PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Arttu Bjorkholm (ranked 6499 p4p, 5979 weight class) and Akira Tatakai (ranked 435 p4p, 417 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bjorkholm
vs
Tatakai

171 cm
18
148
0 - 1 - 0

173 cm
19
142
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Arttu Bjorkholm!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Akira Tatakai!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donk. Tatakai catches Bjorkholm right on the button with a cross.
Tatakai looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

A jab-cross combination lands for Tatakai and sends Bjorkholm crashing to the mat! Tatakai follows him down to the mat - Bjorkholm regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

Bjorkholm is rocked!
Tatakai missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Oh Bjorkholm is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Tatakai is just content to waste time from the top position. Bjorkholm takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bjorkholm looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tatakai is one step ahead there.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tatakai accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bjorkholm seems to have got his legs back now.
Tatakai must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Bjorkholm wants to sweep but no luck.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bjorkholm lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Bjorkholm is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Tatakai looking for a sweep. Not yet Tatakai, not yet.
Tatakai really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bjorkholm. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Bjorkholm stands up and waves to Tatakai to follow him.
Tatakai showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bjorkholm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatakai connects with a right hand. Bjorkholm shakes it off.
Bjorkholm lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tatakai circles away quickly and effectively.
Bjorkholm takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Bjorkholm moves into the clinch.
Bjorkholm lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Tatakai backwards.
Tatakai misses with a punch to the body.

Bjorkholm's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tatakai jabs at Bjorkholm's body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tatakai connects with a single shot there.
Tatakai throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Bjorkholm throws a quick counter head kick but Tatakai was just out of range.

Bjorkholm ducks straight into an uppercut from Tatakai and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Bjorkholm manages to regain guard straight away.
Bjorkholm throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bjorkholm will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Bjorkholm wants to sweep but no luck.
Bjorkholm wants to control but Tatakai passes easily into half guard.
Tatakai sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bjorkholm defending well though.
Bjorkholm is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tatakai's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tatakai's back!
Bjorkholm scores with punches to the body.
Tatakai is trapped and Bjorkholm is scoring with shots to the head and body.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bjorkholm looking for the choke from the back.
Tatakai breaks Bjorkholm's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Bjorkholm looking for a sweep. Not yet Bjorkholm, not yet.
Bjorkholm keeping moving, preventing Tatakai from controlling successfully.
Bjorkholm not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tatakai preventing the sweep.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Tatakai dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tatakai getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Tatakai looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A big left from Tatakai misses.
Arttu Bjorkholm is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tatakai pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Bjorkholm back to the cage. Tatakai follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Tatakai throws an off balance right hand
and Bjorkholm counters with a one-two to the body.
Bjorkholm throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tatakai.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Bjorkholm checks a leg kick.
Tatakai pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tatakai throws out a powerful jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tatakai drops Bjorkholm with a naaaaasty hook - Bjorkholm is in real trouble here! Tatakai dives in to side control and pounds out his opponent for a TKO victory! The crowd goes nuts!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Akira Tatakai!
A victorious Akira Tatakai thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.