PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between freeman hall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tyson TapOut (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying TapOut's choice of entrance music: Bonkers- Dizzee Rascal and Amanda Van Helden. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

hall
vs
TapOut

190 cm
23
135 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

175 cm
20
140 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, freeman hall!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Tyson TapOut!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Steven Brown and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
hall rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but TapOut moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
TapOut shoots for a takedown but hall saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
TapOut has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
hall throws a nice looking combination but TapOut bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
hall throws a right hand that TapOut ducks under and follows up with a left that TapOut also avoids with ease.
hall swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
freeman hall seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

TapOut closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming hall to the mat! hall manages to get full guard.
hall really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

hall manages to escape and get back to his feet.
hall smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
TapOut uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by hall.
hall stuffs the takedown attempt from TapOut. TapOut gets slowly back to his feet.
hall scores with a three punch combo!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Some wild striking there from hall.
hall displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
TapOut closes this distance looking for a takedown but hall circles away.
freeman hall has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyson TapOut.
Nice sprawl there from hall as TapOut shoots in.
TapOut looks gassed!
hall swinging wilding here.
hall lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Horrible takedown by TapOut or perhaps it was just good defense by hall which made him look bad.
hall tries to clinch there but TapOut circles away.
hall stalks TapOut and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into TapOut's face. TapOut staggers backwards, shaken.
TapOut shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says hall as he avoids it easily.
hall throws a right and a left that TapOut avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
hall moves in looking to clinch but TapOut pushes him off.
freeman hall is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
TapOut dodges the punch combination from hall.
TapOut shoots in for a takedown but hall shows good takedown defense.
TapOut throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around hall's waist but hall gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing TapOut off to one side.
hall fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. TapOut looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
hall looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
TapOut looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? hall is fending him off so far but TapOut persists. Nope, hall circles away and we're back to standing.
hall misses with a two punch combination.
hall will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
hall rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but TapOut moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
TapOut avoids a punch combination nicely.

TapOut drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
TapOut trying to control but hall is working from the bottom.
TapOut stops hall from standing up.
TapOut tries to free his leg and advance position but hall is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
TapOut showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
hall will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
TapOut slips nicely into half guard.
TapOut tries to pass to full mount but hall defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

freeman hall dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

TapOut closes the distance and clinches up with hall, looking for a takedown. TapOut pushes hall against the cage but hall circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
hall misses with a two punch combination.
hall throws a series of punches but TapOut moves out of range.
hall lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
TapOut moves out of range as hall strikes.
hall misses with an uppercut. TapOut saw that one coming.
Some wild striking there from hall.
No luck for TapOut with that takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
hall rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but TapOut moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

TapOut shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
TapOut moves to back control.
TapOut trying to control momentarily.

TapOut is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. hall knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften hall for a finish.
TapOut biding his time, controlling hall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

TapOut looking for the choke from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

hall is having to fend off submission attempts from TapOut, who is looking to sink in the choke. TapOut doesn't have the hooks in though and hall manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
hall would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

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.
TapOut trying to control the position.
hall wants to stand and escape but instead TapOut has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
hall keeping moving, preventing TapOut from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyson TapOut showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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.

TapOut misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
TapOut shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
TapOut walks into a left hand.

TapOut looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
TapOut looking to sit in guard and control but hall gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
hall wants to get up but he can't break TapOut's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
TapOut is pulling down on hall's head. It's preventing any offense from hall, at least for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
TapOut controls hall momentarily but hall frees himself.
hall wants to stand and escape but instead TapOut has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
TapOut is pushing down on hall's leg trying to pass to half guard. hall is fighting to maintain full guard but TapOut has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
hall wants to get back to his feet.
TapOut trying to pass the guard but hall defending well.
hall tries to push off, looking to stand up, but TapOut manages to move to mount!
hall is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

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.

TapOut looking for a guillotine from mount but hall is having none of it.
hall wants to try and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyson TapOut really dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

TapOut tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but hall swivels and escapes.
hall misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
hall tries to clinch but TapOut moves out of range.
hall rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but TapOut moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
hall rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but TapOut moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Horrible takedown by TapOut or perhaps it was just good defense by hall which made him look bad.
hall misses with a wild combination.
hall 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.
TapOut closes this distance looking for a takedown but hall circles away.
freeman hall has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyson TapOut.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
TapOut shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with hall but hall pushes him off and we're back to square one.
hall throws a right hand that TapOut ducks under and follows up with a left that TapOut also avoids with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.

TapOut shoots in and bounces hall off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
TapOutis looking to pass into half guard but hall pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now hall is in guard.
TapOut working a defensive guard here.
hall stopping the sweep attempt from TapOut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
hall wants to stand but TapOut is controlling his posture from full guard.
hall being controlled here momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
TapOut wants to sweep but no luck.

TapOut is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
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.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

TapOut is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
TapOut has a closed guard, preventing hall from standing up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

TapOut drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
TapOut moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyson TapOut dominated that fourth round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

hall will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

TapOut looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for hall!
TapOut controlling the pace for now.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
TapOut with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
TapOut content just to control the position here.
Tyson TapOut is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
TapOut trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
TapOut takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
freeman hall has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
hall tries to buck TapOut off but he can't manage it.
TapOut sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Despite being in the dominant position, Tyson TapOut just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
TapOut shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
hall throws a series of punches but TapOut avoids them all with ease.

TapOut scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
TapOut wants to control but hall is keeping him busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tyson TapOut comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think TapOut has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 46:49
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 46:49
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 46:49

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tyson TapOut!
Tyson TapOut is the new bantamweight champion!