PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Touko Vanhanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricci Morocco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vanhanen comes to the cage accompanied by The Huge thirst - Hick up. The key to victory for Touko Vanhanen has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Vanhanen
vs
Morocco

179 cm
21
216 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

191 cm
20
213 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Powerful

Worldwide Nutrition (160q)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Touko Vanhanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ricci Morocco!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Nard Betker and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vanhanen scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Vanhanen throws a big shot that misses.
Vanhanen has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Vanhanen there as he acknowledges the shot.
Sloppy strikes from Vanhanen. Those never looked like landing.
Vanhanen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Morocco.
Vanhanen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Morocco throws a sloppy head kick and Vanhanen moves out of range easily.

Morocco takes the fight into the clinch.
A short right from Morocco.
Morocco blocking some punches.
Morocco stalling.
A body shot lands from Morocco.
Morocco content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Morocco digs a right hand into Vanhanen's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Vanhanen's gas tank.
Vanhanen tries to throw a body punch but Morocco avoids it by throwing Vanhanen back against the cage.
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!
Morocco with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Vanhanen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morocco smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vanhanen lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Morocco backs up against the cage.
Vanhanen catches Morocco with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Nice defenses there by Vanhanen.
Vanhanen went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Morocco lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Morocco thumps Vanhanen with a low kick.
Morocco throws a half hearted mid kick.
Vanhanen is looking to counter punch.
Vanhanen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Morocco.
Morocco tries to counter by closing the distance.
Vanhanen avoids the body shot from Morocco.
Vanhanen is looking for a counter combo.
Vanhanen moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morocco pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Morocco instigates a clinch.
Vanhanen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Morocco.
Vanhanen trying to control the position but instead, Morocco has worked for underhooks and has pushed Vanhanen into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Morocco.
Vanhanen misses with a punch to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Morocco with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Morocco content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Morocco working aggressively here.
A head punch on the inside from Vanhanen fails to land.
Vanhanen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Vanhanen lands a body shot in the clinch.
Morocco lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Vanhanen tries to pull guard but Morocco holds him up against the cage and eventually Vanhanen drops back down to his feet.
Vanhanen tries to pull guard but Morocco won't allow it.
Morocco has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Vanhanen seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Morocco can turn it around.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Touko Vanhanen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vanhanen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Vanhanen trying to stall but Morocco improves his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morocco manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Vanhanen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Morocco uses from the top position.
Vanhanen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Vanhanen 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.
Morocco postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Morocco stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vanhanen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Vanhanen is looking to sweep but instead, Morocco has passed into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Morocco in particular looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vanhanen wants to control but Morocco is keeping busy.
Vanhanen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Morocco in particular looking to stall.
Morocco prevents Vanhanen from improving his position.
Still in half guard, Morocco seems content to control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ricci Morocco will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nice shot by Vanhanen.
Vanhanen feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Moroccos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Vanhanen takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Morocco.
Vanhanen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Vanhanen throws a hook but Morocco blocks it.
Morocco staying out of range there.
Vanhanen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Morocco moves away.
Morocco throws a body shot but no joy.
Morocco's jab looks to have found its range, popping Vanhanen under the eye.
Ricci Morocco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morocco is looking to land body kicks.
Morocco throws a nice outside leg kick.
Morocco lands with a nice body kick.
Morocco lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Morocco's corner calls for a 1-2. Morocco obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Morocco slips a jab from Vanhanen.
Vanhanen throws a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vanhanen moves away from the strike by Morocco.
Morocco throws a lazy uppercut
and Vanhanen counters with a nice uppercut.
Morocco uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Vanhanen.
Vanhanen misses with an uppercut.

Morocco lands a big head kick that sends Vanhanen tumbling to the mat! Morocco takes a step backwards and waves Vanhanen back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Touko Vanhanen has been cut.
Morocco slips a straight right by Vanhanen.
Vanhanen is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Vanhanen misses with a hook.
Morocco misses with a looping right.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vanhanen swings for the body but Morocco moves out of range.
Vanhanen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Morocco gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Vanhanen has a couple of punches blocked by Morocco.
Morocco's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Morocco swings wildly with an uppercut but Vanhanen uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morocco looking to throw knees to the head but Vanhanen is blocking nicely.
Vanhanen misses with a punch on the inside.
I was talking to Vanhanen's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Morocco scores with a nice hook to the head.
Morocco has Vanhanen pushed against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Morocco.
Vanhanen tries for a takedown but Morocco manages to get underhooks.
Vanhanen struggles to land a body shot inside as Morocco controls his hands.
Morocco blocks an uppercut.
Vanhanen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Morocco has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vanhanen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Morocco blocks an uppercut.
Morocco pushes Vanhanen back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Vanhanen prevents a body shot from Morocco.
Vanhanen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Morocco's elbow.
Vanhanen scores with a shot to the side of Morocco's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short body shot lands from Morocco as the two fighters clinch.
Morocco working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Vanhanen lands a left hand.
Morocco displaying some good clinch control by pressing Vanhanen up against the cage.
Morocco throws a knee to the head but misses.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Morocco takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Vanhanen is trying to maintain a safe position but Morocco gets an underhook and turns Vanhanen into the cage.
Morocco fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Vanhanen misses with a punch on the inside.
Vanhanen jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Morocco walks away with a smile on his face. Vanhanen gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Morocco lands a big head kick that sends Vanhanen tumbling to the mat! Morocco takes a step backwards and waves Vanhanen back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Vanhanen is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morocco throws a powerful right kick. Vanhanen tried to block low but the kick was high! Vanhanen was taken right off of his feet! Morocco jumps in to finish the job and the ref tackles him! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Ricci Morocco!
Touko Vanhanen spoke after the fight, saying 'Now my sober season will end.. Im going to Sully's! Liam it is time for drinkin not thinking!'.