PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Raj Taj (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikel Buttesen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buttesen has chosen Svennebanan as his entrance music. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Taj
vs
Buttesen

170 cm
26
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
27
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows
Determined

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Raj Taj!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikel Buttesen!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Buttesen looks to clinch

and Taj counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Taj wants to get back to his feet.
Taj controlling the pace.
Taj looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Buttesen tries to get to full guard but Taj has control of the leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taj tries to stand but can't do so whilst Buttesen controls his leg.
Taj is trying to control the action in half guard but Buttesen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taj is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Buttesen is looking for a sweep. Taj is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Taj performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Taj shoots in for a takedown but Buttesen shows good takedown defense.
Buttesen wants to clinch.
Taj avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Taj shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Taj was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Taj controlling the position from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taj tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Taj has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Taj swings around for an armbar but Buttesen sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Taj's guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Buttesen trying to control but Taj is working from the bottom.
Buttesen with a nice head shot there.
Buttesen postures up.
Taj is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Taj throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Buttesen is working Taj over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Buttesen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Buttesen slips nicely into half guard.
Buttesen is thwarting Taj's attempts to control the position.
Buttesen is trying to control. Taj wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Buttesen working Taj over with strikes.
Taj trying to control from the bottom.
Taj is breathing heavily.
Taj tries to kick Buttesen off but Buttesen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Buttesen is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Taj defends it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buttesen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Buttesen is trying to work for a kimura but Taj is defending well.
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. Buttesen connects with a nice short shot to Taj's temple.

Buttesen wants to work for an arm triangle but Taj is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Taj trying to control here.
Buttesen prevents Taj from improving his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taj looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikel Buttesen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Buttesen wants to clinch up but Taj keeps it at a distance.
Taj appears to be looking for a big counter.
Buttesen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Taj paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Buttesen clinches up with Taj and pushes him back against the cage.
Buttesen creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Taj is trying to pull guard but Buttesen has him pressed against the cage.

Taj pulls guard.
Buttesen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Buttesen preventing the sweep.
Taj preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Buttesen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Buttesen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Buttesen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Taj is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Buttesen is aware though and is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Buttesen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Buttesen postures up and lands a big shot to Taj's brow.
Buttesen wants to control from the top but Taj keeps moving.

Taj pushes Buttesen off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buttesen closes the distance looking to clinch

and Taj counters with a single leg into guard. Buttesen didn't expect that.

Buttesen has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Taj has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Buttesen drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Taj gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Buttesen tries to land a knee to the head but Taj blocks with his arms.
Taj prevents the takedown attempt.
Buttesen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Taj.
Buttesen with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taj breaks the clinch.

Buttesen gets caught napping as Taj dives in and scores a takedown. Buttesen manages to retain guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Buttesen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Taj controlling from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Buttesen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buttesen wants to sweep but no luck.
Taj trying to control the position from guard on top but Buttesen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taj controls from within his opponent's guard.
Taj wants to get up but he can't break Buttesen's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Taj postures up and lands a big shot to Buttesen's brow.

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.
Buttesen keeping full guard, as Taj tries to pass.
Taj trying to stand up but can't free himself from Buttesen's guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Taj fails with a takedown attempt.
Buttesen is looking for the big counter here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raj Taj. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Buttesen is looking to clinch.
Raj Taj is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Buttesen is looking to clinch.
Taj circles away from the clinch attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Buttesen tries to clinch but Taj is having none of it.
It looked like Taj was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Buttesen tries to clinch there but Taj circles away.
Taj fires out a quick counter leg kick but Buttesen just manages to avoid it.

Taj closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Buttesen's guard.
Buttesen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Taj is one step ahead there.
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 Raj Taj will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Buttesen tries to clinch up

and Taj counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Taj trying to control the action but Buttesen is working from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Taj.

Taj decides to stand up.
Buttesen closes the distance looking to clinch

and Taj counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Taj won't allow Buttesen to sweep him here.
Taj distracts Buttesen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Taj trying to control but Buttesen is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taj gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taj keeps the fight on the outside.
Taj went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Buttesen tries to clinch up but Taj circles away and keeps his distance.
As Buttesen tries to get set, Taj tries to push him back and clinch up but Buttesen manages to avoid the attempt.

Taj closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Buttesen's guard.
Buttesen keeping moving, preventing Taj from controlling successfully.
Taj is fighting to break Buttesen's control of his arms but Buttesen is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Taj engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Taj stopping the sweep attempt from Buttesen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taj content to sit in guard, stalling... Great. Oh but he could get punished here because Buttesen has locked up a guillotine! Buttesen's face is contorted as he sqeezes tight on the submission attempt - will he finish? Taj is holding on here and Buttesen must be using up a lot of energy. Taj has gone limp! He's out! He's out cold! Buttesen gets to his feet, tossing aside his stricken foe. Arms raised, he milks the applause from the crowd. Great submission!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Mikel Buttesen!
Mikel Buttesen got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'