PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Delmar Thrash (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esko Takanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Thrash
vs
Takanen

180 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Delmar Thrash!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Esko Takanen!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thrash has a takedown stuffed.

Thrash shoots in and bounces Takanen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Takanen manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Takanen stuffs the takedown.
Nice takedown defense from Takanen. No joy for Thrash on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Delmar Thrash. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thrash avoids a punch combination nicely.
Delmar Thrash seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Thrash scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Thrash wants to lay and pray for a moment but Takanen keeps working.
Takanen is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Thrash is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanen is trying to control Thrash's posture but Thrash avoids it.
Takanen tries to bench press Thrash off him but Thrash keeps the position.
Thrash trying to control the position but Takanen is working away.
Takanen struggling a bit here.
Takanen is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Thrash is controlling him well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Takanen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Takanen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Takanen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Takanen blocks the body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Thrash tries a head kick but it misses.
Thrash is breathing heavily.
Takanen throws a nice looking combination but Thrash bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thrash will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Thrash shoots in and drives through. Takanen sprawls well.
Takanen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Thrash looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Thrash doesn't manage to clinch there - Takanen circles away.
Takanen throws a right hand that Thrash ducks under and follows up with a left that Thrash also avoids with ease.
Thrash shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Takanen as he avoids it easily.
Takanen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Thrash throws a combination that misses

and Takanen counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thrash's guard now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thrash has his foot on Takanen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Takanen works his way back into a safe position though.
Takanen is looking to stand up but Thrash won't let him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Takanen wants to control from the top but Thrash keeps moving.
Thrash pulls Takanen in close to prevent any damage.
Takanen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thrash is keeping the position for now.
Thrash can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Takanen controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Thrash has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Takanen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Takanen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Takanen gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thrash misses with a takedown attempt
and Takanen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Thrash with a lazy takedown attempt
and Takanen counters with a three punch combo that has Thrash backing up. Thrash nods at Takanen to acknowledge the strikes.
Thrash fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Takanen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Thrash.
Takanen misses with a takedown attempt - Thrash sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Takanen lands with a thumping leg kick.
Takanen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Takanen lands with a thumping leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Takanen dominated that round.
That's time! Thrash's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Thrash shoots in and drives through. Takanen sprawls well.
Thrash wants to clinch
and Takanen counters with a series of strikes. Thrash will be more careful next time no doubt.

Thrash drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Takanen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Takanen controlling the position.
Takanen looking for a sweep. Not yet Takanen, not yet.

Takanen pushes Thrash off and scrambles back to his feet.
Takanen looks for a takedown but Thrash sprawls well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thrash shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thrash with a lazy takedown attempt
and Takanen counters with an outside leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Delmar Thrash. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Takanen lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Thrash misses with a combination

and Takanen moves into the clinch.
Thrash wants to break free but Takanen has control.
Thrash tries to pull guard but Takanen won't allow it.
Thrash tries for a takedown. No joy.
The referee calls for Thrash to work.

Thrash breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Thrash fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Thrash darts in trying to clinch

and Takanen decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Thrash's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thrash tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Takanen wants to stand and escape but instead Thrash has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Thrash decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Takanen, up you get!
Takanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Thrash.
Thrash tries to clinch but Takanen moves out of range.
Takanen blocks the body kick.
Takanen looks to throw the jab but Thrash is out of range.
Thrash just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thrash darts in trying to clinch
enabling Takanen to counter with a crisp jab.
Thrash tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Takanen counters with a left and a right that stings Thrash.
Nice takedown defense from Takanen. No joy for Thrash on that attempt.
Thrash shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Takanen as he avoids it easily.
Thrash shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Takanen but Takanen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Thrash chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Takanen can pounce on him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Thrash showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Takanen.
Some wild striking there from Takanen.
Takanen lands with a nice combination. Thrash backs away looking to recover.
Takanen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Thrash throws a lazy uppercut

and Takanen counters by clinching up.
Thrash wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Takanen drops down looking for an ankle pick but Thrash pulls his leg out and moves away.
Nice takedown defense from Takanen. No joy for Thrash on that attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Takanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Thrash looks to throw a body kick
and Takanen counters with a series of strikes. Thrash will be more careful next time no doubt.
Takanen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Thrash shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Takanen's guard.
Takanen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Takanen uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Thrash moves into range and clinches up with Takanen.
Thrash tries to stall but Takanen uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Takanen manages to break the clinch.
Delmar Thrash is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thrash misses with a double jab
and Takanen counters with a three punch combo that has Thrash backing up. Thrash nods at Takanen to acknowledge the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thrash gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Takanen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Takanen.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thrash being controlled here, momentarily.
Takanen won't allow Thrash to sweep him here.
Thrash is trying to keep Takanen in close.
Thrash is pulling down on Takanen's head. It's preventing any offense from Takanen, at least for the moment.
Takanen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thrash swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thrash is trying to control the position but Takanen postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Thrash throws the kick towards the body but Takanen avoids it.
Thrash fails with a takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Thrash.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Delmar Thrash. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thrash swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Takanen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Thrash manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Takanen manages to get himself to full guard.
Thrash slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Thrash is looking to take a break and control but Takanen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thrash scoring with punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thrash cracks Takanen with a big elbow.
Takanen is not content to let Thrash control the position.
Takanen is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Takanen wants to control but Thrash postures up.
Thrash trying to control the position but Takanen is working away.
Thrash is putting a hurting on Takanen here, landing some big shots from side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thrash shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Takanen as he avoids it easily.
Thrash tries for a takedown but Takanen circles away easily
and Takanen counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Thrash fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Thrash falls off balance throwing a combination
and Takanen counters with a nice kick to the body.
Thrash misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Thrash shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Takanen as he avoids it easily.
Thrash tries to clinch there but Takanen circles away.
Thrash is looking to clinch.
Thrash shoots in for a takedown but Takanen shows good takedown defense.
Takanen fails to land the takedown.
Delmar Thrash has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thrash tries a head kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Esko Takanen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Takanen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Esko Takanen!