PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jake Larsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Tomasello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Larsen's entrance music is Lorde – Yellow Flicker Beat. A fine choice. Matt Tomasello has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Jake Larsen's chin.

Larsen
vs
Tomasello

177 cm
21
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

165 cm
19
150 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Decent elbows
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jake Larsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matt Tomasello !
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Larsen ducks under a wild hook from Tomasello .
Larsen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Larsen wants to clinch up but Tomasello keeps it at a distance.
Larsen stalks Tomasello and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Tomasello 's face. Tomasello staggers backwards, shaken.
A big left from Tomasello misses.
We've been told by Larsen's head coaches at Death Valley Training Facility that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Larsen with a nice cross.
Larsen looks to clinch
and Tomasello counters with a stiff right hand.
Larsen looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Tomasello jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sloppy strikes from Tomasello . Those never looked like landing.
Tomasello loads up on a big right hand but Larsen slips the punch.
Larsen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Tomasello shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Tomasello showed some decent athleticism there.
Tomasello controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tomasello is nestled in close to Larsen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Tomasello lands a nice short elbow.
Tomasello wants to lay and pray for a moment but Larsen keeps working.
Tomasello not doing much here.
Tomasello working over Larsen with some ground and pound. Larsen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Tomasello lands a nice short elbow.
Larsen is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Tomasello scores with a couple of nice shots.
Tomasello trying to control from Larsen's half guard. Larsen has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tomasello landing some decent shots from guard.

Larsen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tomasello is aware though and is defending well.
Tomasello connects with a couple of short punches.
Tomasello wants to control from the top but Larsen keeps moving.

Tomasello got a little sloppy there for a moment and Larsen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tomasello has managed to get both his arms back between Larsen's legs - danger averted.
Tomasello works over Larsen with some ground and pound from guard.
Larsen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tomasello is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tomasello trying to control the position from guard on top but Larsen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tomasello lands a couple of digs.

Larsen has an active guard here but Tomasello has managed to pass into half guard.

Larsen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Tomasello pulls his head out easily.
Tomasello controlling the action here.

Larsen actively working from the bottom here.
Tomasello lands with a punch from half guard.
Tomasello takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Tomasello scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larsen is not content to let Tomasello control the position.

Larsen actively working from the bottom here.
Tomasello is looking to take a break and control but Larsen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tomasello is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Tomasello lands with a punch from half guard.

Larsen is rocked!
Tomasello drops an elbow to the side of Larsen's head.
Oh Larsen is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Ground and pound from Tomasello .
Larsen wants to get back to full guard.
Larsen trying to control here.

Larsen looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Tomasello dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tomasello uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Larsen.
Tomasello tries to counter by closing the distance.
Larsen seems to have got his legs back now.
Tomasello has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Tomasello moves into the clinch.
Tomasello tries to work over Larsen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Larsen has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Tomasello avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Tomasello can't get the takedown.
Larsen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tomasello blocks it with crossed arms.
Tomasello dodges an elbow strike from Larsen.

Tomasello wants the takedown. Larsen is fighting it off but Tomasello persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Larsen's guard against the cage.
Tomasello wants to control from the top but Larsen keeps moving.
Tomasello must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Tomasello lands a couple of digs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tomasello scoring with punches to the head and body.

Larsen is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tomasello defends well.
Tomasello lands a couple of elbows.
Matt Tomasello has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larsen keeping moving, preventing Tomasello from controlling successfully.
Tomasello postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Larsen will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Larsen keeping moving, preventing Tomasello from controlling successfully.

Larsen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Tomasello is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tomasello working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Larsen's head.

Larsen had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Tomasello defends it easily.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Tomasello working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Larsen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Tomasello postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Larsen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Tomasello gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Tomasello working some strikes from top position.
Tomasello is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Tomasello scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Tomasello connects with a couple of short punches.
Tomasello is stalling in the full guard.
Tomasello postures up from his opponent's guard, before exploding into some vicious ground and pound! Larsen covers up, he's hurt! Tomasello keeps throwing the strikes, glancing at the referee... Will he stop it?? One more big shot from Tomasello and the ref steps in to end the fight! Tomasello can't hide his delight as he celebrates with his corner.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Matt Tomasello !