PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Michael Aalto (ranked 1088 p4p, 985 weight class) and Ryoto Takahashi (ranked 126 p4p, 116 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Takahashi's choice of entrance music: TWIST THAT D*CK. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Aalto
vs
Takahashi

177 cm
28
149
14 - 8 - 0

175 cm
28
148
9 - 3 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Conviction
Conquer

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 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Michael Aalto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ryoto Takahashi!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Percy O'Donnell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aalto fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Takahashi has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Aalto thuds his shin into the meat of Takahashi's side.
Aalto checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Takahashi misses with a leg kick.
Aalto throws a leg kick but Takahashi checks it.
Takahashi connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Takahashi throws a looping overhand right but Aalto ducks down to avoid it.
Aalto thuds his right hand into Takahashi's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Good standup being displayed there by Takahashi as he connects with a hook.
Takahashi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Aalto.
Aalto fires out a quick counter leg kick but Takahashi just manages to avoid it.
Takahashi throws a hook but Aalto blocks it.
Takahashi lands a leg kick that knocks Aalto off balance momentarily.
Takahashi delivers a nice body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takahashi throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Takahashi's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Takahashi duly obliges.
Aalto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Takahashi as Aalto shoots in.
Aalto lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Aalto slips under a jab from Takahashi.
Takahashi has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Takahashi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Aalto was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Aalto checks a leg kick.
Ryoto Takahashi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Aalto lands with an overhand left.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Aalto checks a leg kick.
Takahashi connects with an inside leg kick.
Takahashi moves out of range as Aalto throws a body kick.
Aalto scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Takahashi jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Aalto shoots for a double leg takedown but Takahashi sprawls well. He's pushed Aalto's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A little jabbing left from Takahashi on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Takahashi chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Aalto can pounce on him.
Takahashi throws out a loose jab but Aalto uses good head movement to avoid it.
Aalto has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Takahashi fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Aalto is out of range.
A big right from Aalto misses.
Takahashi lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Takahashi tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Aalto is able to avoid easily.
Aalto quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Ryoto Takahashi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takahashi works Aalto's body with a nice hook.
Takahashi throws a poor cross that misses
and Aalto connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Takahashi moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Takahashi throws a lazy uppercut
and Aalto counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Aalto moves away from the strike by Takahashi.
Takahashi blocks a jab.
Takahashi doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Takahashi displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Aalto.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Aalto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Takahashi cracks Aalto with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Takahashi is predictable there
and Aalto counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Takahashi misses with a kick to the body.
A low kick from Takahashi is predictable there
and Aalto cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Takahashi connects with a body shot that sends Aalto's belly button to the back.
Takahashi looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Takahashi misses with the body kick
and Aalto counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Takahashi thinking.
Aalto dips to his left and cracks Takahashi with an uppercut!
Takahashi changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Aalto plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jab from Takahashi.
A clash of legs there as Takahashi blocks the low kick.
Takahashi misses with a straight right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Takahashi throws a leg kick that misses.
Takahashi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Aalto.
Aalto is looking to counter with a body kick.
Nice defenses there by Aalto.
Aalto throwing a counter right hand but Takahashi manages to avoid it.
Takahashi lands a front kick.
Aalto is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Aalto throws a leg kick but Takahashi checks it.
Takahashi throws the kick towards the body but Aalto avoids it.
Aalto changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Aalto sizes up Takahashi with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Takahashi throws a wild body kick that Aalto sees coming a mile off.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Takahashi lands with a thumping leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Aalto.
Aalto takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ryoto Takahashi dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Takahashi fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Takahashi looks to land a body kick but Aalto moved away.
Aalto bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Takahashi jabs Aalto right on the nose. Aalto blinks but takes it well.
Ryoto Takahashi seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Takahashi drops Aalto with a nice combination! Takahashi dives into Aalto's guard, looking to finish!

Aalto is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Aalto is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Oh Aalto is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Aalto sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Takahashi defending well though.
Takahashi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Takahashi moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Takahashi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Aalto seems to have got his legs back now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aalto throws a strike but Takahashi rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Takahashi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Aalto is keeping the position for now.
Takahashi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Aalto looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Takahashi is defending well. Aalto quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Takahashi has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Aalto celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Michael Aalto!
Michael Aalto thanked the fans post fight for their support.