PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ismo Leikola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taylor
vs
Leikola

168 cm
18
141 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

169 cm
18
141 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ismo Leikola!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taylor looks to throw the jab but Leikola is out of range.
Leikola appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Leikola lands a glancing blow to the side of Taylor's head.
Leikola tries to close the distance and clinch but Taylor swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taylor drops down looking for a counter takedown but Leikola sprawls and moves away.
Taylor avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor attempts a counter takedown but Leikola avoids it well and moves away.
Leikola wants to clinch but Taylor slips to the side

and Taylor counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Taylor won't allow Leikola to sweep him here.
Leikola keeping moving, preventing Taylor from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Leikola is on top in guard.

Taylor looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Leikola puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Leikola prevents Taylor from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Leikola seems content to control.
Leikola looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Leikola is thwarting Taylor's attempts to control the position.
Taylor on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Taylor tries to get out of the position.
Taylor keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Leikola is trying to control the action in half guard but Taylor is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Taylor makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Taylor.
Taylor looking to hit a scissor sweep but Leikola is one step ahead there.
Leikola must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Leikola is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Leikola from controlling successfully.
Leikola loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Leikola pushes down on Taylor's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Taylor is in trouble now - Leikola has advanced to mount!
Leikola prevents Taylor from getting the reversal.
Taylor tries to hold on but Leikola pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leikola trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Taylor is in all sorts of trouble here.
Taylor tries to lock up and control but Leikola gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Leikola controlling his opponent.
Taylor tries to reverse the position but Leikola maintains control.
Taylor tries to lock up and control but Leikola gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Leikola controlling from the full mount.
Taylor bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Taylor stops Leikola from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leikola looking for a sweep. Not yet Leikola, not yet.
Leikola controlling the position.
Leikola not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Taylor throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Taylor postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Taylor seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Taylor working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taylor won't allow Leikola to sweep him here.
Taylor loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
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 John Taylor will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Leikola digs a good hook to Taylor's body.
A head kick misses from Leikola.
Leikola lunges at Taylor with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Taylor's hand.
Taylor looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Taylor takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Leikola tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Taylor drops down looking for a counter takedown but Leikola sprawls and moves away.
Taylor throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Leikola stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Taylor is rocked!
Taylor takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Oh Taylor is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Leikola throws an uppercut from hell that sends Taylor clean off his feet! He's out cold! Leikola stands back and admires his work as he thinks about that KO of the night award that is surely being wrapped up for him back stage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Ismo Leikola!