an elbow to the side of Giants's head.

Giants looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Tikkanen pushes past his half guard into mount!
Giants tries to lock up and control but Tikkanen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Tikkanen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Giants is looking to escape.
Giants tries to hold on but Tikkanen postures up.
Tikkanen with good strikes from the mount here!
Tikkanen landing punches.
Tikkanen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Giants is squirming around, avoiding Tikkanen's attempts to control the action.
Tikkanen prevents Giants from getting the reversal.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Tikkanen working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen with good strikes from the mount here!
Tikkanen landing strikes from the mount and Giants is in trouble!

Giants is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tikkanen postures up and throws a couple of big shots that have Giants in real trouble here! The ref calls for Giants to improve his position which he doesn't do, so the referee has no choice but to end the fight due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Esa Tikkanen!