PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anakoni Kai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esa Tikkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kai comes to the cage accompanied by Firestarter. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Esa Tikkanen was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Kai
vs
Tikkanen

190 cm
28
212 lbs
19 - 7 - 0

186 cm
38
208 lbs
37 - 19 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160 (80% laundry)

Bos Energy MMA159.4

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 19 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anakoni Kai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 19 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Esa Tikkanen!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kai lands with a nice body punch.
Kai throws a push kick but Tikkanen slaps the foot to one side.
Tikkanen misses the shot to the body.
Kai moves out of range of the leg kick from Tikkanen.
Kai throws a body kick that misses
and Tikkanen counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Tikkanen has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Both fighters circling a little - Kai finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Kai closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Kai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tikkanen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kai has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Tikkanen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Kai enables Tikkanen to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Kai manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
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!
Kai keeping moving, preventing Tikkanen from controlling successfully.
Kai is pulling down on Tikkanen's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tikkanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Kai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tikkanen is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Kai looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Tikkanen wants to pass the guard but Kai is keeping the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Tikkanen trying to control but Kai is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Kai throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Tikkanen stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kai misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tikkanen.
Kai seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Tikkanen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kai has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Tikkanen throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Kai checks a low kick from Tikkanen.
Kai slips a jab and a cross from Tikkanen.
As Tikkanen looks to move away, Kai throws a big counter combo but Tikkanen just gets out of the way.
Tikkanen thuds a left hand into Kai's body.
Kai misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tikkanen.
Tikkanen throws the kick towards the body but Kai avoids it.
Anakoni Kai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tikkanen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Tikkanen scores with a jab to the jaw.
Kai lands with a cross.
An inside leg kick lands from Tikkanen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Kai checks it well.
Tikkanen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Kai takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Tikkanen throws a push kick but Kai slaps the foot to one side.
Kai throws a quick counter head kick but Tikkanen was just out of range.
Good standup being displayed there by Kai as he connects with a hook.

It looks like Esa Tikkanen has been cut.
Tikkanen swinging wildly here.
Kai takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Tikkanen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Tikkanen is looking to chop away at Kai's legs.
As Tikkanen backs away, Kai returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Tikkanen - that will leave a mark!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kai tries a head kick but it misses.
Tikkanen throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Kai's head.
Kai on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A slapping leg kick lands for Tikkanen.
Kai doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Tikkanen misses with a lunging right hand
and Kai counters with a right hand to the body.
Tikkanen looks for the body kick but Kai saw that one coming.
Kai works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Tikkanen dives in for a single leg takedown but Kai sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
It looked like Kai was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Tikkanen.

Kai drops Tikkanen with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Tikkanen looks back up at him and smiles so Kai waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

Tikkanen is rocked!
Esa Tikkanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kai scores with a spinning back kick!
Tikkanen is still on wobbly legs! Can Kai finish him?
Tikkanen looks winded!
Are you kidding me?! Kai ducked down and unloaded an uppercut from hell that sent Tikkanen clean off his feet! Someone make me a GIF - that's knockout of the night for sure!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Anakoni Kai!
Anakoni Kai seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.