PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Seppo Taalasmaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kurt Koben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Taalasmaa
vs
Koben

205 cm
18
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

202 cm
20
260 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Seppo Taalasmaa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kurt Koben!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taalasmaa throws a head kick but Koben moves out of range.

Taalasmaa takes the fight into the clinch.

Koben turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Koben manages to end up in side control.
Taalasmaa is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Koben has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Koben is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Taalasmaa's shoulder. That is not cool.
Taalasmaa is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Koben asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Koben trying to control the action but Taalasmaa is working from the bottom.
Koben moves into full mount!
Koben sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Taalasmaa is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koben trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Koben might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Taalasmaa kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Koben working for a submission but Taalasmaa is keeping him at bay.
Taalasmaa is trying to stand.
Koben controlling from the full mount.
Taalasmaa wants to try and get back to his feet.
Koben takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taalasmaa is squirming around, avoiding Koben's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Taalasmaa really wants to buck Koben off and get back to his feet.
Koben with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Koben with a couple of short strikes.
Koben lands a nice shot to the head.
Koben controlling the position easily from mount.
Taalasmaa is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Taalasmaa defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Koben.
A nice elbow there by Koben.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa trying desperately to get to his feet.
Taalasmaa is breathing heavily.
Koben has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Taalasmaa's face.
Koben takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taalasmaa is squirming around, avoiding Koben's attempts to control the action.
Taalasmaa is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Koben dominating with strikes here.
Taalasmaa is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Koben takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Koben looking to finish Taalasmaa with some ground and pound. This is bad for Taalasmaa!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koben tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Koben landing shots from mount.
Koben wants to control the pace but Taalasmaa is squirming around nicely.
Koben controlling the position easily from mount.

Despite being in the dominant position, Kurt Koben just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Koben misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Koben.
Koben looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Taalasmaa is fending him off so far but Koben persists. Nope, Taalasmaa circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt Koben dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kurt Koben's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Koben avoids the head kick by Taalasmaa.

Taalasmaa forces Koben back against the cage and clinches.
Koben looking for a takedown.

Taalasmaa turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Taalasmaa manages to end up in side control.
Taalasmaa creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Koben sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Taalasmaa decides to stand back up.
Taalasmaa tries for a takedown but Koben sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Koben misses with a takedown attempt
and Taalasmaa counters with a two punch combo.
Taalasmaa misses with a jab, cross combination.
Koben gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Taalasmaa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Seppo Taalasmaa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kurt Koben.
Taalasmaa throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Koben stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Taalasmaa moves into the clinch successfully.
Koben is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taalasmaa drags the fight down to the ground.

Taalasmaa manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Taalasmaa throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Koben gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Taalasmaa counters with a shoot takedown. Koben fights it but they end up in guard.
Taalasmaa wants to stand but Koben has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Taalasmaa wants to control from the top but Koben keeps moving.
Taalasmaa trying to stand up but can't free himself from Koben's guard.
Koben manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koben controlling the pace for now.
Koben has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Taalasmaa is squirming around, avoiding Koben's attempts to control the action.
Koben dominating with strikes here.
Taalasmaa is trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Koben looking to secure an arm triangle but Taalasmaa defends it well.
Taalasmaa is trying to stand.
Koben tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Taalasmaa really wants to buck Koben off and get back to his feet.
Koben takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taalasmaa is trying to stand.
Koben landing strikes from the mount and Taalasmaa is in trouble!
Koben takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taalasmaa is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Koben takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Koben lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Koben content just to control the position here.
Taalasmaa is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Koben tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
You get the feeling that Taalasmaa really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Koben lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Taalasmaa is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seppo Taalasmaa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kurt Koben's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Koben shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Koben showed some decent athleticism there.
Koben wants to take a breather but Taalasmaa is having none of it.
Taalasmaa wants to get back to his feet.
Koben controlling the action here.
Taalasmaa tries to kick Koben off but Koben keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Koben is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Koben controlling the action here.
Taalasmaa is trying to stand up here but Koben is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koben works his foot free and advances to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taalasmaa is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

Koben is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Taalasmaa is surviving well by controlling Koben's body position as best he can.
Koben takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taalasmaa wants to try and get back to his feet.
Kurt Koben has got the better of the ground game so far.
Koben lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Taalasmaa is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Koben trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Koben looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Koben is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Taalasmaa to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Taalasmaa shrugs it off.
Taalasmaa'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.
Koben controlling his opponent.

Koben has control of Taalasmaa's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Taalasmaa regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Koben trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Koben connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Taalasmaa is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Koben controlling from mount.

Taalasmaa bucks up and throws Koben to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Taalasmaa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Koben shoots and misses

and Taalasmaa counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Taalasmaa throws and elbow that misses. Koben uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Taalasmaa's guard. Nice move by Koben!
Taalasmaa wants to stand up but Koben is controlling him.
Koben's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Let's hope that Koben has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Taalasmaa wants to stand and escape but Koben is having none of it.
Koben keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Taalasmaa's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kurt Koben comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Koben 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurt Koben!