PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Hardy (ranked 5339 p4p, 0 weight class) and Teddy Toivonen (ranked 3561 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hardy
vs
Toivonen

197 cm
23
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
25
205 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tom Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Teddy Toivonen!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy throws a right hand that Toivonen ducks under and follows up with a left that Toivonen also avoids with ease.
Toivonen appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Toivonen scores with a jab to the jaw.
Hardy stalks Toivonen and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Toivonen's face. Toivonen staggers backwards, shaken.
Hardy tries to bum rush Toivonen with a series of wild strikes but Toivonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Toivonen looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Hardy fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hardy fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Toivonen tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Hardy connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hardy misses with a combination

and Toivonen counters by moving into the clinch.
Toivonen looking to throw knees to the head but Hardy is blocking nicely.
A frustrated look appears on Hardy's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Toivonen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Hardy tries to keep at a distance but Toivonen has taken the fight into the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hardy working hard to break the clinch.
Hardy is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Hardy's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Hardy manages to break the clinch.
Hardy throws a combination that misses
and Toivonen counters with a series of strikes. Hardy will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hardy misses with a two punch combination.

Toivonen closes the distance and clinches.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Hardy escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tom Hardy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hardy misses with a series of wild punches.
A little jabbing left from Toivonen on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Toivonen tries to score with a low kick but Hardy moves his leg out of the way.
Toivonen shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Hardy eats them both and turns towards Toivonen to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
A right-left combo lands from Toivonen.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardy throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Toivonen counters by clinching up.
A nice left hand lands by Toivonen.
Hardy on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is trying to break free.
Hardy is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Hardy wants to get back to striking at distance but Toivonen won't allow it.
Hardy tries to break free but Toivonen pushes him back against the cage.
Toivonen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hardy's efforts to push away.
Hardy working hard to break the clinch.
Toivonen has Hardy pressed against the cage, preventing Hardy from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hardy wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Toivonen has him pressed against the cage.
Toivonen is trying to drag Hardy to the mat but Hardy just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Hardy lands a hook that snaps the head of Toivonen backwards.
Toivonen goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hardy prevents it.
Tom Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Teddy Toivonen.
Toivonen keeps control of Hardy as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toivonen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hardy wants to get back to striking at distance but Toivonen won't allow it.
Toivonen is working for takedown but Hardy is calmly controlling the position for now.
Hardy is trying to break free.
Hardy wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Toivonen has him pressed against the cage.

Toivonen gets control of Hardy's arms and successfully pulls guard. Toivonen will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Toivonen is working an open guard so Hardy takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Toivonen shoots in and drives through. Hardy sprawls well.
Toivonen misses with a two punch combination.
Hardy appears to be looking for a big counter.
Toivonen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hardy moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hardy misses with a jab, cross combination.
Toivonen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hardy.
Toivonen has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toivonen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hardy scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Toivonen looks to land a combination but Hardy avoids it well.
Hardy works Toivonen's body with a nice hook.
Toivonen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hardy pinned against the cage. Hardy gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hardy seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Toivonen dodges the punch combination from Hardy.
Toivonen is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
A combination from Toivonen does no damage.
Hardy keeps the fight on the outside.

Toivonen takes the fight into the clinch.

Hardy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
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 Tom Hardy will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Toivonen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As Toivonen looks to move away, Hardy throws a big counter combo but Toivonen just gets out of the way.
Toivonen shoots for a double leg takedown but Hardy sprawls well. He's pushed Toivonen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Toivonen shoots in for a double leg but Hardy sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Toivonen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hardy tries to clinch but Toivonen moves away
and Toivonen counters with a nice uppercut.
Hardy throws a series of punches but Toivonen avoids them all with ease.

Toivonen clinches with his opponent.

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

Hardy clinches up against the cage.
Hardy is trying to force a seperation but Toivonen has the dominant position.
A frustrated look appears on Hardy's face as he tries to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hardy can't break the clinch.

Toivonen jumps guard.
Hardy has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Toivonen is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Hardy stands up from Toivonen's guard - Hardy perhaps looking for a knockout.
Tom Hardy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toivonen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hardy's waist but Hardy gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Toivonen off to one side.
Tom Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Teddy Toivonen.
Toivonen misses with a few strikes there.
A punch combination from Toivonen misses.
Hardy throws a big counter combination but Toivonen scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Hardy misses with a wild combination.
Toivonen tries to clinch there but Hardy circles away.
Hardy keeps the fight on the outside.

Toivonen moves into the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Hardy's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A hook to the body from Toivonen.
Hardy managing to block the knees to the body from Toivonen.

Toivonen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Toivonen is looking to clinch but Hardy is avoiding it.
Hardy looks to land a combination but Toivonen avoids it well.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hardy!

It looks like Teddy Toivonen has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy fails to land with a series of punches.
Tom Hardy is winning the standup battle so far.
Hardy throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Toivonen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hardy as he avoids it easily.
Hardy went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Hardy misses with a wild body shot.
Toivonen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hardy swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hardy fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Toivonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Hardy.
Toivonen is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Toivonen throws a right and a left that Hardy avoids nicely.
Hardy circles away from the clinch attempt
and Hardy counters with a two punch combo.

Toivonen clinches with his opponent.
Hardy tries to circle away but Toivonen has him pinned against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toivonen keeps control of Hardy as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hardy is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Toivonen goes for a takedown attempt but Hardy pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Hardy slips a jab and a cross from Toivonen.
Toivonen looks to land a body kick but Hardy moved away.

Toivonen closes the distance and pushes Hardy back into the cage.
Hardy wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Toivonen is trying to pull guard but Hardy has him pressed against the cage.

Toivonen manages to break the clinch.
Hardy staying out of range there.
Toivonen is breathing heavily.
Hardy throws a series of punches but Toivonen moves out of range.
Hardy looks to land a combination but Toivonen avoids it well.
A punch combination from Hardy misses.
Toivonen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hardy as he avoids it easily.

Toivonen closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is looking to break free of the clinch but Toivonen has double underhooks.
Toivonen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hardy is defending well for now.

Hardy escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hardy circles away from the clinch attempt.
Toivonen misses with a double jab.
It looked like Hardy wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Toivonen shoots in for a takedown but Hardy shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hardy walks into a straight right hand from Toivonen.
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!
Toivonen throws a series of punches but Hardy moves out of range.
Hardy misses with a series of wild punches.
Hardy tries to bum rush Toivonen with a series of wild strikes but Toivonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Toivonen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Toivonen instigates a clinch.

Toivonen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tom Hardy will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Teddy Toivonen's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Hardy darts in and clinches Toivonen up against the cage.
Toivonen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Toivonen is working for takedown but Hardy is calmly controlling the position for now.
Toivonen trying to control the position but instead, Hardy has worked for underhooks and has pushed Toivonen into the cage.
Hardy wants to get back to striking at distance but Toivonen won't allow it.

Toivonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Toivonen throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Hardy throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Toivonen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch but Toivonen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hardy throws a right hand that Toivonen ducks under and follows up with a left that Toivonen also avoids with ease.
Despite the aggression on Toivonen's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Hardy lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Toivonen circles away quickly and effectively.
Sloppy strikes from Hardy. Those never looked like landing.

Toivonen closes the distance and pushes Hardy back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy gets underhooks to prevent Toivonen's takedown attempt.
Toivonen lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hardy backwards.
Toivonen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hardy is defending well for now.
Teddy Toivonen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Toivonen jumps guard but Hardy stands there with Toivonen around his waist. Toivonen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Tom Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Teddy Toivonen.
Toivonen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Hardy manages to break the clinch.
Toivonen misses with a few strikes there.
Hardy misses with a few strikes there.

Hardy closes the distance and clinches.
Hardy wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hardy has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hardy tries to break the clinch but Toivonen is controlling the position.
Toivonen is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Hardy is defending well.
Toivonen has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hardy avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hardy breaks from the clinch.
Hardy rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Toivonen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hardy misses with a two punch combination.
Horrible takedown attempt by Toivonen or perhaps it was just good defense by Hardy, which made it look bad.
Toivonen avoids the body shot from Hardy.
Hardy throws a series of punches but Toivonen moves out of range.
Toivonen dodges the punch combination from Hardy.
Hardy throws a left and a right that both miss
and Toivonen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hardy rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Toivonen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Toivonen slips a jab and a cross from Hardy.
Toivonen keeps the fight on the outside.
A punch combination from Hardy misses.
Toivonen is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toivonen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hardy defends it nicely.
Toivonen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hardy defends it nicely.
Hardy appears to be looking for a big counter.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Toivonen swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Toivonen clinches up against the cage.
Toivonen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hardy is trying to break the clinch but Toivonen has him pressed against the cage.
Hardy wants to break free but Toivonen has control.

Hardy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hardy swinging wildly here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toivonen lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Hardy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Toivonen closes the distance and pushes Hardy back into the cage.

Hardy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Toivonen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Toivonen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hardy manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hardy throws a right and a left that both miss.

Toivonen drives through and clinches with Hardy against the cage.
Hardy managing to block the knees to the body from Toivonen.

Hardy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardy slips a jab and a cross from Toivonen.
Teddy Toivonen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tom Hardy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Toivonen misses with a body kick.

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 Tom Hardy.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hardy, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Tom Hardy!