PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Juha Tappio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilkka Wasama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tappio comes to the cage accompanied by Kari Tapio - Juna kulkee vaan. Wasama has chosen The Prodigy - Take Me to the Hospital as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Tappio
vs
Wasama

180 cm
20
165 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

170 cm
19
158 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juha Tappio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ilkka Wasama!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wasama throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tappio.
Ilkka Wasama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tappio showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Wasama.
Tappio misses with a series of wild punches.
Tappio doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Tappio gets a takedown into half guard.
Tappio content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Wasama wants to get back to his feet.
Wasama is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Tappio takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Wasama really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tappio. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wasama is trying to stand.
Tappio controlling the pace.
Tappio seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Wasama has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tappio is working away from the top position though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Wasama has hold of Tappio's hands but Tappio slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Still in half guard, Tappio seems content to control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Wasama can do anything to dispel that myth.
Tappio working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Still in half guard, Tappio seems content to control.
Wasama wants to control but Tappio is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tappio content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Juha Tappio just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Wasama closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Tappio to the mat! Tappio manages to get full guard.
Wasama looks gassed!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tappio is adopting a defensive guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wasama working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Tappio has his hands on Wasama's head, controlling the position.
Tappio has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Wasama throws and elbow that misses. Tappio uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Wasama's guard. Nice move by Tappio!

Wasama pushes Tappio off and gets back to his feet.

Tappio shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Tappio landing shots from mount.
Tappio tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Tappio dominating with strikes here.
Tappio has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tappio working away from the top, dropping strikes.
BOOM! Tappio connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Tappio with shots to the head and body - Wasama looks very uncomfortable down there.
Tappio lands a big elbow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tappio looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tappio landing shots from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tappio fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Tappio with good strikes from the mount here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juha Tappio dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Wasama doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Tappio counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Wasama wants to stand up but Tappio is controlling him.
Tappio lands a couple of elbows.
Tappio is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Tappio seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Wasama for as long as he can get away with.
Wasama is breathing heavily.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Juha Tappio just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Tappio shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Wasama's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tappio slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Tappio lands a couple of digs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tappio pushing down on Wasama's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Tappio not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Juha Tappio just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Tappio staying out of range there.
Tappio shoots for a double leg takedown but Wasama sprawls well. He's pushed Tappio's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Wasama misses with a two punch combination.
A lazy left from Tappio finds it's target.
Tappio throws a hook but Wasama blocks it.
Tappio shoots for a takedown but Wasama saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Juha Tappio is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Tappio feints and as Wasama raises his hands in defense, Tappio changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Tappio chips away with some ground and pound.
Wasama wants to stand and escape but Tappio is having none of it.
Wasama is wriggling around but Tappio manages to pass to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tappio lands strikes from half guard.
Wasama is trying to stand.
Still in half guard, Tappio seems content to control.
Wasama wants to improve his position but Tappio is controlling well.
Tappio content to control rather than advance.
Tappio is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Tappio sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tappio lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Tappio controlling the pace.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Juha Tappio just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Tappio looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tappio lands strikes from half guard.
Tappio controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juha Tappio dominated that second round.
That's time! Tappio's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Tappio closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Wasama is in trouble now - Tappio has advanced to mount!
Tappio controlling the position easily from mount.
Tappio working Wasama over with strikes here.
Tappio with shots to the head and body - Wasama looks very uncomfortable down there.
Tappio lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Wasama takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tappio dominating with strikes here.
Wasama wants to control but Tappio is having none of it.
Wasama's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Tappio is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wasama takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Tappio landing shots from mount.
BOOM! Tappio connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Tappio cracks Wasama with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Wasama is rocked!
Tappio tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wasama is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Tappio takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Tappio lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Wasama hang on?
Ilkka Wasama has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tappio scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Tappio landing strikes from the mount and Wasama is in trouble!
Tappio content just to control the position here.
Tappio landing strikes from the mount and Wasama is in trouble!
Wasama is still in real trouble! Can Tappio finish him?
Tappio connects with a bit shot that sees Wasama covering up! More strikes from Tappio and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Tappio is our winner by TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Juha Tappio!