PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Virgil Cid (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esko Takanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takanen comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Krayzie Bone - Murda Mo kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Virgil Cid had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Cid
vs
Takanen

183 cm
34
164 lbs
29 - 11 - 1

175 cm
41
153 lbs
47 - 25 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 29 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Virgil Cid!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 47 - 25 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Esko Takanen!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Daniel Bishop and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takanen throws out a leg kick but Cid moves out of range and Takanen only half commits.
Cid uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Takanen.
Cid defending well as Takanen loads up on a big left hand.
Takanen digs a good hook to Cid's body.
Esko Takanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cid works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
We've been told by Cid's head coaches at Kelley Fighting Systems- Elite that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Cid takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Cid blocks a jab.
Cid dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Takanen. That did some damage!
Takanen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cid moves out of range of the leg kick from Takanen.
Cid lands a leg kick that knocks Takanen off balance momentarily.
Takanen lands a slapping body shot.
Cid slips a jab from Takanen.
Cid's jab looks to have found its range, popping Takanen under the eye.
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!
Cid moves away from the strike by Takanen.
Takanen throws a hook but Cid blocks it.
Good work by Cid as he checks the leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cid looks to throw the jab but Takanen is out of range.
Cid throws a head kick but Takanen moves out of range.
Takanen takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
That kick from Takanen tenderised Cid's leg. Cid is trying to keep his angry face on.
Takanen looks to score with a jab to the body but Cid is just out of range.
Cid slips a jab from Takanen.
Takanen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Takanen has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Takanen throws a leg kick but Cid sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Nice defenses there by Cid.
Cid swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Takanen.
Cid throws the kick towards the body but Takanen avoids it.
A big right from Takanen misses.
Takanen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cid.
Takanen scores with a head kick.
Takanen looks to throw the jab but Cid is out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takanen looks to score with a jab to the body but Cid is just out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cid uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Takanen.
Cid ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Cid uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Takanen.
Takanen on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Cid slips under a jab from Takanen.
Cid throws a wild body kick that Takanen sees coming a mile off.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Cid.
Cid moves out of range of the body kick from Takanen.
Cid avoids a kick to the body.
Cid connects with a good right hand that stumbles Takanen. Takanen circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Cid takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Takanen avoids the body shot from Cid.
Takanen tests Cid's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Takanen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Cid checks it well.
Cid cracks a nice hook into Takanen's ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cid looks to land a right hand but Takanen moved out of range.
Takanen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cid stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Cid misses with a wild body shot.
Cid does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Cid tries to score with a low kick but Takanen moves his leg out of the way.
Takanen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cid.
Takanen digs a good body shot into Cid's ribs.
Takanen misses with an attempted mid kick.
Cid misses with a low kick as Takanen jumps back.
Cid dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Takanen. That did some damage!
Takanen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cid was well out of range. Poor timing from Takanen.
Takanen throws a leg kick but Cid checks it.
Takanen uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Takanen throws a poor cross that misses
and Cid counters with a nice kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takanen lands with an overhand left.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takanen scores with a nice right hand.
Takanen scores with a punch to the head.
Cid fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Takanen.
Takanen jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Cid ducks under a wild hook from Takanen.
A slapping body kick lands there for Cid.
Takanen throws a hook to the side of Cid's head but Cid sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Takanen misses with a looping right.
Cid fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Takanen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cid keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Takanen.
Takanen looks to land a body kick but Cid moved away.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cid fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Takanen is out of range.
Cid throws a body kick that misses.
Cid avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cid pulls out of a head kick attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Esko Takanen will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Takanen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cid sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Esko Takanen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cid's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Takanen connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Cid scrambles back to his feet.
Takanen stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Cid.
Takanen slips a straight right by Cid.
Cid misses with a hook.
Takanen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Cid stuns Takanen with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Takanen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Cid checks it well.
Takanen throws a jab when Cid was well out of range.
Cid misses with a looping left.
Takanen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cid keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cid cracks Takanen with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Takanen throws a hook to the side of Cid's head but Cid sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cid throws a leg kick which misses Takanen's front leg but catches the back leg as Takanen tries to avoid it.
Takanen misses with an uppercut. Cid saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanen uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Takanen throws a front kick aimed at Cid's knee but Cid avoids it well.
Takanen connects with a single shot there.
Takanen tries to work over Cid's front leg with a kick but Cid checks it.
Takanen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cid manages to avoid it.
Cid connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cid looks to land a right hand but Takanen moved out of range.
Takanen finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Cid changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cid throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Takanen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Takanen throws a jab when Cid was well out of range.
Cid swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Takanen.
Cid walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Takanen misses with a few strikes there.
Takanen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cid was well out of range. Poor timing from Takanen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A big right from Takanen misses.
Takanen misses with an uppercut.
Takanen avoids the body shot from Cid.
Cid tries to land a leg kick but Takanen saw it coming and moves away.
That kick from Takanen tenderised Cid's leg. Cid is trying to keep his angry face on.
Cid throws a series of punches but Takanen avoids them all with ease.
A chopping leg kick lands by Takanen.
Takanen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
letting Cid counter with a right hand.
Takanen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Cid checks a low kick from Takanen.
Takanen scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Takanen checks a low kick from Cid.
Cid swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Takanen.
Takanen throws a leg kick but Cid checks it.
Nice body punch from Cid.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Cid lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Takanen has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Takanen and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Cid misses with a low kick.
Takanen's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Takanen throws a big shot that misses.
Takanen misses the shot to the body.
A leg kick checked by Takanen.
Takanen pivots, looking for a leg kick but Cid is out of range and Takanen settles back down.
Cid takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Takanen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cid manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Takanen 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.
Takanen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Takanen punishes Cid's body with a nice straight punch.
Cid avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Cid throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cid just misses with a punch to the body.
Cid wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takanen walks into a left hand.
Cid scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Cid takes a body punch but keeps moving.
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!
Cid walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Cid cracks Takanen with an open hand slap.
Cid takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Takanen lands a head shot.
Takanen throws out a loose jab but Cid uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cid slips under a jab.
Cid fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Takanen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cid slips under a jab from Takanen.
Takanen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cid.
Takanen misses with an uppercut
and Cid counters with a good low kick that Takanen was not able to check.
Takanen swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Takanen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Esko Takanen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Cid's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Cid blocks a leg kick.
Cid throws a nice inside leg kick.
Cid on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Takanen moves forwards but Cid connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Takanen tries to clinch but Cid moves out of range.
Takanen looks to score with a jab to the body but Cid is just out of range.
Takanen throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A nice leg kick lands there from Cid.
Cid looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cid slips a straight right by Takanen.
Cid takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takanen misses with a looping right.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Cid.
Takanen misses with a low kick.
Cid is looking to land body kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanen throws a leg kick that is checked
and Takanen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Takanen misses with a straight left.
Takanen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cid has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Takanen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Cid throws a sloppy head kick and Takanen moves out of range easily.
Cid drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Cid slips under a jab from Takanen.
Takanen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Cid counters with a nice kick to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Cid.
Takanen jabs Cid to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Cid throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Takanen, as that shot connected.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cid. Takanen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Takanen looks to score with a jab to the body but Cid is just out of range.
Takanen lands a head kick. Cid smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cid lands a head kick. Takanen smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Takanen goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A jab from Takanen does it's job there.
Cid swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cid connects with a leg kick. Takanen looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Cid just misses with a punch to the body.
Cid gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Takanen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Takanen takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Takanen misses the shot to the body.
Cid fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Takanen checks it well.
Cid throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Cid with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Takanen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Cid is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Cid there.
Takanen tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Cid is able to avoid easily.
Takanen scores with a nice right hand.
Takanen connects with a jab.
Takanen throws out a loose jab but Cid uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cid looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Takanen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Takanen takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Takanen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Cid to score with a decent uppercut.
Cid slips under a jab.
Takanen looks for the body kick but Cid saw that one coming.
Takanen misses with a kick to the body.
Cid takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Cid lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Cid keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Takanen.
Cid gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cid connects with an inside leg kick.
That kick from Takanen tenderised Cid's leg. Cid is trying to keep his angry face on.
Cid lands a head shot.
Takanen stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Cid.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Takanen.
Takanen catches Cid with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Esko Takanen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Cid is looking to slow Takanen down with leg kicks.
Cid takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Takanen scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Cid doesn't seem bothered though.
Takanen misses with a looping left.
A telegraphed right hand from Takanen misses the target.
Cid scores with a spinning back kick!
Virgil Cid has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Takanen pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Esko Takanen.
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 Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Esko Takanen!
Esko Takanen decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.