PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sid Vernon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esko Takanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Vernon
vs
Takanen

192 cm
22
180 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

175 cm
22
181 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sid Vernon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Esko Takanen!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Eliza Hachem and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takanen takes a kick to the side of the head.
Vernon is looking to clinch but Takanen is avoiding it.
Vernon throws a head kick that half lands.
Vernon tries to clinch but Takanen moves out of range.
Takanen takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
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!
Takanen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Vernon.
Takanen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Takanen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Vernon tries to close the distance and clinch up but Takanen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Vernon tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Takanen misses with a wild body shot.
Vernon misses with a head kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Takanen keeps the fight on the outside.
Vernon wants to clinch.
A cross from Takanen lands.

It looks like Sid Vernon has been cut.
Takanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Vernon.
A combination from Takanen does no damage.
Vernon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vernon tries to clinch up.
Vernon moves out of range of the strikes.
Good standup being displayed there by Takanen as he connects with a hook.
Takanen misses with an uppercut. Vernon saw that one coming.
Vernon moves away from the strike by Takanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanen ducks under a wild hook from Vernon.
Vernon tries to work over Takanen's front leg with a kick but Takanen checks it.
A swing and a miss from Takanen.
Vernon avoids the body shot from Takanen.
Takanen slips a jab from Vernon.

Vernon clinches.

Vernon has Takanen pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Vernon pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Takanen tumbling to the mat - Vernon dives into Takanen's guard.

Takanen pushes Vernon off and gets back to his feet.
Vernon tries a head kick but it misses.

Vernon moves into the clinch.
Takanen is trying to break the clinch but Vernon has him pressed against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Vernon fails to land.
Vernon throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Takanen blocks it with crossed arms.
Takanen can't break the clinch.
Vernon throws an elbow but it's blocked.
A short right from Takanen on the inside.
Vernon wants a takedown.
Vernon with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Vernon is breathing heavily.
Vernon tries a knee to the head but Takanen blocks it.
Vernon throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takanen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Vernon prevents Takanen from breaking the clinch.
Vernon missing with knees to the body.

Takanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Vernon moves into the clinch successfully.
Takanen scores with a shot to the side of Vernon's head.
Takanen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Vernon backwards.
Vernon prevents Takanen from breaking the clinch.
Takanen tries to break the clinch but Vernon is controlling the position.
Vernon throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Takanen blocks it with crossed arms.
Takanen presses Vernon against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Takanen breaks the clinch.
Takanen scores with a body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vernon ducks under a wild hook from Takanen.
Takanen bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Vernon's head.
Takanen smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Takanen misses with a looping left.
Jab, jab by Takanen - just one landing.
Good shot there by Takanen.

Vernon is rocked!
Takanen scores with a body shot.
Vernon checks a low kick from Takanen.
Takanen takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Takanen digs a good hook to Vernon's body.
Takanen cracks Vernon with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Oh Vernon is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Vernon ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Vernon seems to have got his legs back now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Vernon uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Takanen.
Takanen misses with an uppercut. Vernon saw that one coming.
Takanen has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Vernon jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Vernon misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nice shot lands for Takanen.
Takanen is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round!Vernon had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
A big left from Takanen misses.
Takanen connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Vernon moves away from the strike by Takanen.
Takanen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Takanen misses the jab.
Takanen misses with an uppercut. Vernon saw that one coming.
A head kick from Vernon lands but Takanen takes it in his stride.
Takanen misses with a hook.
A shot to de liver by Takanen. Beautiful body shot.
Takanen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Vernon moves away.
Takanen lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Takanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Vernon.
Vernon tries to clinch but Takanen moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vernon fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Takanen.
Vernon scores with a head kick.
Sid Vernon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takanen throws a body punch but Vernon moves out of range.
Takanen avoids the head kick by Vernon.
Takanen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Vernon throws a head kick that misses.
Vernon wants to clinch.
Vernon moves away from the strike by Takanen.
Takanen throws a one two combo.
Good exchange - Takanen coming out on top.
Takanen looks to score with a jab to the body but Vernon is just out of range.
A head kick misses from Vernon.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Takanen jabs at Vernon's body.
Vernon lands with an uppercut that bounces Takanen off the cage and back into rage.
Takanen lands a lovely overhand right.
Vernon tries a head kick but it misses.
Takanen avoids a punch combination nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Takanen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sid Vernon's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Vernon looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Vernon closes the distance and clinches.
Takanen lands a nice uppercut.
Takanen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Vernon has him pressed against the cage.
Takanen has had enough of the clinch but Vernon keeps him there for the moment.
Takanen blocks an elbow strike.
Vernon throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vernon goes for a takedown in the clinch but Takanen prevents it.
Takanen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Takanen tries to break the clinch but Vernon is controlling the position.

Takanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sid Vernon is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vernon tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Takanen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Vernon misses with a double jab.
Takanen avoids the head kick by Vernon.
Takanen cracks Vernon with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Takanen throws a jab but it's blocked by Vernon.
Vernon uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Takanen.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vernon doesn't manage to clinch there - Takanen circles away.
Takanen misses with a looping right.
Vernon is looking to clinch.
Takanen throws a sloppy head kick and Vernon moves out of range easily.
Esko Takanen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Vernon pivots, looking for a leg kick but Takanen is out of range and Vernon settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vernon tries to clinch there but Takanen circles away.
Vernon swinging wilding here.
Vernon wants to clinch.
Takanen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Takanen listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Vernon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Takanen throws a body punch but Vernon moves out of range.
Vernon throws a right and a left that Takanen avoids nicely.
A jab from Takanen finds it's way through Vernon's defenses.
Vernon misses with a head kick.
Nice straight punches there by Takanen. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Takanen.
Vernon is looking to clinch but Takanen is avoiding it.
Takanen stalks Vernon and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Vernon's face. Vernon staggers backwards, shaken.
Vernon tries to clinch there but Takanen circles away.
Vernon tries to clinch up.
Vernon misses with a two punch combination.
Vernon displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Takanen throws out the jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takanen misses with a looping left.

Vernon rushes Takanen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Takanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vernon is looking to clinch but Takanen is avoiding it.
Takanen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Vernon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vernon is looking to clinch.
Takanen keeps the fight on the outside.
Takanen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Takanen misses the jab.
Vernon tries to clinch but Takanen is having none of it.
Vernon tries to close the distance and clinch up but Takanen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Vernon dodges the punch combination from Takanen.
Vernon ducks under a wild hook from Takanen.

Vernon forces Takanen back against the cage and clinches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vernon looking to throw knees to the head but Takanen is blocking nicely.
Vernon throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vernon lands a nice shot to the body.
Vernon has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Vernon tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Vernon lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanen cracks Vernon with a nice body shot.
Takanen has had enough of the clinch but Vernon keeps him there for the moment.
Takanen scores with a shoulder strike.
Takanen wants to get back to striking at distance but Vernon won't allow it.

Takanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Takanen looks to throw the jab but Vernon is out of range.
Vernon misses with a kick to the body.
A decent looking cross lands there for Takanen.
A head kick misses from Vernon.
Takanen takes a swing at Vernon's ribcage but misses.
Vernon lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Takanen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Takanen checks the leg kick.
Takanen scores with a leg kick.
Takanen swings for the body but Vernon moves out of range.
Takanen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Vernon throws a leg kick but Takanen moved away.
Takanen fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Vernon on the side of the head.
Takanen cracks a nice hook into Vernon's ribs.
Takanen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Vernon moves in looking to clinch but Takanen pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vernon pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A left and a right from Takanen both land. Nice combination.
Vernon throws a left and a right that both miss
and Takanen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vernon lands a high kick!
Vernon uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Takanen.
Vernon tries a head kick but it misses.
Takanen throws a big shot that misses.
Vernon wants to clinch up but Takanen keeps it at a distance.

Vernon darts in and clinches Takanen up against the cage.

Takanen breaks from the clinch.
Takanen swats away the attempt to clinch by Vernon.
Vernon moves in looking to clinch but Takanen pushes him off.
Takanen scores with a sloppy right hand. Vernon should have avoided that one.
Vernon throws a sloppy head kick and Takanen moves out of range easily.
Takanen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Vernon throws a head kick that misses.
Takanen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Vernon manages to avoid it.
Takanen with a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Takanen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sid Vernon's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Takanen lunges at Vernon with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Vernon's hand.
Takanen blocks a head kick by Vernon.
Vernon looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Vernon ducks under a wild hook from Takanen.
Vernon works over Takanen's head and body with a nice combination.
Takanen clobbers Vernon with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Vernon motions for Takanen to come forward. Vernon throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Vernon instigates a clinch.
Takanen wants to get back to striking at distance but Vernon won't allow it.
Vernon misses with a knee to the head.

Vernon pulls guard.
Takanen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Takanen is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Let's hope that Takanen has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Vernon is trying to keep Takanen in close.

Takanen decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vernon tries to close the distance and clinch but Takanen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Takanen waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Vernon.
Vernon throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Vernon misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Vernon misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Takanen scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Vernon has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Takanen finds it's way round the side to connect with Vernon's head.
Vernon on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Vernon thumps Takanen with a low kick.
Takanen scores with a three punch combo!
Takanen looks to land a left hand but Vernon moved out of range nicely.
Vernon tries to close the distance and clinch up but Takanen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Vernon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A combination from Takanen does no damage.
Vernon tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Vernon takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Vernon throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Takanen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Vernon fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vernon misses with an attempted mid kick.
Takanen tries a low kick but Vernon avoids it.
Takanen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Vernon throws a predictable looking body shot
and Takanen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Vernon rushes Takanen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Takanen lands with a short shot to the head.
Vernon looking to throw knees to the head but Takanen is blocking nicely.
Vernon gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Vernon prevents Takanen from breaking the clinch.
Vernon with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Takanen lands a left hand.
Takanen tries to break the clinch but Vernon is controlling the position.
Takanen scores with a nice hook to the head.
Vernon tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Vernon keeps control of Takanen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Takanen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vernon tries to clinch but Takanen is having none of it.
Vernon plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Vernon lands with a slapping head kick.
Takanen cracks Vernon with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Vernon slips a jab from Takanen.
Good work by Vernon as he checks the leg kick.
Takanen misses with a straight left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takanen swinging wilding here.
Vernon with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Vernon tries to close the distance and clinch but Takanen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Takanen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Vernon tries to clinch but Takanen moves out of range.
Takanen throws a body punch but Vernon moves out of range.
Vernon tries to close the distance and clinch but Takanen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Vernon ducks under a wild hook from Takanen.
Sid Vernon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vernon tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Takanen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Vernon doesn't manage to clinch there - Takanen circles away.
Vernon throws a head kick that half lands.
Vernon uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Takanen.
Vernon takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Vernon misses with a head kick.
Vernon drops his hands momentarily and Takanen takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Vernon tries a head kick but it misses.
Takanen misses with an uppercut. Vernon saw that one coming.
Takanen lands a nice shot to the body.
Esko Takanen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vernon throws a right and a left that Takanen avoids nicely.
Vernon walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Takanen keeps the fight on the outside.
Takanen stuns Vernon with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Takanen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Vernon.
Takanen throws a series of punches but Vernon avoids them all with ease.
A left lands for Takanen.
Vernon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vernon is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Takanen throws a good cross that connects.
The fight stays on the outside here - Vernon looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Vernon wants to clinch up but Takanen keeps it at a distance.
Takanen lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Vernon misses with a head kick.
Takanen scores with a one two! Vernon had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Takanen 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.
Takanen lunges at Vernon with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Vernon's hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Esko Takanen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Takanen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Esko Takanen!