PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Seppo Taalasmaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hank Hornsby (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hornsby has chosen Mickey's Dive as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Taalasmaa
vs
Hornsby

190 cm
21
218 lbs
7 - 0 - 0

190 cm
21
215 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Crippler's Corner
Syndicate Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Seppo Taalasmaa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Hank Hornsby!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Steven Brown and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hornsby pivots, looking for a leg kick but Taalasmaa is out of range and Hornsby settles back down.
Hornsby rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Taalasmaa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Taalasmaa scores with a head kick.
Hornsby lands with a straight right. Taalasmaa didn't see that one coming.
Taalasmaa tries to clinch but Hornsby moves out of range.
Seppo Taalasmaa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hornsby sizes up Taalasmaa with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Hornsby scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Taalasmaa doesn't seem bothered though.
Hornsby rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Taalasmaa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hornsby lunges at Taalasmaa with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Taalasmaa's hand.
Taalasmaa falls off balance throwing a combination

and Hornsby counters with a combination of strikes to the head and body that crumple Taalasmaa!

Taalasmaa is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hornsby not doing much here.
Oh Taalasmaa is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hornsby throwing shots but Taalasmaa is blocking nicely.
Taalasmaa seems to have got his legs back now.
Hornsby slips a nice elbow through Taalasmaa's hands, connecting with Taalasmaa's forehead.
Hornsby throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hornsby with the ground and pound but Taalasmaa uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Hornsby wants to control from the top but Taalasmaa keeps moving.
Hornsby postures up in Taalasmaa's guard and throws a big left but Taalasmaa blocks it.
Hornsby throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Taalasmaa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hornsby prevents Taalasmaa from getting back to his feet.
Hornsby throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Taalasmaa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hornsby trying to stand up but can't free himself from Taalasmaa's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Taalasmaa throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hornsby misses with a double jab.

Taalasmaa moves into the clinch successfully.
Taalasmaa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Taalasmaa with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Hornsby successfully pulls guard.
Hornsby lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Taalasmaa!
Hornsby in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Hornsby punching from mount but Taalasmaa doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hornsby throwing strikes here but Taalasmaa is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Taalasmaa on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Taalasmaa tries to get out of the position.
Taalasmaa is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Taalasmaa takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hornsby throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Hornsby thowing shots but they're missing.
Hornsby working some short elbows here. He postures up to throw some more ground and pound but Taalasmaa slips a leg through to get back to half guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Taalasmaa is trying to stand.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Hornsby connects with a nice short shot to Taalasmaa's temple.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taalasmaa is not content to let Hornsby control the position.
Hornsby stops Taalasmaa from getting back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hornsby wants to take a breather but Taalasmaa is having none of it.
Hornsby sitting and controlling from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hank Hornsby dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Taalasmaa bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Hornsby's head.
The fighters circling - Hornsby throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Taalasmaa throws a series of punches but Hornsby moves out of range.
Hornsby drops Taalasmaa with a left right combo! Hornsby follows him down to the ground into side control.
Hornsby looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Taalasmaa is avoiding damage well.
Hornsby working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Hornsby throwing shots but missing, from side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Hornsby in side control, throwing shots but Taalasmaa defends.
Hornsby throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taalasmaa defending against the ground and pound.
Taalasmaa takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Hornsby trying to control the action but Taalasmaa is working from the bottom.
Hornsby has knee on belly momentarily but Taalasmaa bucks him off and regains half guard.
Hornsby wants to pass to mount but Taalasmaa is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hornsby wants to advance to full mount but Taalasmaa doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Taalasmaa keeping full guard, as Hornsby tries to pass.
Hornsby looking to sit in guard and control but Taalasmaa gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hornsby wants to sweep but no luck.
Hornsby is breathing heavily.

Hornsby is working an open guard so Taalasmaa takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Taalasmaa throws a head kick but Hornsby moves out of range.
Hornsby misses with a straight right.
Hornsby displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Taalasmaa throws a sloppy head kick and Hornsby moves out of range easily.
Hornsby swats away the attempt to clinch by Taalasmaa.
Taalasmaa fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Hornsby will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hornsby looks to land a left hand but Taalasmaa moved out of range nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Taalasmaa lands with a kick to the temple. Hornsby shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Taalasmaa throws a quick inside leg kick.
Nice straight punches there by Taalasmaa. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Taalasmaa.
Taalasmaa wants to clinch
enabling Hornsby to counter with a crisp jab.
Taalasmaa tries to clinch up.
Taalasmaa scores with a head kick.

Taalasmaa rushes Hornsby and presses him up against the cage.
Taalasmaa looking to throw knees to the head but Hornsby is blocking nicely.
Taalasmaa throws a knee to the head but misses.
A right hook to the body lands for Taalasmaa.
Taalasmaa tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Taalasmaa connects with a nasty looking knee right to Hornsby's face.
Taalasmaa misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hornsby.
Taalasmaa keeps control of Hornsby as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hornsby blocking some punches.
Hornsby wants to get back to striking at distance but Taalasmaa won't allow it.
Hornsby lands a shoulder strike.
Hornsby avoiding damage as Taalasmaa throws knees to the body.
Taalasmaa swings wildly with an uppercut but Hornsby uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hank Hornsby will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hornsby lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Taalasmaa backs up against the cage.
Hornsby throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Taalasmaa on the side of the head.
Hornsby misses with a series of wild punches.
Taalasmaa tries to clinch but Hornsby moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Taalasmaa.
Hornsby misses with a series of wild punches.
Taalasmaa dodges the punch combination from Hornsby.
Hornsby throws an overhand right that lands on Taalasmaa's shoulder, as Taalasmaa tries to avoid the shot.
Hornsby fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hornsby throws a shot from downtown. Taalasmaa moves away and avoids it.
Taalasmaa plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Taalasmaa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Taalasmaa scores with a nice body kick.
Taalasmaa lands with a thumping leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taalasmaa throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Taalasmaa moves in looking to clinch but Hornsby pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Taalasmaa.
Taalasmaa scores with a spinning back kick!

Taalasmaa darts in and clinches Hornsby up against the cage.
Taalasmaa using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hornsby has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hornsby throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Taalasmaas head.
Taalasmaa with a knee to the head.
Hornsby drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Taalasmaa using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hornsby has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hornsby on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Hornsby manages to break the clinch.
Hornsby cracks a nice hook into Taalasmaa's ribs.
Hornsby thows a body shot but no joy.
Hornsby swats away the attempt to clinch by Taalasmaa.
Hornsby misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Taalasmaa fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hornsby, pushing him back against the cage.
Taalasmaa landing knees to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taalasmaa throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hornsby blocks it with crossed arms.
Hornsby can't break the clinch.
Taalasmaa swings wildly with an uppercut but Hornsby uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hornsby lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Taalasmaa backwards.
Taalasmaa trying to land knees to the body.
Hornsby blocks an uppercut.
Hornsby trying to stall but Taalasmaa improves his position.
Taalasmaa misses with a knee to the head.
Taalasmaa misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hornsby.
Hornsby lands a left hand that snaps the head of Taalasmaa backwards.
Hornsby throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Taalasmaas head.
Hornsby drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Taalasmaa gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A nice right hand lands inside from Taalasmaa.
Hornsby tries to stall but Taalasmaa uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Taalasmaa looking to throw knees to the head but Hornsby is blocking nicely.
Taalasmaa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Taalasmaa landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hornsby fails to pull guard.
Seppo Taalasmaa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hank Hornsby.
Hornsby fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Taalasmaa tries a knee to the head but Hornsby blocks it.
Taalasmaa using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hornsby has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Taalasmaa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Taalasmaa misses with a knee strike.
Hornsby wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hornsby blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taalasmaa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Taalasmaa tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Come on Hornsby - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Taalasmaa misses with a punch on the inside.
Hornsby is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Taalasmaa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Taalasmaa unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hornsby lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Taalasmaa tries a knee to the head but Hornsby blocks it.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Taalasmaa creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Taalasmaa.
Taalasmaa lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Seppo Taalasmaa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hornsby softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hornsby throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Taalasmaas head.
Hornsby wants a takedown but no success here.
Taalasmaa misses with a knee strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hornsby.
Hornsby tries to pull guard but Taalasmaa won't allow it.
Taalasmaa scores with a knee to the head.
Hornsby managing to block the knees to the body from Taalasmaa.
Taalasmaa misses with a knee to the head.
Taalasmaa tries a knee to the head but Hornsby blocks it.
Taalasmaa misses with a knee strike.
Taalasmaa using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hornsby has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hornsby looking to slow down the pace here.
Taalasmaa tries to throw a body punch but Hornsby avoids it by throwing Taalasmaa back against the cage.
Hornsby wants a takedown.
A head punch on the inside from Taalasmaa fails to land.
Taalasmaa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A knee to the head by Taalasmaa.
Taalasmaa misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hornsby.

And that's the end of the fight!
Seppo Taalasmaa showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hornsby 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hank Hornsby!