PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Topi Takala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takahiro Tamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Takala comes to the cage accompanied by Volga. The crowd seem to be enjoying Tamura's choice of entrance music: TaikOz. Takahiro Tamura is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Takala
vs
Tamura

198 cm
20
194 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

190 cm
20
200 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Topi Takala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Takahiro Tamura!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tamura misses the jab.
Good exchange - Takala coming out on top.
Takala lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Tamura bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Tamura misses the shot to the body.
Tamura gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Takala.
Tamura throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Takala tests Tamura's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Takala bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Tamura looks to land a left hand but Takala moved out of range nicely.
Tamura on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Takala keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tamura.
Topi Takala seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takala ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tamura moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tamura circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tamura misses the jab.
Tamura moves out of range as Takala throws a body kick.
Takala drops his hands momentarily and Tamura takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Takala lands with a hook. Tamura tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Takala lands a nice hook to Tamura's body. Tamura takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Tamura displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Takala throws out the jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Takala. Tamura does a little dance to reset his feet.
Takala lands a nice shot to the body.
Tamura throws a hook but Takala blocks it.
Takala steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tamura.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tamura on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Takala bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Tamura is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tamura walks into a jab.
Takala moves in looking to clinch but Tamura pushes him off.
Tamura avoids the body shot from Takala.
Takala is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Takala has taken the fight to the clinch.
Tamura lands a right hand that snaps the head of Takala backwards.
Tamura blocks an elbow strike.
A short body shot lands from Takala as the two fighters clinch.
Tamura is trying to break free.
Tamura looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Takala has Tamura pushed against the cage.
Takala softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Takala dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Tamura struggles to land a body shot inside as Takala controls his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takala lands with a short shot to the head.
A nice left hand lands by Takala.
Takala will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Tamura up against the cage.
Tamura has had enough of the clinch but Takala keeps him there for the moment.
Tamura struggles to land a body shot inside as Takala controls his hands.

Tamura manages to break the clinch.

Takala gets a takedown into half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takala's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Topi Takala just wasn't active enough.
Tamura avoids the head kick by Takala.
Takala throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Takala dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Takala lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Tamura backs up against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takala throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tamura.
Takala looks to land a right hand but Tamura moved out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Topi Takala dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Takala slips a jab from Tamura.
Topi Takala is winning the standup battle so far.
Takala misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tamura.
Takala ducks under a wild hook from Tamura.
Takala smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Tamura looks to score with a jab to the body but Takala is just out of range.
Tamura ducks under a wild hook from Takala.
Takala throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Takala jabs Tamura right on the nose. Tamura blinks but takes it well.
Takala really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Tamura throws a lazy uppercut
and Tamura takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Takala ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tamura moves away.
Tamura looks to land a right hand but Takala moved out of range.
Takala throws a shot from downtown. Tamura moves away and avoids it.
Tamura might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tamura misses with a straight right.
Takala is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tamura.
Tamura takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Takala misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tamura.
A jab from Takala does it's job there.
Takala tried to score with a low kick but Tamura checks it.
Takala throws a body punch but Tamura moves out of range.
Tamura ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Tamura blocks a jab.
Takala scores with a decent looking hook.
Tamura looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tamura moves out of range as Takala strikes.
Good standup being displayed there by Takala as he connects with a hook.
A big left from Takala misses.
Takala throws a jab when Tamura was well out of range.
Takala lands with a cross.
Tamura moves out of range of the body kick from Takala.
Nice uppercut there from Takala.
Takala digs a good hook to Tamura's body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takala throws a body punch but Tamura moves out of range.
Takala connects with a single shot there.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Takala.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takala throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tamura.
Takala misses with an uppercut. Tamura saw that one coming.
Takala throws a right hand that Tamura ducks under and follows up with a left that Tamura also avoids with ease.
Tamura scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Takala throws a good cross that connects.
Tamura circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jab from Takala.
Tamura digs a good hook to Takala's body.
Takala ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Takala throws a hook to the side of Tamura's head but Tamura sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Tamura throws a lazy uppercut
and Takala counters with a stiff right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takala throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tamura.
Takala tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tamura was well out of range. Poor timing from Takala.
Takala pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Takala lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Tamura takes a swing at Takala's ribcage but misses.
Takala falls off balance throwing a combination
and Takala takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Takala gets a double leg takedown into Tamura's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Takala gets to his feet - Tamura follows without any prompting.
Sloppy strikes from Takala. Those never looked like landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Topi Takala dominated that second round.
That's time! Takala's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Tamura shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Takala throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tamura.
Tamura has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Takala throws out a loose jab but Tamura uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takala wants to slow Tamura down by chopping away at his legs.
Takala steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tamura.
Tamura drops his hands momentarily and Takala takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Takala rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tamura moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tamura swings for the body but Takala moves out of range.
Takala jabs Tamura to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Takala throws a big shot that misses.
Takala looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takala works the jab nicely.
Takala bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Tamura takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Takala throws out a loose jab but Tamura uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takala scores with a decent looking hook.
Tamura throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Takala throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tamura. Takala does a little dance to reset his feet.
Left hook, right uppercut from Takala.
Tamura bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Takala throws a left and a right that both miss
and Tamura counters with a nice uppercut.
Takahiro Tamura has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takala throws a body punch but Tamura moves out of range.
Takala moves away from the strike by Tamura.
Takala slips under a jab.
Tamura throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tamura avoids a punch combination nicely.
Tamura takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Takala throws out a loose jab but Tamura uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takala throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takala scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tamura thows a body shot but no joy.
Takala slips a straight right by Tamura.
Takala defending well as Tamura loads up on a big left hand.
Tamura slips a jab from Takala.
Tamura swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Takala misses with a straight right.
Takala is looking to clinch but Tamura is avoiding it.
Tamura blocks a head kick by Takala.
Takala throws a right hand that Tamura ducks under and follows up with a left that Tamura also avoids with ease.
Takala's corner calls for a 1-2. Takala obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Takala throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Takala with a hook.
Takala lands a glancing blow to the side of Tamura's head.
Tamura dodges the punch combination from Takala.
Takala tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tamura was well out of range. Poor timing from Takala.
Takala lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Takala swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tamura misses with an uppercut
and Takala counters with a left and a right that stings Tamura.
Takala misses with an uppercut
and Tamura counters with a nice body shot.
A punch combination from Tamura misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Topi Takala showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Takala has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Topi Takala!