PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Quang Vi Tran (ranked 6398 p4p, 510 weight class) and Sun Tszu (ranked 4440 p4p, 0 weight class). Tran comes to the cage accompanied by Embrace You. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Vi Tran
vs
Tszu

190 cm
25
183 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

185 cm
25
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Threads of HARDCORE

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Quang Vi Tran!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sun Tszu!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Alan Glass and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tran tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Tszu closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Tran quickly recovers to half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Tszu thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Tran's head.
Tszu keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Tszu not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tszu controlling the action here.
Tran looks like he's trying to stand up.
Tszu controlling the pace.
Tran pushes Tszu off looking to stand but Tszu dives back in and keeps control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tszu looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Let's hope that Tszu 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.
Tran is trying to stand up here but Tszu is controlling him well.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tszu trying to control from half guard but Tran is working away.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Tran clinches up with Tszu and pushes him back against the cage.
Tran is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Tran gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tszu.

Tszu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tran plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like Sun Tszu has been cut.
Tran tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tran checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Tran keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Tran is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Tszu.
Tszu throws a push kick but Tran slaps the foot to one side.

Tszu drives through with a takedown into Tran's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tszu wants to control from the top but Tran keeps moving.
Tszu prevents Tran from getting back to his feet.
Tszu stays in close to Tran's body and controls the position.
Tszu stands and throws Tran's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Tran is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Tszu is controlling him well.
Tszu just content to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Tszu are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Tszu trying to control the action but Tran is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tszu is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Tszu might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Tran haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Tran is working to avoid the ground and pound but Tszu connects with a decent elbow.

That's four 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.
Tszu taking a breather here.
Tran on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Tran tries to get out of the position.
Tszu cracks Tran with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Tszu trying to control the position but Tran is working away.
Tszu takes a little break here. Tran wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Tszu is working Tran over with some ground and pound from side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tszu happy to just control the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sun Tszu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sun Tszu'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.

Tszu shoots in and bounces Tran off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Tszu trying to control but Tran is working from the bottom.
Tszu has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tszu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tran works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Tszu won't allow Tran to get back to his feet.
Tszu's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tszu trying to control the position from guard on top but Tran is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Tszu advances to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tran is refusing to be controlled, as Tszu sits in half guard.
Tran tries to kick Tszu off but Tszu keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sun Tszu has got the better of the ground game so far.
Still in half guard, Tszu seems content to control.
Tszu throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tszu wants to control but Tran is keeping him busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Tszu closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Tran did well to prevent Tszu getting side control.
Tran is not content to let Tszu control the position.
Tszu is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tszu is trying to control the action in half guard but Tran is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tran wants to get back to his feet.
Tszu missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Tszu is keen to just control but Tran is a slippery customer.
Tszu is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Tszu has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Tszu trying to control from half guard but Tran is working away.
Tszu looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Tszu looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Tran!
Tszu throws an elbow but Tran slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tran is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Tran trying to remain calm as Tszu controls from the top position.
Tszu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tran keeps working.
Tran is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Tszu throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Tran wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tran is not content to let Tszu control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tszu working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
An elbow from Tszu crashes against the mat.
Tszu remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Tran wants to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tran chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tszu can pounce on him.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tran is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Tszu.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sun Tszu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sun Tszu's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Tszu throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Tran was covering up waiting for the punch and Tszu finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Tszu wants to control from the top but Tran keeps moving.
Tran is looking to stand up but Tszu isn't so interested in that idea.
Tszu is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tszu trying to control but Tran is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Tszu is stalling in the full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Tran rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tszu moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Tszu closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Tran to the mat! Tran manages to get full guard.
Tszu sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Tran's guard.
Tszu passes to side control.

Tszu is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tran is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Tran is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Tszu has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Quang Vi Tran has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tszu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tran keeps working.
Tszu throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Tszu throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Tszu moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Tszu creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Tszu advances to full mount.
Tszu tries to control but Tran wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tszu controlling from the full mount.
Tran wants to try and get back to his feet.
Tszu lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Tszu controlling his opponent.
Tran wants to get back to his feet.
Tszu trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Poor strikes thrown by Tszu there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tszu controlling his opponent.
Tszu can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tran is looking to escape.
Tszu looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tszu throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Tran because Tszu loaded up on that one.
Tszu thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Tszu trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tran wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Sun Tszu is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tran throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sun Tszu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tszu 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sun Tszu!
The defeated Quang Vi Tran had this to say: '.Ya..You may be the only person...left who believes in you, but it's enough. I..It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. Never give up..'.