PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Salo Gonalez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luis Tanko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Salo Gonalez is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Gonalez
vs
Tanko

177 cm
27
159 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

176 cm
25
155 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Salo Gonalez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Luis Tanko!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanko throws a leg kick that is checked

and Gonalez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Stalling in the clinch from Gonalez.

Tanko breaks the clinch.
Gonalez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Tanko sprawls well. Tanko wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gonalez gets slowly back to his feet.
Tanko looks to land a combination but Gonalez avoids it well.
Tanko misses the jab.
Gonalez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tanko fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gonalez, pushing him back against the cage.

Tanko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gonalez moves in looking to clinch but Tanko pushes him off.
Gonalez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tanko swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanko closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gonalez circles away.
Tanko fails with the takedown.
Tanko swings widly with a right hand
and Gonalez counters with a stiff right hand.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tanko gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gonalez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salo Gonalez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gonalez ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Gonalez no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Tanko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gonalez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gonalez 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez keeping full guard, as Tanko tries to pass.
Tanko is in close to Gonalez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Tanko tries to free his leg and advance position but Gonalez is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gonalez throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gonalez has his foot on Tanko's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tanko works his way back into a safe position though.

Tanko is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Gonalez is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Gonalez has escaped and now he's on top!

Gonalez wants to control from the top but Tanko keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanko wants to sweep here but Gonalez controlling him for the moment.

Tanko is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Tanko is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Gonalez dives into side control.
Gonalez throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tanko looking for a sweep but Gonalez has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Tanko tries to hold on but Gonalez pushes him away.
Tanko is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Gonalez is working for a guillotine from mount but Tanko frees his head quite easily.
Gonalez misses with a head shot.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tanko manages to regain half guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Salo Gonalez will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Gonalez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tanko is fending him off so far but Gonalez persists. Nope, Tanko circles away and we're back to standing.
Salo Gonalez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gonalez lands with a nice combination. Tanko backs away looking to recover.
Gonalez fails with a takedown attempt.
Gonalez looks for a takedown but Tanko sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salo Gonalez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
An inside leg kick from Tanko misses.
Gonalez checks a leg kick nicely.
Gonalez tries to counter by clinching up but Tanko breaks away and moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gonalez slaps away a takedown attempt from Tanko, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Tanko bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Tanko in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonalez is looking for a sweep.
Gonalez can't do much from the bottom here.
Tanko is putting a hurting on Gonalez here, landing some big shots from side control.
Gonalez can't do much from the bottom here.
Gonalez is not content to let Tanko control the position.

That's two 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.
You can see the frustration on Gonalez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Tanko tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Gonalez is looking for a sweep.
Tanko working the body and head with strikes.
Tanko wants to stand but Gonalez is controlling his arm.
Gonalez can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanko advances to full mount.
Tanko trying to control but Gonalez is having none of it.
Gonalez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
We've been informed that Tanko has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Tanko tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.
Gonalez tries to hold on but Tanko postures up.
Gonalez is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Tanko scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Gonalez?
Tanko pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Gonalez is desperately trying to improve his position but Tanko has a good base and remains in mount.
Tanko fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Tanko lands a nice shot to the head.
Tanko scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Gonalez is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tanko tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luis Tanko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Tanko checks the leg kick.
Horrible takedown attempt by Gonalez or perhaps it was just good defense by Tanko, which made it look bad.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gonalez is defended easily by Tanko.
Gonalez fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salo Gonalez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gonalez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tanko.
It looked like Gonalez was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanko throws a lazy head kick

and Gonalez counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Tanko!
Tanko tries to buck Gonalez off but Gonalez is having none of it.

Gonalez goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Tanko has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Gonalez but great work by Tanko.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonalez prevents Tanko from moving into mount.
Luis Tanko has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tanko working the body and head with strikes.
A lull in the action here.
Gonalez manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Tanko tries to kick Gonalez off but Gonalez keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Gonalez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Tanko wants to control but Gonalez is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gonalez is just content to waste time from the top position. Tanko takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanko is pulling down on Gonalez's head. It's preventing any offense from Gonalez, at least for the moment.
Gonalez stops Tanko from standing up.
Tanko seems keen to control Gonalez's posture.
Tanko keeping full guard, as Gonalez tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanko trying to control the position here.
Gonalez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gonalez won't allow Tanko to sweep him here.

Gonalez gets to his feet - Tanko follows without any prompting.

Tanko drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Gonalez kicks Tanko off and gets to his feet.
Tanko shoots in looking for a takedown. Gonalez tries to sprawl out of it but Tanko keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Gonalez manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tanko as he avoids it easily.
Tanko shoots in for a takedown but Gonalez shows good takedown defense.
Tanko doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Gonalez counters with a nice uppercut.
Tanko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gonalez tries to clinch up but Tanko circles away and keeps his distance.
Gonalez shoots in for a takedown but Tanko shows good takedown defense.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tanko shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gonalez as he jumps to the side.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Tanko looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Gonalez is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Tanko presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Salo Gonalez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gonalez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Luis Tanko!