PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jukko Hamalainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chance Taken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hamalainen comes to the cage accompanied by the Finnish National Anthem. Chance Taken has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hamalainen
vs
Taken

190 cm
31
266 lbs
21 - 6 - 1

191 cm
27
270 lbs
14 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Good kicks
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Broken Halo Pride Nutrition

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 21 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jukko Hamalainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chance Taken!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Alan Glass and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Taken closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Hamalainen to the mat! Hamalainen manages to get full guard.
Hamalainen trying to keep a closed guard but Taken is proving a slippery customer.
Hamalainen keeping full guard, as Taken tries to pass.
Taken showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Hamalainen controls Taken momentarily but Taken frees himself.
Hamalainen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Taken controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Taken shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Hamalainen is trying to defend but Taken finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamalainen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hamalainen.
Hamalainen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hamalainen has his hands on Taken's head, controlling the position.
Taken trying to control the position from guard on top but Hamalainen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taken postures up in Hamalainen's guard and throws a big left but Hamalainen blocks it.
Taken slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Hamalainen tries to improve position but can't.
Taken advances to full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taken looking to control and managing it successfully.
Taken trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hamalainen can't escape the position.
Taken landing punches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hamalainen is looking to get to half guard.
Taken scoring with strikes but Hamalainen is staying in there.

Taken wants to finish this one by submission but Hamalainen is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Taken.
Hamalainen is trying desperately to improve position.
Hamalainen is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hamalainen wants to control but Taken is having none of it.
Taken punishing his opponent with strikes.
Taken with the ground and pound from mount.
Taken can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hamalainen is looking to escape.
Taken controlling the pace for now.
Hamalainen tries to reverse the position but Taken maintains control.
Taken has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The referee warns Hamalainen that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Hamalainen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taken can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hamalainen is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hamalainen is in all sorts of trouble here.
Taken controlling the pace for now.
Taken looking to control but Hamalainen is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Taken is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Hamalainen can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Hamalainen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Taken trying to control but Hamalainen is having none of it.
Hamalainen takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chance Taken dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Taken drives through with a takedown into Hamalainen's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Hamalainen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Taken sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Hamalainen throwing shots but Taken is blocking nicely.
Taken is trying to get back to full guard.
Taken keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hamalainen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hamalainen is thwarting Taken's attempts to control the position.
Taken wants to improve his position but Hamalainen is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taken is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hamalainen pulls his head out easily.
Hamalainen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Taken defending well though.
Hamalainen tries to pass to full mount but Taken defends it.
Taken keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hamalainen lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hamalainen is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Hamalainen raining down hammerfists from mount.
Hamalainen breaks from Taken's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hamalainen lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Taken tries to reverse the position but Hamalainen maintains control.
BOOM! Hamalainen connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Taken regains half guard.
Hamalainen is trying to control the action in half guard but Taken is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ground and pound from Hamalainen.
Hamalainen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hamalainen moves nicely into side control.
Taken can't do much from the bottom here.
Taken tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hamalainen wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Hamalainen tries to move into full mount but can't pass Taken's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hamalainen wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Taken, who protects the arm well.
Taken is looking to reverse the position.
Taken sneaks back into half guard.
Hamalainen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Taken taking some punishment here, with Hamalainen in his half guard.
Hamalainen slips a nice elbow through Taken's hands, connecting with Taken's forehead.

Taken actively working from the bottom here.
Nice strikes from Hamalainen there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taken is not content to let Hamalainen control the position.
Hamalainen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Taken's head.
Taken is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Hamalainen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Hamalainen's back!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
I really don't envy Hamalainen right now.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Taken's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

Taken working for the choke.
Hamalainen rolls, trying to escape but Taken keeps control of the position.
Jukko Hamalainen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Will Taken go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Taken not allowing Hamalainen to control his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jukko Hamalainen dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hamalainen tries to score with a low kick but Taken moves his leg out of the way.

Taken scores with a takedown into Hamalainen's guard.
Hamalainen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Taken.
Taken preventing the sweep.
Taken trying to control but Hamalainen is working from the bottom.
Hamalainen throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Taken wants to control from the top but Hamalainen keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Chance Taken hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Taken shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Hamalainen is trying to get back to full guard.
Taken is pressing down on Hamalainen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Hamalainen is holding on for now.
Hamalainen is not content to let Taken control the position.
Hamalainen won't allow Taken to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hamalainen is looking to improve his position.
Taken throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Taken is trying to control. Hamalainen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Taken keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Chance Taken has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hamalainen is defended easily by Taken.
Hamalainen pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taken defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hamalainen.
A shot to the body from Hamalainen misses

and Taken decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hamalainen's guard.

Taken gets to his feet - Hamalainen follows without any prompting.

Taken clinches.
Hamalainen lands a shot to the body.

Taken gets a trip takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hamalainen wants to get back to full guard.
Hamalainen punching from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taken is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hamalainen is just riding it out for now. Taken eventually gives up the hold.
Hamalainen trying to control but Taken postures up.
Hamalainen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Taken wants to control from the top but Hamalainen keeps moving.
Taken keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Hamalainen's head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taken stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hamalainen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Taken trying to control the position from guard on top but Hamalainen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hamalainen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chance Taken comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Taken 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chance Taken!