PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tuomas Keto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takehiko Takaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takaki has chosen Mahavishnu Orchestra - Meeting Of The Spirits as his entrance music. Tuomas Keto had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Keto
vs
Takaki

183 cm
32
198 lbs
35 - 16 - 0

177 cm
29
155 lbs
24 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Cyclone Nutrition Company

HGH Nutrients Q160-Q158

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tuomas Keto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Takehiko Takaki!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Paul Aken and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keto tries to land a front kick but Takaki steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Takaki misses the jab.
Keto takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Takaki scores with a body shot.
Keto shoots in but Takaki avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Takaki, right into the meat.
Takaki stuns Keto with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Keto thows a body shot but no joy.
Keto looks to score with a jab to the body but Takaki is just out of range.
Keto getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Takaki throws a shot to the body.
Takaki lands a nice hook to Keto's body. Keto takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Keto looks to score with a jab to the body but Takaki is just out of range.
Keto lands a slapping body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Keto shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Takaki pinned against the cage. Takaki gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takaki misses with a body shot.
Takaki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Keto.
Keto shoots in for a takedown but Takaki shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tuomas Keto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Takaki scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Jab, jab by Keto - just one landing.
Keto avoids a kick to the body.
Keto changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Takaki tries to avoid it but Keto manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Takaki to the ground. Takaki escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Takaki attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Takaki feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Keto's calf.
Takaki throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Takaki displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Keto.
Keto fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keto tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Takaki swivels and escapes.
Keto checks a leg kick nicely.
Takaki throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Takaki is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Keto rather than just go for the knockout.
Takaki scores with a jab to the body.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Keto looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Keto drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Keto postures up.
Keto looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Takaki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takaki is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Keto trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Takaki manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Keto looking for a sweep. Not yet Keto, not yet.
Takaki is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Takaki trying to control but Keto is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takaki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Keto is keeping the position for now.
Takaki wants to control from the top but Keto keeps moving.
Takaki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Keto swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Takehiko Takaki has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Takaki throws a front kick aimed at Keto's knee but Keto avoids it well.
Takaki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Keto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Takaki moves out of range of the body kick from Keto.
Keto throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Keto throws a sloppy head kick and Takaki moves out of range easily.
Keto keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takehiko Takaki dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Takaki stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Takaki wants it to stay on the feet.
A big left from Takaki misses.
Keto connects with a body shot.
Takaki misses with a hook. Keto ducked under it nicely.

Takaki closes the distance and clinches.
A hook to the body from Takaki.
Takaki struggles to land a body shot inside as Keto controls his hands.
A shot in the inside from Takaki.
Takaki misses with some punches.
Takaki tries to throw a body punch but Keto avoids it by throwing Takaki back against the cage.
Takaki lands with a short shot to the head.
Keto prevents a body shot from Takaki.

Keto gets control of Takaki's arms and successfully pulls guard. Keto will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Keto looking to control.
Takaki sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Keto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Keto looking to hit a scissor sweep but Takaki is one step ahead there.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Takehiko Takaki.

Keto gets the takedown into side control.
Keto throws an elbow but Takaki slips to the side and avoids it well.
Takaki is looking to reverse the position.
Takaki prevents Keto from moving into mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takaki taking a bit of punishment here - Keto scoring with strikes.
Keto is staying tight to Takaki's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Keto is looking to take a break and control but Takaki is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Keto controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takaki tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on Takaki's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Keto in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Keto lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Takaki down.
Tuomas Keto overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Takaki is trying to get back to half guard.
Takaki taking punishment in the form of punches.

Keto tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Keto has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Keto goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Takaki rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Keto's guard! Nice work there by Takaki!
Keto avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Takaki is looking to pass into half guard but Keto pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Keto is in guard.
Keto loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Keto controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Keto wants to control from the top but Takaki keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tuomas Keto dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Takaki tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Keto avoids the body shot from Takaki.
Takaki throws a leg kick but Keto moved away.
Takaki lands a nice shot to the body.
Takaki lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Takaki takes one to the chin there.
Takaki swings away with a leg kick that misses.

Keto gets a double leg takedown into Takaki's guard.
Keto seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Takaki keeping full guard, as Keto tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takaki wants to sweep but no luck.
Takaki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Takaki 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.
Takaki is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Keto's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Takaki has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Keto.
Takaki thows a body shot but no joy.
Takaki pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keto shoots for a takedown but Takaki saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Takaki throws the left hand but Keto avoids the punch easily.
Takaki slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Takaki jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Keto misses with a takedown
and Takaki counters with a nice body shot.
Keto checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Keto ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Takaki moves away.
Keto throws an overhand right that lands on Takaki's shoulder, as Takaki tries to avoid the shot.
Takaki throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Takaki lands a head shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takaki displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Keto throws out the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Takaki.
Takaki throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Takaki thuds a left hand into Keto's body.
Takaki misses with a wild combination.

Keto changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Takaki looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Takaki manages to get back to half guard.
Takaki makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Takaki.
Takaki keeping moving, preventing Keto from controlling successfully.

Takaki throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Keto escapes and throws Takaki's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takaki wants to control but Keto postures up.
Keto trying to control the position but Takaki is working away.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takaki wants to control but Keto postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Takaki is trying to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Takehiko Takaki.
I think Takaki has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takehiko Takaki!
Takehiko Takaki seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.