PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Raimo Tikkari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Jericho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jericho has chosen Pyhimys - 0 as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Tikkari
vs
Jericho

172 cm
28
160 lbs
9 - 10 - 0

175 cm
25
168 lbs
12 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
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 9 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Raimo Tikkari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ricky Jericho!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jericho looks to score with a jab to the body but Tikkari is just out of range.
Tikkari has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Jericho.
Tikkari misses with a low kick as Jericho jumps back.
Jericho steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tikkari.
Jericho fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tikkari manages to avoid it.
Tikkari throws a sloppy head kick
and Jericho counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Jericho dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Tikkari. That did some damage!
Tikkari throws a leg kick
and Jericho counters with a thumping low kick.
Tikkari will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tikkari misses with a low kick as Jericho jumps back.
Tikkari misses with a few strikes there.
Jericho scores with a head kick. Tikkari tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
A low kick from Tikkari is predictable there
and Jericho counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Tikkari throws a sloppy head kick and Jericho moves out of range easily.
Tikkari looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Raimo Tikkari is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tikkari walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Jericho checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Tikkari throws a sloppy body shot
and Jericho counters with a left to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jericho scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tikkari pivots, looking for a leg kick but Jericho is out of range and Tikkari settles back down.
A low kick from Tikkari misses
and Jericho counters with a lovely shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tikkari's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Jericho connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Tikkari scrambles back to his feet.
Jericho misses the shot to the body.
Jericho throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Tikkari stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Raimo Tikkari seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tikkari takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tikkari will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tikkari throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Jericho counters with a solid body kick.
Jericho tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Tikkari takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Tikkari misses with a wild combination.
Tikkari keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tikkari thows a body shot but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jericho throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tikkari pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Tikkari misses with a body shot.
Tikkari misses with the body kick
and Jericho connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Tikkari walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Jericho checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jericho shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tikkari but Tikkari pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Jericho avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Jericho 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.

Jericho lands the left hand.
Tikkari swings away with a body shot that misses
and Jericho connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jericho lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Jericho.

It looks like Raimo Tikkari has been cut.
Tikkari throws a head kick that misses
and Jericho counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Tikkari throws a right hand that Jericho ducks under and follows up with a left that Jericho also avoids with ease.
Jericho is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Tikkari tries a head kick but it misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Jericho, as that shot connected.
Ricky Jericho seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tikkari is looking to score with low kicks.
A shot to the body from Tikkari misses
and Jericho connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jericho steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tikkari.
Good standup being displayed there by Tikkari as he connects with a hook.
Tikkari digs a good body shot into Jericho's ribs.
Raimo Tikkari is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jericho steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Tikkari. That one must have hurt.
Jericho blocks a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jericho blocks a head kick by Tikkari.
Tikkari lands with a thumping leg kick.
Tikkari throws a sloppy head kick and Jericho moves out of range easily.
Jericho chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tikkari can pounce on him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tikkari misses with the body kick
and Jericho makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Tikkari 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 Jericho has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Jericho and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
An inside leg kick lands from Tikkari.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jericho connects with a body shot that sends Tikkari's belly button to the back.
Tikkari throws a leg kick but Jericho sees it coming and moves out of range.
Tikkari misses with a two punch combination.
Jericho lands with a good body shot.
A low kick from Tikkari is predictable there
and Jericho counters with a nice leg kick.
Tikkari finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Jericho with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tikkari takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Jericho throws a looping overhand right but Tikkari ducks down to avoid it.
Tikkari avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jericho throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tikkari sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Jericho moves away from the strike by Tikkari.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tikkari fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Jericho is out of range.
Tikkari throws a leg kick
and Jericho counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ricky Jericho will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Raimo Tikkari's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Tikkari gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Jericho counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Tikkari is looking to wear down Jericho with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Jericho takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Jericho cracks the inside of Tikkari's front leg.

Jericho drives through with a takedown into Tikkari's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Jericho trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tikkari on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Tikkari tries to get out of the position.
Jericho trying to control the position from guard on top but Tikkari is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tikkari wants to stand up but Jericho is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ricky Jericho hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Tikkari throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Jericho lands with a good body shot.
An inside leg kick from Tikkari misses.
Tikkari misses with a low kick.
Tikkari lands a head kick!
Raimo Tikkari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ricky Jericho is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tikkari looks to land a combination but Jericho avoids it well.
Tikkari throws a leg kick
and Tikkari takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tikkari on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Tikkari misses with an uppercut
and Jericho counters with a left and a right that stings Tikkari.
A combination from Tikkari does no damage.
Jericho fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jericho pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tikkari misses with a looping left.
Jericho misses with a wild body shot.
Tikkari looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Tikkari throws a head kick that misses.
Jericho dives in and grabs Tikkari's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tikkari pushes down on Jericho's head and hops out.
Tikkari wants to land a leg kick but Jericho is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jericho looks to score with a jab to the body but Tikkari is just out of range.
Tikkari throws a right hand that Jericho ducks under and follows up with a left that Jericho also avoids with ease.
Tikkari is looking to slow Jericho down with leg kicks.
A clash of legs there as Jericho blocks the low kick.
Tikkari tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Jericho moves into the clinch successfully.

Jericho breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricky Jericho comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Jericho 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Jericho!