PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Valentin Taneyev (ranked 663 p4p, 742 weight class) and Paavali Kontiainen (ranked 107 p4p, 122 weight class). Taneyev kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Demolisher - Slaughter to Prevail. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Taneyev
vs
Kontiainen

186 cm
39
205
36 - 21 - 1

192 cm
31
212
16 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
KO power

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Furnace Performance 🔥
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

30th Century Beer Store

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 36 - 21 - 1, fighting out of London, Valentin Taneyev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Paavali Kontiainen!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Summer Carpenter and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taneyev looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Taneyev advances position into side control!
Kontiainen prevents Taneyev from improving position.
Kontiainen is looking for a sweep.
Taneyev wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kontiainen keeps working.
Kontiainen felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Kontiainen tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Taneyev presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Taneyev trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kontiainen avoids a series of strikes thrown by Taneyev.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kontiainen is wriggling around trying to escape.
Taneyev throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Taneyev throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Kontiainen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Taneyev trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kontiainen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kontiainen bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Kontiainen works over Taneyev with some ground and pound from guard.
Taneyev looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kontiainen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Taneyev preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Taneyev looking for a guillotine here but Kontiainen defends easily.
Taneyev lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kontiainen looking for a sweep. Not yet Kontiainen, not yet.
Kontiainen keeps trying to improve his position.
Kontiainen keeping full guard, as Taneyev tries to pass.
Taneyev trying to control but Kontiainen is working from the bottom.
Kontiainen wants to sweep but no luck.
Taneyev trying to control the position from guard on top but Kontiainen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taneyev with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kontiainen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Taneyev's guard.

Taneyev has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Kontiainen with a nice head shot there.
Kontiainen distracts Taneyev with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Taneyev has his foot on Kontiainen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kontiainen works his way back into a safe position though.
Taneyev wants to sweep but no luck.
Taneyev is trying to keep Kontiainen in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kontiainen controls the pace.

Taneyev had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kontiainen defends it easily.
Kontiainen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Kontiainen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kontiainen landing some decent shots from guard.
Kontiainen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Kontiainen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Taneyev's head.
Kontiainen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Taneyev is trying to keep Kontiainen in close.
Taneyev throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Taneyev is controlling Kontiainen's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev trying to control the position.
Kontiainen working some strikes from top position.
Taneyev tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kontiainen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Taneyev swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Taneyev keeping moving, preventing Kontiainen from controlling successfully.
Kontiainen lands a couple of digs.
Taneyev is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Kontiainen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Taneyev looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Taneyev keeping moving, preventing Kontiainen from controlling successfully.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Paavali Kontiainen will probably get the nod.
That's time! Taneyev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Taneyev misses with a straight right.
Taneyev looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Kontiainen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Kontiainen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Taneyev.
Taneyev misses with a lunging right hand
and Kontiainen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Kontiainen keeps Taneyev at a distance using the push kick.
Kontiainen scoring well with a low kick there.
Kontiainen moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Kontiainen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Taneyev with a nice cross.
Taneyev tries to clinch up but Kontiainen circles away and keeps his distance.
Kontiainen lands with an overhand left.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taneyev throws a body shot but no joy.
Taneyev throws a head kick that misses.
A jab from Taneyev misses.
Kontiainen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taneyev manages to avoid it.
Kontiainen throws a big shot that misses.
Taneyev checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taneyev misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A little jabbing left from Kontiainen on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Kontiainen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
That kick from Kontiainen tenderised Taneyev's leg. Taneyev is trying to keep his angry face on.
Kontiainen defending well as Taneyev loads up on a big left hand.
Taneyev scores with a jab to the head.

It looks like Paavali Kontiainen has been cut.
Taneyev gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Kontiainen.
Kontiainen slips a jab and a cross from Taneyev.
Taneyev takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Taneyev throws a low kick but it's checked well by Kontiainen.

Kontiainen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Taneyev napping and manages to drive through into side control!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kontiainen cracks Taneyev with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Taneyev prevents Kontiainen from moving into mount.
Kontiainen in side control lands a decent elbow.
Taneyev taking punishment in the form of punches.
Taneyev is looking to reverse the position.
Kontiainen landing a few strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Kontiainen lands a nice forearm strike.
Kontiainen works to advance to full mount. Taneyev defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Taneyev is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The referee warns Taneyev that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Kontiainen connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Taneyev really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kontiainen lands with some strikes.

Taneyev is rocked!
Taneyev taking shots to the head.
Oh Taneyev is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Taneyev really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Taneyev seems to have got his legs back now.
Kontiainen has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Taneyev's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kontiainen working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Kontiainen connects with a bit shot that sees Taneyev covering up! More strikes from Kontiainen and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Kontiainen is our winner by TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Paavali Kontiainen!
Paavali Kontiainen really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Northern Zombie logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.
Valentin Taneyev spoke after the fight, saying 'This is Number one Bullshit'.