PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nate Davis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esko Takanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Davis kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Rancid-Last one to Die. Esko Takanen has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Nate Davis's chin.

Davis
vs
Takanen

177 cm
21
167 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

175 cm
21
184 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nate Davis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Esko Takanen!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Hugh Johnson and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takanen throws a hook to the side of Davis's head but Davis sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Davis throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Davis misses with a straight right.
A telegraphed right hand from Takanen misses the target.
Takanen drops his shoulder and cracks Davis with a huge uppercut! Davis goes down! Can Takanen finish him?

Davis is rocked!

It looks like Nate Davis has been cut.
Takanen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Oh Davis is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Takanen stands and steps away. Davis gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Takanen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Davis sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Davis seems to have got his legs back now.
Takanen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Takanen lands a nice looking body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Davis with a nice cross.
Davis dodges the punch combination from Takanen.
A lazy left from Davis finds it's target.
Davis ducks under a wild hook from Takanen.
Davis ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Takanen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Davis.
Takanen throws out a loose jab but Davis uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davis scores with a nice right hand.
Takanen just misses with a punch to the body.
Davis looks to land a combination. Takanen sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Davis lands a high kick!
Takanen swings for the body but Davis moves out of range.
Takanen with a hook.
A slow jab from Davis misses its intended target.
Davis ducks under a wild hook from Takanen.
Davis lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Davis ducks under a wild hook from Takanen.
Takanen looks gassed!
Takanen misses with a two punch combination.
Takanen misses with a hook. Davis ducked under it nicely.
Davis lunges at Takanen with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Takanen's hand.
Davis fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Davis throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Takanen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Esko Takanen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Davis lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Davis throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Takanen takes a swing at Davis's ribcage but misses.
Davis lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Davis misses with a takedown attempt - Takanen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Takanen misses.
Takanen takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Davis uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Takanen has time to react.
Davis moves out of range of the strikes.
Davis lands a glancing blow to the side of Takanen's head.
Davis is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Takanen thows a left - swing and a miss!
A slow jab from Takanen misses its intended target.
Davis misses with a few strikes there.
Takanen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
A shot to de liver by Takanen. Beautiful body shot.
Davis misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Davis misses with a looping right.

Davis gets the takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takanen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanen wants to get up but he can't break Davis's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Davis has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Takanen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Takanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Davis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

Davis is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Takanen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Davis throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Esko Takanen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nate Davis's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Takanen waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Davis.
Davis scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Davis dodges the punch combination from Takanen.
Davis connects with a jab.
Takanen jabs Davis right on the nose. Davis blinks but takes it well.
Davis scores with a nice right hand.
Takanen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Davis.
A low kick from Takanen misses
and Davis finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Takanen misses with a hook. Davis ducked under it nicely.
Esko Takanen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Takanen stuffs the takedown attempt from Davis. Davis gets slowly back to his feet.
Takanen thows a body shot but no joy.
Davis gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Takanen throws the left hand but Davis avoids the punch easily.
Esko Takanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fighters circling - Takanen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Takanen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A big left from Davis misses.
Takanen is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanen slips a jab from Davis.
Takanen misses with a looping right.
Jab from Davis.
Davis ducks under a wild hook from Takanen.
Takanen takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Takanen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Davis.
Takanen misses with a double jab.
Davis fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Takanen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Davis.
Davis thows a left - swing and a miss!
A big right from Takanen misses.
Takanen misses with a hook. Davis ducked under it nicely.
Takanen avoids the head kick by Davis.
Takanen throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Davis paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Davis lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Takanen circles away quickly and effectively.
Takanen avoids the head kick by Davis.
Davis changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Takanen tries to avoid it but Davis manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Takanen to the ground. Takanen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nate Davis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A swing and a miss from Takanen.
Davis moves out of range as Takanen strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Takanen throws a big shot that misses.
Davis closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Takanen loads up on a big right hand but Davis slips the punch.
A punch combination from Davis misses.
The fighters circling - Takanen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Davis pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Davis keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Takanen misses with a hook.
Davis connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A jab from Takanen misses.
Davis avoids the body shot from Takanen.
Davis connects with a looping right hand.
Davis with a nice cross.
Davis misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Takanen looks to score with a jab to the body but Davis is just out of range.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Davis.
Takanen tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Davis are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Takanen is looking for a sweep.
Davis working away.

Davis is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Takanen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Takanen managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Davis.

Davis is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Takanen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Davis is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Takanen has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Davis is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Takanen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Takanen sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Takanen manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Takanen connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Takanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Nate Davis's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Takanen takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A jab from Takanen misses.
Davis throws a push kick but Takanen slaps the foot to one side.
Takanen misses with a few strikes there.
A head kick misses from Davis.
Davis takes one on the button.
Takanen looks to land a left hand but Davis moved out of range nicely.
Davis misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Takanen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Davis.
Davis clobbers Takanen with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Takanen falls off balance throwing a combination

and Davis counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Davis.
Davisis looking to pass into half guard but Takanen pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Takanen is in guard.

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

Davis is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Davis is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Takanen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Davis throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Takanen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Takanen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Davis looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Takanen stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Davis throws a head kick that misses.
Takanen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanen cracks Davis with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Davis blocks a jab.
Takanen throws a hook but Davis blocks it.
Davis uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Takanen lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Takanen.
The fighters circling - Takanen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Davis cracks Takanen with a good jab.
Davis keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
A slow jab from Takanen misses its intended target.
Takanen blocks a head kick by Davis.
Davis bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Davis throws the left hand but Takanen avoids the punch easily.
Davis closes this distance looking for a takedown but Takanen circles away.
Davis is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Davis slips a straight right by Takanen.
No joy there for Takanen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Davis looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Davis closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Takanen gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Esko Takanen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takanen trying to control but Davis postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Davis missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nate Davis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Takanen trying to control but Davis postures up.
Takanen tries to kick Davis off in order to stand up. Davis Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

Davis in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Takanen is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Nate Davis!