PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vitaly Golovkin (ranked 4463 p4p, 428 weight class) and Paea Talanoa (ranked 2593 p4p, 266 weight class). Talanoa has chosen Tonga as his entrance music. On his way into the cage it seems that Vitaly Golovkin has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Vitaly Golovkin seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Golovkin
vs
Talanoa

183 cm
29
255 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

187 cm
22
280 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Decent elbows
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Vitaly Golovkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Paea Talanoa!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Talanoa takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Talanoa tries to close the distance and clinch but Golovkin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Golovkin stuffs the takedown attempt from Talanoa. Talanoa gets slowly back to his feet.
Golovkin defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Talanoa.
Golovkin is looking to counter punch.
Talanoa has a takedown stuffed.
Vitaly Golovkin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paea Talanoa.
Talanoa tries for a takedown but Golovkin circles away easily
and Golovkin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Talanoa with a lazy takedown attempt

and Golovkin counters by clinching up.
Talanoa drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Talanoa is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Golovkin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Talanoa keeps control of Golovkin as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Talanoa drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Golovkin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Talanoa is working for takedown but Golovkin is calmly controlling the position for now.

Golovkin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

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.
Talanoa lunges at Golovkin with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Golovkin's hand.
Talanoa looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Golovkin throws a big counter combination but Talanoa scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Talanoa moves to clinch but Golovkin breaks away
and Golovkin counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Vitaly Golovkin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Talanoa shoots for a takedown but Golovkin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Golovkin leaves Talanoa with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Talanoa shoots and misses
and Talanoa takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Talanoa tries for a takedown but Golovkin circles away easily
and Golovkin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Talanoa with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Golovkin to score with a decent uppercut.
Talanoa tries to land a leg kick but Golovkin saw it coming and moves away.
Talanoa doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Talanoa takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Golovkin scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Talanoa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Golovkin as he avoids it easily.

Talanoa closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Golovkin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
It looks like Golovkin has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Talanoa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Golovkin as he avoids it easily.
Talanoa closes this distance looking for a takedown but Golovkin circles away.
Talanoa doesn't manage to clinch there - Golovkin circles away.
Talanoa tries to clinch
and Golovkin counters with a two punch combo.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Talanoa shoots in but Golovkin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Talanoa is defended easily by Golovkin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitaly Golovkin dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Golovkin tries to sprawl but Talanoa drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Golovkin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Talanoa.
Talanoa is keen to just control but Golovkin is a slippery customer.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Golovkin here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Talanoa lands strikes from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Talanoa takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Talanoa in particular looking to stall.

Talanoa is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Talanoa is trying for a kimura here. Golovkin looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Talanoa wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:19 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Paea Talanoa!
During a confident post fight interview, Paea Talanoa thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.