PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cormac Gutz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Topi Takala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gutz comes to the cage accompanied by Everyday. Takala has chosen Volga as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gutz
vs
Takala

185 cm
29
187 lbs
19 - 7 - 2

198 cm
33
188 lbs
30 - 11 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Steel Penn\'s Laundry 80% LAUNDRY IS AVAILABLE

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 7 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cormac Gutz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Topi Takala!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takala wants to land a leg kick but Gutz is out of range.
Gutz chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Takala can pounce on him.
Takala has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Takala jabs Gutz to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Gutz scoring well with a low kick there.
Gutz throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Takala throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gutz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Takala was well out of range. Poor timing from Gutz.
The fighters circle momentarily. Gutz darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Takala lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Gutz throws a half hearted mid kick.
Takala throws a low kick, looking for Gutz's leg but Gutz calmly moves out of range.
Takala throws a body punch but Gutz moves out of range.
Gutz misses with a low kick as Takala jumps back.
Gutz avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Takala throws a quick inside leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takala checks the leg kick.
A leg kick checked by Gutz.
Takala finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Gutz fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Takala looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gutz checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Takala connects with a leg kick. Gutz looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A big left from Takala misses.
Gutz has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Gutz Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Gutz moves out of range of the strikes.
Gutz checks a leg kick.
Gutz drops his hands momentarily and Takala takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Gutz sizes up Takala with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Takala feints and then cracks Gutz's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Gutz down.
Takala ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Gutz walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Takala checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Nice shot by Takala.
Gutz feints and then cracks Takala's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Takala down.
Takala throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
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!
Takala digs a good hook to Gutz's body.
Gutz lands a slapping body shot.
Takala looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Takala throws a push kick but Gutz slaps the foot to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Gutz.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Gutz.
Takala slips a straight right by Gutz.
Takala fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
The fighters circling - Gutz throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gutz looks to land a combination but Takala avoids it well.
Takala scores with a jab to the jaw.
Gutz tries to land a front kick but Takala steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Takala is looking to land body kicks.
An inside leg kick from Takala misses.
Takala lands a nice hook to Gutz's body. Gutz takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Takala throws a solid leg kick but Gutz takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Takala.
Takala misses with a body kick.
Takala throws a body shot but no joy.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Takala.
Gutz lands a jab to Takala's midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gutz throws a leg kick
and Takala counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gutz on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Gutz misses the shot to the body.
Takala is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Takala takes a swing at Gutz's ribcage but misses.
Gutz fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Takala throws a nice looking combination but Gutz bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gutz lands with a straight right. Takala didn't see that one coming.
Gutz has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Takala.
Gutz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gutz cracks Takala with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Takala will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Gutz misses the shot to the body.
Gutz moves away from the strike by Takala.
Takala lands a lovely overhand right.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gutz throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Takala counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gutz throws a hook to the side of Takala's head but Takala sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gutz bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Takala lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Takala is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Gutz had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Gutz throws a leg kick but Takala sees it coming and moves out of range.
Takala lands an overhand right.
Gutz misses with a looping right.
Gutz lands with a kick to the ribs.
Gutz throws the left hand but Takala avoids the punch easily.
Gutz connects with a crisp jab.
Takala is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Takala throws an overhand right that lands on Gutz's shoulder, as Gutz tries to avoid the shot.
Takala missing with a left hand there. Gutz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Takala has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Gutz finds it's way round the side to connect with Takala's head.
Gutz throws a body punch but Takala moves out of range.
Takala takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Takala uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gutz.
Takala lands with a shot to the body.
Takala looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
The fighters circle momentarily. Takala darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Topi Takala will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gutz misses with an uppercut. Takala saw that one coming.
Gutz is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Takala misses with a body kick.
Takala with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Gutz thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gutz throws the kick towards the body but Takala avoids it.
Gutz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Takala manages to avoid it.
Gutz takes a swing at Takala's ribcage but misses.
Gutz checks the leg kick nicely there.
Gutz throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Takala stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Takala keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Jab from Takala.
Takala misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gutz misses with a straight right.
Gutz slips a jab from Takala.
Gutz throws out a loose jab but Takala uses good head movement to avoid it.
A jab from Takala misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takala cracks Gutz with a right hand to the side of the head.
Takala walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Takala throws a leg kick
and Gutz counters with an outside leg kick.
Takala loads up on a big right hand but Gutz slips the punch.
Takala moves into range and connects with a jab.
A swing and a miss from Gutz.
A low kick from Gutz is predictable there
and Takala counters with a nice uppercut.
Gutz fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Gutz misses with an uppercut. Takala saw that one coming.
A telegraphed right hand from Takala misses the target.
A slapping leg kick lands for Gutz.
Gutz swinging wildly here.
Gutz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A big right from Takala misses.
Gutz is looking to land body kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takala moves forwards but Gutz connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takala misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gutz.
Takala on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Takala throws a hook but Gutz blocks it.
Takala slips a jab from Gutz.
Gutz takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Takala tried to score with a low kick but Gutz checks it.
Gutz fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Takala on the side of the head.
Gutz scores with a jab.
Some bone on bone action there as Takala checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Takala cracks Gutz with a right hand to the side of the head.
Takala thows a leg kick but Gutz checks it
and Gutz counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Takala is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Gutz takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A thudding body kick lands there by Takala!
Takala buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Takala ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gutz moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gutz misses with a low kick.
Gutz pivots, looking for a leg kick but Takala is out of range and Gutz settles back down.
Takala keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gutz.
Gutz cracks Takala with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Takala throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Takala buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Takala looks to throw the jab but Gutz is out of range.
Gutz misses with a low kick.
Gutz looks to land a body kick but Takala moved away.
Takala throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Takala thuds his right hand into Gutz's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Takala lands a two punch combo.
Gutz lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gutz walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Gutz lands a jab-cross combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gutz misses with a body shot.
Gutz finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Gutz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Takala was well out of range. Poor timing from Gutz.
A thudding body kick lands there by Takala!
Takala scores with a kick to the body.
Gutz throws a sloppy head kick and Takala moves out of range easily.
Gutz jabs Takala to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Takala misses with a looping right.
Takala avoids the body shot from Gutz.
Takala lands a head kick. Gutz smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Gutz digs a good body shot into Takala's ribs.
Takala throws a half hearted mid kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gutz shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Gutz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Takala throws the left hand but Gutz avoids the punch easily.
Takala has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Takala keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Topi Takala will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. This is the final round!

A thudding body kick lands there by Takala!
Gutz misses with a looping left.
Takala will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Gutz thuds a left hand into Takala's body.
Takala dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gutz. That did some damage!
Takala moves away from the strike by Gutz.
Takala looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A slapping leg kick lands for Takala.
Takala pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A nice inside leg kick there by Gutz. That's going to slow Takala down.
Takala is looking to chop away at Gutz's legs.
Takala slips a jab and a cross from Gutz.
Takala throws a low kick, looking for Gutz's leg but Gutz calmly moves out of range.
A low kick from Takala is predictable there
and Gutz counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Takala on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
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!
Takala throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Gutz counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takala throws a front kick aimed at Gutz's knee but Gutz avoids it well.
Gutz works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Takala lands a leg kick that knocks Gutz off balance momentarily.
Gutz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Takala needs to keep his hands up - Gutz had a free shot at his head there.
Takala lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Takala bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Takala misses with a wild combination.
Gutz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gutz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Takala moves away.
Gutz blocks the body kick.
Takala blocks the body kick.
Gutz wants to land a leg kick but Takala is out of range.
Gutz ducks under a wild hook from Takala.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takala thows a leg kick but Gutz checks it
and Gutz counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Takala scores with a kick to the body.
Topi Takala seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Takala throws a low kick but it's checked well by Gutz.
A bone on bone clash there as Takala blocks the leg kick.
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!
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Takala.
Gutz takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Donk. Takala catches Gutz right on the button with a cross.
Takala bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gutz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gutz throws a low kick but Takala moves out of range easily.
Takala scores with a body shot.
Gutz walks into a left hand.
Takala takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Takala lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Gutz at a distance.
Takala ducks under a wild hook from Gutz.
Gutz will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gutz gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Takala.
Gutz throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Takala.
Gutz checks a leg kick.
Takala lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Gutz throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Cormac Gutz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Takala getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Gutz moves out of range of the leg kick from Takala.
Takala connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Takala misses with a head kick.
Gutz misses with a low kick.
Takala scores with a kick to the midsection.
Takala tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Gutz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Takala buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gutz throws a low kick but it's checked well by Takala.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gutz throws a nice looking combination but Takala bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gutz takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Takala fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Takala, as that shot connected.
Takala has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Gutz finds it's way round the side to connect with Takala's head.
Takala ducks under a wild hook from Gutz.
Takala misses with a body shot.
Gutz tries to land a front kick but Takala steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
An inside leg kick from Takala misses.
Takala throws a leg kick which misses Gutz's front leg but catches the back leg as Gutz tries to avoid it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Gutz.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Takala blocks a head kick by Gutz.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Takala lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Gutz throws a combination that misses
and Takala counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

And that's the end of the fight!
Topi Takala comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Takala has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Topi Takala!
During a confident post fight interview, Topi Takala thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Cormac Gutz was interviewed post fight and said 'Syytän peliä ja vannon lopettavani. Palaan tunnin päästä takaisin.'.