PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Timo Tarkkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pietari Manninen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tarkkonen comes to the cage accompanied by Konvehdinmussutajat - Älä lyö naamaan. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Tarkkonen
vs
Manninen

180 cm
18
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
22
168 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Syndicate Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Timo Tarkkonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pietari Manninen!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manninen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tarkkonen swivels and escapes.

Manninen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Tarkkonen pushes Manninen away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Manninen gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Manninen wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Tarkkonen, who protects the arm well.
You can see the frustration on Tarkkonen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Manninen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Tarkkonen has escaped the position, nice work there.
Tarkkonen is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Manninen off and has taken his back!
Tarkkonen throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Tarkkonen scores with punches and elbows.

Tarkkonen working for a choke but Manninen is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tarkkonen is not going to allow Manninen to sit and survive in this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manninen turns into Tarkkonen and is now in his guard.

Manninen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Manninen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Manninen trying to control the position from guard on top but Tarkkonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Manninen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Manninen stops Tarkkonen from standing up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Tarkkonen clinches up with Manninen and pushes him back against the cage.
Tarkkonen with a knee to the head.
Tarkkonen looking to throw knees to the head but Manninen is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Tarkkonen lands a nice elbow.
Manninen is trying to break the clinch but Tarkkonen has him pressed against the cage.
Manninen avoids a wild elbow strike from Tarkkonen.
Tarkkonen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Tarkkonen lands an elbow just above Manninen 's eye.
Tarkkonen keeps control of Manninen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Tarkkonen lands a nice elbow.
Tarkkonen connects with a knee to the head.
Manninen wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Manninen jumps guard but Tarkkonen stands there with Manninen around his waist. Manninen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Manninen tries for a takedown but Tarkkonen manages to get underhooks.
Timo Tarkkonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pietari Manninen.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Manninen is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Tarkkonen is keeping busy.
Tarkkonen trying to land knees to the body.
Tarkkonen misses with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tarkkonen is pressed up against the cage. Manninen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Tarkkonen down to the mat. Tarkkonen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Manninen looks gassed!
Manninen throws a body punch but Tarkkonen moves out of range.

Tarkkonen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Tarkkonen decides to stand back up. Tarkkonen steps back and let's Manninen get back to his feet.

Manninen feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Tarkkonen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Manninen is controlling him.
Manninen trying to control but Tarkkonen is working from the bottom.
Manninen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Tarkkonen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Manninen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Manninen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Manninen trying to control but Tarkkonen is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manninen pushes down on Tarkkonen's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Manninen prevents Tarkkonen from standing back up.
Manninen lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Manninen is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Tarkkonen is not content to let Manninen control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Pietari Manninen will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tarkkonen tries to close the distance and clinch but Manninen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Manninen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tarkkonen as he avoids it easily.
Some wild striking there from Manninen.
Tarkkonen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Timo Tarkkonen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Manninen misses with a takedown attempt - Tarkkonen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Tarkkonen tries to close the distance and clinch but Manninen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tarkkonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Manninen.
Manninen is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manninen tries to clinch up.
No luck for Manninen with that takedown attempt.
Timo Tarkkonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pietari Manninen.
Tarkkonen tries to clinch up but Manninen circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tarkkonen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tarkkonen moves in looking to clinch but Manninen pushes him off.
Manninen lands with an overhand left.
A slow jab from Manninen misses its intended target.
Tarkkonen moves in looking to clinch but Manninen pushes him off.
Tarkkonen tries to clinch up but Manninen circles away and keeps his distance.
Manninen tests Tarkkonen's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Tarkkonen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Manninen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tarkkonen tries to clinch
and Manninen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Manninen throws a series of punches but Tarkkonen avoids them all with ease.
A punch combination from Tarkkonen misses.
Tarkkonen closes the distance looking to clinch
and Manninen counters with a left and a right that stings Tarkkonen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manninen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tarkkonen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Manninen as he avoids it easily.
Tarkkonen takes a jab right on the kisser.
Tarkkonen tries to close the distance and clinch but Manninen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Manninen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Tarkkonen as he jumps to the side.
Manninen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Manninen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Tarkkonen counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Tarkkonen unloads a knee to the mid-section. Manninen lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Manninen avoids a wild elbow strike from Tarkkonen.
Manninen is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Tarkkonen pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Tarkkonen gets underhooks to prevent Manninen's takedown attempt.
Tarkkonen landing knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tarkkonen unloads a knee to the mid-section. Manninen lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Manninen is trying to break free.
Tarkkonen landing knees to the body.
Tarkkonen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Manninen has Tarkkonen pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Tarkkonen manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Tarkkonen looking to throw knees to the head but Manninen is blocking nicely.
Manninen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Tarkkonen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Tarkkonen lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Manninen drops down looking for an ankle pick but Tarkkonen pulls his leg out and moves away.
Tarkkonen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Manninen.
Tarkkonen wants to clinch

and Manninen counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tarkkonen trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Manninen trying to control the position from guard on top but Tarkkonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tarkkonen wants to stand but Manninen is controlling the position.

Manninen 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.
Manninen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Manninen trying to control the position from guard on top but Tarkkonen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tarkkonen wants to stand and escape but Manninen is having none of it.
Manninen working some strikes from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pietari Manninen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Tarkkonen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Manninen connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Tarkkonen momentarily.
Manninen has his takedown stuffed

so Tarkkonen counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Tarkkonen is looking to stand up but Manninen won't let him.
Manninen wants to sweep but no luck.
Manninen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Tarkkonen has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Manninen to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Tarkkonen is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Manninen pulls down on the head and he's put Tarkkonen to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Pietari Manninen!