PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Esa Tikkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lethal Larry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Larry has chosen Promise Man as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tikkanen
vs
Larry

186 cm
39
208 lbs
38 - 23 - 1

186 cm
26
218 lbs
11 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

MayheM sportswear

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 38 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Esa Tikkanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lethal Larry!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tikkanen throws a hook but Larry blocks it.
Larry misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Larry moves out of range of the body kick.
Larry rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tikkanen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Larry will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A quick step to the side and Tikkanen tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tikkanen on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Larry moves out of range of the body kick from Tikkanen.
Larry lands an overhand right.

Larry closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Larry wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tikkanen keeps working.
Tikkanen is letting Larry control him for a moment.
Tikkanen is looking to reverse the position.
Larry is looking to take a break and control but Tikkanen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tikkanen is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Larry tries for a kimura but Tikkanen is defending well.
Larry wants to control but Tikkanen is keeping him busy.
A lull in the action here as Larry stalls from top position.
Tikkanen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Larry wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Larry looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Tikkanen tries to improve position but can't.

Larry is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tikkanen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Larry tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen tries to bench press Larry off him but Larry keeps the position.
Larry is looking to take a break and control but Tikkanen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tikkanen prevents Larry from improving position.

Larry is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tikkanen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Larry working away.
Larry trying to control the position but Tikkanen is working away.
Tikkanen is looking to reverse the position.
Larry wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tikkanen keeps working.

Larry tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Larry swings around for an armbar but Tikkanen sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Larry's guard.

Larry looking for a guillotine here but Tikkanen defends easily.
Tikkanen looking to pass the guard.
Tikkanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Larry is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Larry bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tikkanen's guard.

Tikkanen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tikkanen is pulling down on Larry's head to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larry wants to control from the top but Tikkanen keeps moving.

Larry avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tikkanen wants to sweep here but Larry controlling him for the moment.
Larry not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Larry passes easily into side control. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lethal Larry dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tikkanen with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Larry shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Tikkanen holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Larry thows a huge punch but Tikkanen dodges it nicely.
Tikkanen tries to get to full guard but Larry has control of the leg.
Larry keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Tikkanen wants to control but Larry is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tikkanen tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Larry has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larry wants to control the pace but Tikkanen is squirming around nicely.
Tikkanen tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tikkanen wants to hold on but Larry pushes him away.
Larry controlling his opponent.
Larry fails to take his opponent's back.
Tikkanen gets back to half guard.
Tikkanen is looking to control Larry's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tikkanen avoid being mounted?

Tikkanen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Larry looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Larry with the ground and pound but Tikkanen uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larry controls from within his opponent's guard.

Tikkanen has his foot on Larry's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Larry works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tikkanen is trying to control the position but Larry postures up.
Tikkanen keeping moving, preventing Larry from controlling successfully.
Larry controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Larry trying to control but Tikkanen is working from the bottom.

Tikkanen is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Larry defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larry with a flurry of punches that miss.
Larry is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Tikkanen is looking to land body kicks.
Tikkanen looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Tikkanen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Larry scores with a takedown into Tikkanen's guard.
Larry content to stall in guard here.
Tikkanen keeping full guard, as Larry tries to pass.
Larry looking to sit in guard and control but Tikkanen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Larry has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Larry keeping moving, preventing Tikkanen from controlling successfully.
Our spies down at at Sweat inform us that Larry has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tikkanen is fighting to break Larry's control of his arms but Larry is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Larry has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Tikkanen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Larry is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Tikkanen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Tikkanen is pushing down on Larry's leg trying to pass to half guard. Larry is fighting to maintain full guard but Tikkanen has managed to sneak the leg through.
Tikkanen is thwarting Larry's attempts to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Larry tries to roll over but Tikkanen keeps him under control.

Tikkanen is looking for a kimura here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lethal Larry showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Larry swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Larry lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Larry fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Tikkanen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Larry fails to land the takedown.
Larry's corner calls for a 1-2. Larry obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Larry misses with a kick to the body.
Larry lands a nice shot to the body.
Larry scores with a hook to the body. Tikkanen takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Larry lands a leg kick that knocks Tikkanen off balance momentarily.
Tikkanen checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Tikkanen.
Larry fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Tikkanen checks a leg kick.
Larry takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Tikkanen scores with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tikkanen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Tikkanen.
Larry lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Larry misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Tikkanen counters with a flying knee. Nice.
An inside leg kick lands from Tikkanen.
A lazy left from Tikkanen finds it's target.
Larry uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tikkanen.
Tikkanen throws a body punch but Larry moves out of range.
Esa Tikkanen is winning the standup battle so far.
A low kick from Larry is predictable there
and Tikkanen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tikkanen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Larry throws a hook but Tikkanen blocks it.
Larry connects with a jab.
Larry gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tikkanen misses with a low kick.
Tikkanen scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Larry doesn't seem bothered though.
Lethal Larry seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Larry throws a half hearted mid kick.
Esa Tikkanen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larry scores with a head kick. Tikkanen tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Nice cross by Larry.
Tikkanen is looking to slow Larry down with leg kicks.
Larry shoots in and drives through. Tikkanen sprawls well.
It appears Tikkanen was looking to counter with a kick there.
Esa Tikkanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lethal Larry.
Tikkanen lands a front kick.

Larry closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Tikkanen quickly recovers to half guard.
Lethal Larry has got the better of the ground game so far.
Larry takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Larry is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Tikkanen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Larry is working for a submission of some sort.
Tikkanen tries to get to full guard but Larry has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Larry is working for a kimura but Tikkanen is defending it quite comfortably.
Larry trying to control the action but Tikkanen is working from the bottom.
Lethal Larry is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Tikkanen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Larry pulls his head out easily.
Tikkanen won't allow Larry to pass to mount.
Tikkanen wants to control but Larry is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tikkanen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tikkanen.

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.
Tikkanen trying to keep a closed guard but Larry is proving a slippery customer.
Larry pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tikkanen is keeping the position for now.
Larry trying to control but Tikkanen is working from the bottom.
Larry postures up.

Tikkanen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Larry gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Tikkanen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Larry advances position into side control!
Larry taking a breather here.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Lethal Larry.
I've got Larry winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:30

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