PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Esko Takanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Two (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Two is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: North Korean Army Girls Just Want To Have Fun. Mark Two acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Takanen
vs
Two

175 cm
33
179 lbs
32 - 16 - 2

180 cm
30
180 lbs
16 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

160!

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc
Non-Stop Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 32 - 16 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Esko Takanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Two!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Colin Fray and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Two throws a hook but Takanen blocks it.
Two connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Takanen momentarily.
Takanen misses with a straight right.
Takanen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Two takes one to the chin there.
Takanen will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Takanen, as that shot connected.
Two tries for a takedown but Takanen circles away easily

and Takanen counters with a crisp one two that drops Two! Takanen thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Two to his feet! Two is in big trouble!

Two is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takanen misses the jab.
Two is still on wobbly legs! Can Takanen finish him?
Takanen's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Two connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Takanen scrambles back to his feet.
Takanen thows a leg kick but Two checks it
and Two counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Two seems to have recovered his senses.
Two avoids the head kick by Takanen.
Takanen throws a hook to the side of Two's head but Two sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Two misses with a takedown attempt - Takanen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jab by Takanen.
Two slips a straight right by Takanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Takanen.
Takanen misses with a series of wild punches.
Mark Two seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Two tries to clinch up.
Two misses with a right hand
and Takanen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Two throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Takanen pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Two closes the distance and clinches.
A left hand lands to the body for Two.

Takanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Takanen gets caught napping as Two dives in and scores a takedown. Takanen manages to retain guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Takanen is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Two looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Two trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Takanen wants to sweep but no luck.
Two wants to control from the top but Takanen keeps moving.
Two passes into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Two throwing shots but Takanen is blocking nicely.
Two sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Takanen defending well though.
Takanen taking some punishment here, with Two in his half guard.
Two wants to take a breather but Takanen is having none of it.
Two throws a strike but Takanen avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Two stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Takanen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Takanen holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Two throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Two with a flurry of punches that miss.
Takanen wants to sweep here but Two controlling him for the moment.
Takanen seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Esko Takanen wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Two scores with a head kick.
Takanen cracks Two with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Takanen moves out of range of the strikes.
Two scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takanen slips a straight right by Two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Two swinging wildly here.
Takanen is looking to land body kicks.
Two misses the jab.
Two tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Takanen swivels and escapes.
Esko Takanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Two.
Two slips under a jab.
Two checks the leg kick nicely there.
Takanen takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Takanen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Takanen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Two rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Takanen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A nice leg kick lands there from Takanen.
Nice straight punches there by Takanen. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Takanen.
Some bone on bone action there as Two checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Esko Takanen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A big right from Takanen misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Esko Takanen will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A head kick misses from Two.

Takanen tries to keep at a distance but Two has taken the fight into the clinch.
Takanen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Two's efforts to push away.
Takanen has a couple of punches blocked by Two.

Two has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Takanen regains guard immediately.
Two works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Two is trying to control. Takanen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Two sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Takanen defending well though.
Two throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Takanen trying to control from the bottom.
Two thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Two is trying to control. Takanen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Two thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Takanen's head.
Two tries to pass the half guard into mount. Takanen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Two landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Two is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Two stalling away here and it's allowed Takanen to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Two trying to control the position from guard on top but Takanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Takanen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Two has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Two throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Takanen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Takanen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Two looking to sit in guard and control but Takanen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Two not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Two is looking for a triangle but Takanen pushes his legs off easily.
Two can't keep his opponent in guard - Takanen advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Two tries to get to full guard but Takanen has control of the leg.
Two trying to control but Takanen postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Two with the active half guard here but Takanen passes nicely into side control.
Two wants to control but Takanen postures up.
Two is looking for a sweep.
Takanen in side control, throwing shots but Two defends.
Two is looking to regain half guard here but Takanen keeps moving and retains side control.

Takanen has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Takanen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Good body shot from Takanen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Two tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Takanen's elbow.

Takanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Two shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Takanen pinned against the cage. Takanen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Takanen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Takanen ducks under a wild hook from Two.
Takanen scoring well with a low kick there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Takanen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Takanen lands a nice shot that snaps Two's head back.
Two shoots in looking for a takedown but Takanen manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Two's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Two ducks under a wild hook from Takanen.
Two connects with a body shot.
Takanen slips a straight right by Two.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Two showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Two misses the jab.
Two throws out a loose jab but Takanen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Two shoots in looking for a takedown. Takanen tries to sprawl out of it but Two keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Takanen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Takanen slips under a jab.
Takanen connects with an inside leg kick.
Takanen cracks Two with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Takanen throws a body kick that misses.
Two darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
A combination from Two does no damage.

Two looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Takanen is trying to control the position but Two postures up.
Takanen controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanen looking to control.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Takanen looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Two puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Two trying to pass the guard but Takanen defending well.
Two slows the pace down in half guard.
Takanen wants to improve his position but Two is controlling well.
Two trying to pass the guard but Takanen defending well.
Takanen taking some punishment here, with Two in his half guard.
Two trying to pass the guard but Takanen defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takanen is trying to maintain the position but Two is very close to passing his half guard.
Takanen is pressing down on Two's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Two won't allow Takanen to sweep him here.
Two engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Two trying to control but Takanen is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanen looking to control.
Two trying to control the position from guard on top but Takanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mark Two was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Good standup being displayed there by Takanen as he connects with a hook.
Two throws a body punch but Takanen moves out of range.
Esko Takanen is winning the standup battle so far.
Two tries for a takedown but Takanen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Takanen looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Takanen lunges at Two with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Two's hand.
Two 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.
Takanen scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Two misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Takanen.
Takanen scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Two misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Two walks into a stiff left hand from Takanen.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Two shoots in looking for a takedown but Takanen manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Two's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Esko Takanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Two.
Two takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Takanen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Two.
Two will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Takanen avoids the body shot from Two.
Takanen bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Two's head.
Takanen throws a looping overhand right but Two ducks down to avoid it.
Takanen throws a leg kick but Two sees it coming and moves out of range.
Two slips a jab and a cross from Takanen.

Two gets tackled into the cage by Takanen. Takanen maintains the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Takanen.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Two has had enough of the clinch but Takanen keeps him there for the moment.

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

Two shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Esko Takanen.
I think Takanen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Esko Takanen!