PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tali Ihantala (ranked 33 p4p, 64 weight class) and Jason Hightower (ranked 2 p4p, 5 weight class). Hightower has chosen The Power as his entrance music. 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?

Ihantala
vs
Hightower

203 cm
34
253
27 - 10 - 0

207 cm
29
242
28 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Vegan Gains
Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

Conviction
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tali Ihantala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jason Hightower!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ihantala swings widly with a right hand
and Hightower counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hightower 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.
Ihantala throws the left hand but Hightower avoids the punch easily.
Ihantala misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hightower swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Ihantala misses the jab.
Hightower throws the left hand but Ihantala avoids the punch easily.
Hightower chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Ihantala can pounce on him.
Ihantala takes a swing at Hightower's ribcage but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ihantala misses with a hook.
Hightower uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ihantala.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Ihantala.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ihantala changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Ihantala connects with a solid leg kick.
Ihantala turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Ihantala lands a nice looking body kick.
Ihantala tries a head kick but it misses.
Ihantala backing away here, and Hightower unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Ihantala displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hightower throws out the jab.
Ihantala pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Ihantala lets loose with a powerful body kick. Hightower will feel that in the morning.
Ihantala 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.
Ihantala bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Hightower looks winded!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ihantala looks for the body kick but Hightower saw that one coming.
A countering left hand to the body from Hightower misses.
A punch combination from Ihantala misses.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hightower! But no joy.
The fighters circle momentarily. Ihantala darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ihantala throws a series of punches but Hightower avoids them all with ease.
A little jabbing left from Hightower on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Hightower is looking to score with low kicks.
Ihantala looks to score with a jab to the body but Hightower is just out of range.
Ihantala throws out a loose jab but Hightower uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hightower let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Hightower throws a lazy uppercut
letting Ihantala counter with a right hand.
Ihantala dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Hightower. That did some damage!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ihantala tries a low kick but Hightower avoids it.
Hightower throws out a counter right but Ihantala avoids it with no problem.
Ihantala motions for Hightower to come forward. Ihantala throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Hightower fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ihantala manages to avoid it.
Hightower throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ihantala throws a jab when Hightower was well out of range.
Ihantala bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Ihantala fakes the leg kick and cracks Hightower in the body.
Ihantala misses with a straight right.
The fighters circle momentarily. Ihantala darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ihantala throws the kick towards the body but Hightower avoids it.

Ihantala lands a left and a right that send Hightower crashing to the mat, dazed. Ihantala thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Hightower is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ihantala steps in with a hook that catches Hightower right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Ihantala follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Hightower looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Tali Ihantala!
A very excited looking Tali Ihantala made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.