PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Haftor Bjornson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tapio Valo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tapio Valo acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Bjornson
vs
Valo

206 cm
25
190 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

187 cm
25
190 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Sully's Bar & Grill

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Haftor Bjornson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tapio Valo!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Daniel Franklin and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Valo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bjornson letting Valo take a breather here.
Bjornson blocking some punches.
Valo lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bjornson backwards.
Valo throws a punch but it's blocked by Bjornson.
Valo controlling the action here for a moment.
Nice body punch from Valo - that landed with a thud.
Valo misses with the head strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bjornsons head.
Valo effectively controlling the action here.
Valo leaning his opponent against the cage.
Valo struggles to land a body shot inside as Bjornson controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bjornson stalling the fight.
Valo lands a hook that snaps the head of Bjornson backwards.
Valo has Bjornson pressed against the cage.
Valo is working for takedown but Bjornson is calmly controlling the position for now.
Valo wants to stall.
Valo scores with a shoulder strike.

Bjornson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Valo swings widly with a right hand
and Bjornson counters with a straight right hand.
Tapio Valo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Valo rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Bjornson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Bjornson walks into a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valo feints and then cracks Bjornson's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Bjornson down.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bjornson. Valo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bjornson takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Valo throws a predictable looking body shot
and Valo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bjornson ducks under a wild hook from Valo.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Valo, right into the meat.
A telegraphed right hand from Valo misses the target.
A shot to the body from Valo misses
and Bjornson counters with a stiff right hand.
Bjornson looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Valo pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bjornson quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Bjornson slips under a jab from Valo.
Valo throws a jab when Bjornson was well out of range.
Valo misses with a hook
enabling Bjornson to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valo scores with a jab to the body.
Bjornson takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Valo fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Bjornson.
Valo comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Valo misses with a left hand
enabling Bjornson to counter with a crisp jab.
Valo misses with a body punch
and Bjornson counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Valo throws a leg kick
and Bjornson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Valo connects with a crisp jab.
Valo swings widly with a right hand
and Bjornson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Valo thinking.
Valo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bjornson.
A quick step to the side and Bjornson tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters circle momentarily. Valo darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Valo throws a solid leg kick but Bjornson takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Valo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valo misses with a hook
and Bjornson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Valo digs a good body shot into Bjornson's ribs.

Valo drives through and clinches with Bjornson against the cage.
Valo scores with a hook to the body.
Bjornson can't find room to land a body shot as Valo controls the action.
Bjornson can't find room to land a body shot as Valo controls the action.
Bjornson is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Bjornson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bjornson.
Valo has a couple of punches blocked by Bjornson.
Bjornson tries a body shot but Valo blocks it.
Valo scores with a hook to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Bjornson scores with a nice hook to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tapio Valo dominated that round.
That's time! Bjornson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Valo missing with a left hand there. Bjornson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Bjornson appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Valo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bjornson on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Bjornson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Valo throws a counter combo.
Valo ducks right into an uppercut from Bjornson.
Bjornson takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Valo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bjornson stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Valo.
An inside leg kick lands from Valo.
Tapio Valo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Valo, as that shot connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bjornson ducks under a wild hook from Valo.
Bjornson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Bjornson misses with a hook
and Valo counters with a nice uppercut.
Valo thows a left - swing and a miss!
It looked like Bjornson was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bjornson has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Valo.
A combination from Valo does no damage.

Valo clinches up against the cage.
Bjornson tries to throw a body punch but Valo avoids it by throwing Bjornson back against the cage.
Bjornson has a couple of punches blocked by Valo.
Bjornson has a couple of punches blocked by Valo.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Bjornson is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Valo struggles to land a body shot inside as Bjornson controls his hands.
Tapio Valo seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Bjornson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Valo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
We've been informed that Valo has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Tapio Valo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Valo throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bjornson slips a straight right by Valo.
Bjornson appears to be looking for a big counter.
Bjornson misses with a series of wild punches.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Valo is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Bjornson as Valo tries to tie him up.
Valo seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
Valo can't find room to land a body shot as Bjornson controls the action.
Valo is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Valo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valo lands a body shot in the clinch.
Bjornson has Valo pressed against the cage.
Valo misses with a body punch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Bjornson.
Valo dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Bjornson is looking to control Valo's arms but Valo gets an underhook and turns him. Now Bjornson has his back to the cage.
Valo lands an uppercut.
Bjornson is stalling here.
A head punch on the inside from Valo fails to land.
Valo lands an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Valo.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Bjornson.
Valo trying to control the position but instead, Bjornson has worked for underhooks and has pushed Valo into the cage.
Valo tries to circle away but Bjornson has him pinned against the cage.
Valo blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Valo.
A short right from Valo on the inside.
Bjornson letting Valo take a breather here.
Valo softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Valo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bjornsons head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The referee calls for Valo to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tapio Valo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Valo cracks Bjornson with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Bjornson looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Valo finish him?

Bjornson is rocked!
Valo misses with a jab to the body
and Bjornson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Valo misses with a body shot.
A counter left hand to the body from Bjornson misses its target.

Valo closes the distance and clinches.
Bjornson stalls.
Valo pushes Bjornson back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Bjornson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Valo pushes Bjornson back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Valo creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Valo works on Bjornson's body with a couple of short punches.
Valo misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valo can't find room to land a body shot as Bjornson controls the action.
Bjornson tries to stall but Valo uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Valo working aggressively here.
A right handed body shot lands from Valo.
Valo misses with a punch to the body.
Bjornson misses with a body punch.
Valo tries a body shot but Bjornson blocks it.

Bjornson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Valo lands a body shot.
Valo changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Valo is struggling to control the position.
Valo lands a hook that snaps the head of Bjornson backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valo lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Bjornson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Valo lands with a right to the head.
Valo lands a hook that snaps the head of Bjornson backwards.
Bjornson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Valo lands with a short shot to the head.
Oh Bjornson is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bjornson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bjornson seems to have got his legs back now.
Valo presses Bjornson against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valo avoiding damage.
Valo is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Valo continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Valo lands a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valo tries a body shot but Bjornson blocks it.
Bjornson trying to control the position but instead, Valo has worked for underhooks and has pushed Bjornson into the cage.
Bjornson lands a body shot in the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Valo as the two fighters clinch.
Valo stalling against the cage.

Valo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Valo throws a body shot but no joy.
A little feinted left hand from Bjornson on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Bjornson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Valo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
The fighters circling - Valo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valo swings widly with a right hand
and Bjornson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Valo thinking.

Valo moves into range and clinches up with Bjornson.
Bjornson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Valo tries for a takedown. No joy.
Valo effectively controlling the action here.
Valo avoiding damage.
Valo receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Valo blocking some punches.
Tapio Valo is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Valo tries a body shot but Bjornson blocks it.
Haftor Bjornson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bjornson lands with a left to the head.
Valo lands a body punch.
Valo blocking some punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tapio Valo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Valo has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tapio Valo!
Tapio Valo thanked the fans post fight for their support.