PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tapio Virtainen (ranked 3712 p4p, 4122 weight class) and Micah Frank (ranked 454 p4p, 486 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Virtainen
vs
Frank

184 cm
21
180
3 - 4 - 0

182 cm
22
177
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tapio Virtainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Micah Frank!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Robert Twigg and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Frank tries to clinch there but Virtainen circles away.
Virtainen scores with a crisp jab that stopped Frank in his tracks.
Nice sprawl there from Frank as Virtainen shoots in.
Frank doesn't manage to clinch there - Virtainen circles away.
Virtainen misses the body punch
and Virtainen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Frank fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Virtainen, pushing him back against the cage.
Virtainen wants to break free but Frank has control.
Virtainen tries to break the clinch but Frank is controlling the position.
Virtainen swings wildly with an uppercut but Frank uses good head movement to avoid it.
Virtainen can't find room to land a body shot as Frank controls the action.
Frank keeps control of Virtainen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Virtainen tries a body shot but Frank blocks it.

Virtainen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Virtainen circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Virtainen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Frank tries to avoid it but Virtainen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Frank to the ground. Frank escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Virtainen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Frank tries to clinch up but Virtainen circles away and keeps his distance.

Frank pushes Virtainen up against the cage in a clinch.
Virtainen misses with a body punch.
Virtainen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Virtainen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Frank.
Virtainen throws a punch but it's blocked by Frank.
A short left from Frank.
I was talking to Virtainen's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Virtainen misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Frank has Virtainen pressed against the cage, preventing Virtainen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Frank throws a punch but it's blocked by Virtainen.
Virtainen is trying to force a seperation but Frank has the dominant position.
Virtainen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Virtainen misses with a punch on the inside.

Frank breaks the clinch.

Frank clinches up with Virtainen and pushes him back against the cage.
Virtainen is trying to break the clinch but Frank has him pressed against the cage.
Virtainen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Frank throws a punch but it's blocked by Virtainen.

Virtainen breaks from the clinch.
Frank dodges the punch combination from Virtainen.
Frank takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Frank stuffs the takedown attempt from Virtainen. Virtainen gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tapio Virtainen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A telegraphed right hand from Virtainen misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Virtainen connects with a crisp jab.

It looks like Micah Frank has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Virtainen struggles to land a body shot inside as Frank controls his hands.
Virtainen looking for a takedown.

Virtainen manages to break the clinch.
Virtainen misses with a wild body shot.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Virtainen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Frank.
A short right from Frank on the inside.
Frank misses with the head strike.
Frank misses with a hook from the clinch.
Frank lands with a left to the head.
A short uppercut from Frank.
Frank swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Frank.
Virtainen is trying to break the clinch but Frank has him pressed against the cage.
Frank has a couple of punches blocked by Virtainen.
Frank scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Virtainen is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Frank.
Oh Virtainen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Virtainen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Frank swings wildly with an uppercut but Virtainen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Frank throws a head punch that misses.
Frank misses with some punches.
Virtainen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Frank swings wildly with an uppercut but Virtainen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Frank swings wildly with an uppercut but Virtainen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Frank misses with a punch on the inside.
Frank swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Frank has a couple of punches blocked by Virtainen.
Frank misses with a punch on the inside.
Frank throws a punch but it's blocked by Virtainen.
Virtainen seems to have got his legs back now.
Frank tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Frank lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Virtainen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Frank swings wildly with an uppercut but Virtainen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Virtainen blocking some punches.
A short right from Virtainen on the inside.
Virtainen wants to break free but Frank has control.
Still in the clinch, Frank scores with a nice short uppercut.
Frank prevents Virtainen from breaking the clinch.

Frank pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Virtainen throws a series of punches but Frank moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Frank looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Virtainen misses its intended target.

Virtainen tries to keep at a distance but Frank has taken the fight into the clinch.
Frank unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Virtainen! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Frank is unloading with more strikes now! Virtainen drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:15 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Micah Frank!
Micah Frank seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.