PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Emmanuel Baptiste (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taika Lono (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.

Baptiste
vs
Lono

185 cm
27
195 lbs
14 - 7 - 1

200 cm
27
198 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Emmanuel Baptiste!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Taika Lono!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Vladimir Khabensky and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lono checks a low kick from Baptiste.
Lono pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Baptiste missing with a left hand there. Lono was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Lono misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Baptiste counters with a low kick, right behind Lono 's knee.
Baptiste shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lono sprawls well. Lono wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Baptiste gets slowly back to his feet.
Lono throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Baptiste counters with a stiff right hand.
Jab by Baptiste.
Baptiste misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A low kick from Baptiste is predictable there
and Lono counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Lono moves out of range of the leg kick from Baptiste.
Lono dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lono misses with a hook
and Baptiste counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baptiste misses with an uppercut
and Lono counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lono thumps Baptiste with a low kick.
Lono misses with a body shot.
Baptiste closes the distance and clinches up with Lono, looking for a takedown. Baptiste pushes Lono against the ropes but Lono circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Taika Lono is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Baptiste catches Lono with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Baptiste avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lono lands a body shot.
Lono takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lono takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Lono fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Baptiste scores with a punch to the head.
Lono rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Baptiste counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Baptiste rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lono counters with a lovely straight right hand!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baptiste throws a solid leg kick but Lono takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Baptiste.
Baptiste slips under a jab from Lono.
Baptiste closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lono circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emmanuel Baptiste. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lono ducks under a wild hook from Baptiste.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baptiste scores with a nice strike.
Lono lands a body shot.
Lono with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Baptiste fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Lono checks it well.
A jab lands there for Baptiste.
The fighters circle momentarily. Lono darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Lono misses the shot to the body.
Lono is looking to clinch.
Lono swings widly with a right hand
and Baptiste counters with a nice body shot.
Lono throws a hook to the side of Baptiste's head but Baptiste sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lono throws an off balance right hand
and Baptiste counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Lono shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Baptiste takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Baptiste misses with a hook

and Lono counters by clinching up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lono lands a right hand that snaps the head of Baptiste backwards.
Lono blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Lono lands a right hand that snaps the head of Baptiste backwards.
A body shot lands from Lono.
Nice body punch from Lono - that landed with a thud.
Baptiste trying to control the position but instead, Lono has worked for underhooks and has pushed Baptiste into the ropes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Baptiste tries to circle away but Lono has him pinned against the ropes.
Lono lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Baptiste wants to stall.
Lono lands a body shot in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taika Lono dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Baptiste shoots for a double leg takedown but Lono sprawls well. He's pushed Baptiste's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lono falls off balance throwing a combination
and Baptiste counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Lono thinking.
Lono on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Lono tried to score with a low kick but Baptiste checks it.
Baptiste slips under a jab from Lono.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lono, right into the meat.
Baptiste defending well as Lono loads up on a big left hand.
Lono throws a lazy uppercut

and Baptiste counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Lono is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Lono working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baptiste pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lono is keeping the position for now.
Lono has Baptiste pulled in close to control his posture.
Baptiste looking to pass the guard.

Baptiste drops back, looking for a kneebar! Lono looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Lono looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Lono!
Baptiste tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Lono wants to stand but Baptiste is controlling his arm.
Baptiste manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Baptiste is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Baptiste thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Lono to regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lono keeping moving, preventing Baptiste from controlling successfully.
Baptiste trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Baptiste might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Baptiste throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lono works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Baptiste with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Baptiste wants to control from the top but Lono keeps moving.
Baptiste throws a strike but Lono rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Baptiste manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Baptiste is working for a guillotine from mount but Lono frees his head quite easily.
Lono is wriggling around trying to escape.
Baptiste trying to control but Lono is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Emmanuel Baptiste will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Lono moves out of range as Baptiste strikes.
Baptiste misses with a two punch combination.
Lono lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Baptiste scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Lono throws a left and a right that both miss
letting Baptiste counter with a right hand.
Baptiste swings widly with a right hand
and Lono counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Taika Lono seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Baptiste thuds a left hand into Lono's body.
Baptiste throws a lazy uppercut
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lono ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A punch combination from Lono misses.
Nice cross by Lono.
A nice inside leg kick there by Baptiste. That's going to slow Lono down.
Baptiste dives in and grabs Lono's left leg, looking for a takedown. Lono pushes down on Baptiste's head and hops out.
Baptiste tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Baptiste circles away from the clinch attempt
and Baptiste counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baptiste misses with a left hand
and Lono makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Baptiste misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Lono moves into the clinch.
Lono tries a body shot but Baptiste blocks it.
Lono blocks an uppercut.
Lono blocking some punches.
Baptiste is trying to force a seperation but Lono has the dominant position.
Baptiste lands a body shot in the clinch.

Baptiste breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Baptiste misses with a double jab
and Lono counters with a left to the body.
Baptiste looks for a takedown but Lono sprawls well.
Lono misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baptiste will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emmanuel Baptiste. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lono darts in trying to clinch
and Baptiste makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Baptiste cracks a nice hook into Lono's ribs.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lono. Baptiste does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lono cracks Baptiste with a good jab.
Baptiste misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lono.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baptiste misses with a body shot.

Baptiste shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Baptiste is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Lono has managed to free his arm - good work.

Baptiste is working for a kimura but Lono is defending it quite comfortably.
Baptiste uses his free foot to push down on Lono's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Lono.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taika Lono comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lono 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taika Lono!