PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tauno Palo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harvi Kalaso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kalaso has chosen Hank Williams SR. as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Palo
vs
Kalaso

183 cm
35
182 lbs
41 - 24 - 1

174 cm
40
167 lbs
39 - 32 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Perkele!

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 41 - 24 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tauno Palo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 39 - 32 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Harvi Kalaso!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Vladimir Khabensky and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kalaso looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Palo throws a right hand that Kalaso ducks under and follows up with a left that Kalaso also avoids with ease.
Kalaso tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Palo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kalaso throws a sloppy head kick
and Palo counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kalaso needs to keep his hands up - Palo had a free shot at his head there.
That kick from Palo tenderised Kalaso's leg. Kalaso is trying to keep his angry face on.
Nice uppercut there from Palo.
Palo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kalaso moves away.

Palo has managed to clinch.
I was talking to Palo's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Kalaso on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Palo lands a hook that snaps the head of Kalaso backwards.
Palo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kalaso.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Palo throws an elbow but misses.
Kalaso using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Palo has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Palo blocks an elbow strike from Kalaso.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Palo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Palo misses with a wild combination.
Palo stuffs the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalaso shoots in but Palo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Tauno Palo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Harvi Kalaso.
Palo tries a head kick but it misses.
Palo scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Kalaso chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Palo can pounce on him.
Palo on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Kalaso takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Palo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kalaso.
Palo scores with a jab to the body.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Palo.
Kalaso shoots for a double leg takedown but Palo sprawls well. He's pushed Kalaso's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Palo's jab looks to have found its range, popping Kalaso under the eye.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
No luck for Kalaso with that takedown attempt.

Kalaso clinches up with Palo and pushes him back against the ropes.
Kalaso tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Palo lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Kalaso throws a knee to the head but misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Palo.
A nice right hand lands inside from Palo.
Kalaso tries to stall but Palo uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Palo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Palo looks for the body kick but Kalaso saw that one coming.
Palo lands with a hook. Kalaso tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Kalaso takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Palo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Kalaso connects with a nasty looking knee right to Palo's face.
Kalaso has Palo pressed against the ropes.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Palo just misses with a elbow thrown towards Kalaso's brow.
Palo lands with a short shot to the head.
Kalaso blocks an uppercut.
Kalaso is trying to break the clinch but Palo is controlling him.
Palo is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Kalaso misses with some punches.
Palo landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Palo managing to block the knees to the body from Kalaso.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palo pushes Kalaso back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Kalaso looks winded!
A knee to the head by Palo.
Palo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Palo taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Kalaso misses with an elbow strike.
Palo misses with a knee to the head.
Palo looking to throw knees to the head but Kalaso is blocking nicely.
Palo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kalasos head.
Palo working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Kalaso can't break the clinch.
Nice body punch from Palo.
A short uppercut from Palo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kalaso with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Palo lands an uppercut.
Kalaso is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Palo is defending well for now.
Palo lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Kalaso tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Palo connects with a knee to the head.
Kalaso is trying to break the clinch but Palo is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kalaso wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Palo putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kalaso in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Palo lands a knee to the body.

Palo breaks from the clinch.
Palo lands with an uppercut that bounces Kalaso off the ropes and back into range.
Kalaso is trying desperately to land a takedown but Palo is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Kalaso.
Palo lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Kalaso at a distance.
Palo pushes Kalaso away with a front kick.
Kalaso wants to clinch up but Palo keeps it at a distance.
Palo changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Kalaso tries to clinch there but Palo circles away.

Palo has taken the fight to the clinch.
Palo landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Palo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kalasos head.
Palo lands with a light punch inside.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Palo scores with a knee to the head.
Kalaso takes a knee right on the jaw!

Kalaso is rocked!
Palo gets through Kalaso's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kalaso is still on wobbly legs! Can Palo finish him?
Palo lands with a light punch inside.
A frustrated look appears on Kalaso's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Palo pushes Kalaso against the ropes. Palo is working some dirty boxing. Palo pushes off with a quick right hook! Kalaso goes down! Kalaso tries to stand but stumbles back to his kness! Palo moves in to finish and the ref steps in to prevent any more damage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Tauno Palo!
A victorious Tauno Palo thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.