PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Renato Laranja (ranked 2359 p4p, 2551 weight class) and Tomohiro Tanahashi (ranked 314 p4p, 338 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Laranja might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Sepultura - The Hunt. Tanahashi has chosen Nightcore - High Energy as his entrance music. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Tomohiro Tanahashi enters the cage!

Laranja
vs
Tanahashi

178 cm
32
177
6 - 10 - 0

194 cm
34
185
6 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Renato Laranja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tomohiro Tanahashi!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Daniel Franklin and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanahashi looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Tanahashi lands the left hand.
Laranja takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Nice straight punches there by Laranja. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Laranja.
Laranja slips under a jab.
It looked like Laranja wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Laranja throws a low kick but Tanahashi avoids it.
Tanahashi loads up on a big right hand but Laranja slips the punch.
Laranja takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Tanahashi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Laranja.
Tanahashi uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Laranja has time to react.

Tanahashi moves into range and clinches up with Laranja.
A short left from Tanahashi.
Laranja lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Tanahashi backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A head punch on the inside from Tanahashi fails to land.
Laranja tries to work over Tanahashi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Tanahashi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Laranja slips a jab from Tanahashi.
A little feinted left hand from Laranja on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laranja misses with a double jab
and Laranja takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Laranja throws the left hand but Tanahashi avoids the punch easily.
Tanahashi slips under a jab from Laranja.
Laranja with a hook.
Laranja misses with a right hand
enabling Tanahashi to counter with a crisp jab.
Tanahashi needs to keep his hands up - Laranja had a free shot at his head there.
Laranja looks to land a left hand but Tanahashi moved out of range nicely.
Laranja stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Tanahashi.
Donk. Tanahashi catches Laranja right on the button with a cross.
Laranja on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Tanahashi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tanahashi misses with an uppercut. Laranja saw that one coming.
Laranja misses with a hook. Tanahashi ducked under it nicely.
Tanahashi has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Laranja ducks right into an uppercut from Tanahashi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laranja ducks under a wild hook from Tanahashi.
Tanahashi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Laranja throws out the jab.
Laranja slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Laranja throws a hook but Tanahashi avoids it easily.
Tanahashi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A slow jab from Laranja misses its intended target.
Laranja looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Tanahashi slips a straight right by Laranja.
Tomohiro Tanahashi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tanahashi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Laranja.
Laranja wants to land a leg kick but Tanahashi is out of range.
Tanahashi throws a sloppy head kick and Laranja moves out of range easily.
Tanahashi throws a body shot but no joy.
A jab from Tanahashi misses.
Tanahashi throws a jab when Laranja was well out of range.
Laranja takes a jab right on the kisser.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laranja connects with a jab.
Laranja looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Tanahashi connects with a high kick.
Tanahashi throws a hook but Laranja blocks it.
Laranja was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Laranja lands a head shot.
Tanahashi looks to throw the jab but Laranja is out of range.
Tanahashi throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Laranja sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Tanahashi's corner calls for a 1-2. Tanahashi obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Tanahashi lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Laranja swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Tanahashi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Laranja uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Tanahashi has time to react.
Laranja takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Laranja throws a front kick that sends Tanahashi stumbling back into the cage.
Tanahashi throws a head kick but Laranja moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laranja misses with a looping right.
Tanahashi let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Laranja lands with a hook. Tanahashi tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Tanahashi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Laranja throws out the jab.
Tanahashi takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Laranja uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tanahashi.
Laranja misses with a lunging right hand
and Tanahashi counters with a one-two to the body.
A jab from Tanahashi misses.
A low kick lands for Tanahashi.
Tanahashi slips under a jab from Laranja.
Laranja misses with a wild body shot.
Tanahashi misses with a looping left.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laranja with a jab.
A head kick misses from Laranja.
Tanahashi throws a front kick that sends Laranja stumbling back into the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tomohiro Tanahashi dominated that round.
That's time! Laranja's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A slow jab from Laranja misses its intended target.
Tanahashi looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Tanahashi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Laranja takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Tanahashi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tomohiro Tanahashi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Laranja connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Tanahashi lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Tanahashi checks a leg kick nicely.
Laranja takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Laranja thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nice body punch from Laranja.
Laranja avoids the head kick by Tanahashi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanahashi misses with a straight right.
Tanahashi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Laranja jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Laranja with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Tanahashi to score with a decent uppercut.
Tanahashi loads up on a big right hand but Laranja slips the punch.
Laranja throwing a counter right hand but Tanahashi manages to avoid it.
Tanahashi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laranja connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Tanahashi's hands.
Laranja takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Tanahashi misses with a hook. Laranja ducked under it nicely.
Laranja dodges the punch combination from Tanahashi.
Laranja misses with a body shot.
Tanahashi walks into a straight right hand from Laranja.
Tanahashi throws a series of punches but Laranja avoids them all with ease.
Tanahashi turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Tanahashi throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Laranja misses with a hook
and Tanahashi counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Tanahashi slips a straight right by Laranja.
Tanahashi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Laranja was well out of range. Poor timing from Tanahashi.
Tanahashi scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tanahashi misses with a straight left.
Tanahashi lands a glancing blow to the side of Laranja's head.
Laranja pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tanahashi lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Laranja jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Laranja tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tanahashi was well out of range. Poor timing from Laranja.
Tanahashi is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Laranja ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Tanahashi keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A head kick from Tanahashi lands but Laranja takes it in his stride.
Laranja fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Laranja loads up on a big right hand but Tanahashi slips the punch.
Tanahashi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Tanahashi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Laranja manages to avoid it.
Tanahashi looks to throw the jab but Laranja is out of range.
Tanahashi slips a straight right by Laranja.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laranja ducks under a wild hook from Tanahashi.
Laranja keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tanahashi.
Tanahashi throws a looping overhand right but Laranja ducks down to avoid it.
Laranja swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Tanahashi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Laranja throws a big shot that misses.
Tanahashi throws a head kick that misses.
Laranja lands with a kick to the ribs.
Laranja slips a straight right by Tanahashi.
Tanahashi throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Laranja counters with a low kick, right behind Tanahashi 's knee.
Laranja throws a shot from downtown. Tanahashi moves away and avoids it.
Tanahashi throws a jab when Laranja was well out of range.
Laranja swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tanahashi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Laranja.
Tanahashi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laranja pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tanahashi throws a looping overhand right but Laranja ducks down to avoid it.
Laranja misses with a body punch
and Tanahashi makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Tanahashi throws a shot from downtown. Laranja moves away and avoids it.
Laranja looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Laranja throws a hook but Tanahashi blocks it.
Laranja is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tanahashi.
Tanahashi throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tanahashi throws a sloppy body shot
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Tanahashi moves out of range as Laranja strikes.
Tanahashi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Laranja circles away quickly and effectively.
Tanahashi misses with a hook
enabling Laranja to counter with a crisp jab.
Laranja jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Tanahashi slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Tanahashi misses with a body kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tomohiro Tanahashi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

A jab from Laranja misses.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tanahashi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A little feinted left hand from Laranja on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Tanahashi fails to land with a series of punches.
Laranja was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Laranja moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Laranja misses with a jab to the body
and Tanahashi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Tanahashi with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Laranja to score with a decent uppercut.
Nice straight punches there by Tanahashi. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Tanahashi.
Tanahashi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tanahashi has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Laranja finds it's way round the side to connect with Tanahashi's head.
Tanahashi misses with a low kick as Laranja jumps back.
Tanahashi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Laranja.
Tanahashi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A head kick misses from Laranja.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laranja tests Tanahashi's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Tanahashi misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Laranja counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Tanahashi lands a jab to the nose.
Laranja lands a nice looking body shot.
Tanahashi lands a head shot.
Tanahashi misses with a head kick.
A little feinted left hand from Laranja on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Tanahashi throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Tanahashi misses with an uppercut.
Tanahashi lands the left hand.
Laranja takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Tanahashi staying out of range there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Laranja slips a straight right by Tanahashi.
Laranja looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Laranja throws a wild body kick that Tanahashi sees coming a mile off.
A big right from Laranja misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laranja throws a jab but it's blocked by Tanahashi.
Tanahashi takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A telegraphed right hand from Tanahashi misses the target.
Laranja getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A slow jab from Tanahashi misses its intended target.
A slow jab from Laranja misses its intended target.
Tanahashi moves out of range as Laranja strikes.
Tanahashi flicks out a counter leg kick but Laranja steps away.
Laranja avoids the head kick by Tanahashi.
Laranja shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Laranja jabs at Tanahashi's body.
Laranja throws a poor cross that misses
and Tanahashi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Tanahashi misses the shot to the body.
Laranja was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Laranja with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Tanahashi misses the shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laranja looks to land a right hand but Tanahashi moved out of range.
Laranja takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Laranja lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Laranja jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Laranja swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tanahashi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A good leg kick by Tanahashi.
Laranja moves out of range of the strikes.
Tanahashi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Tanahashi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tanahashi throws a hook but Laranja blocks it.
Donk. Tanahashi catches Laranja right on the button with a cross.
Tanahashi scores with a hook to the body. Laranja takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanahashi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tanahashi jabs Laranja right on the nose. Laranja blinks but takes it well.
Laranja ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Laranja throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
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!
Laranja takes a swing at Tanahashi's ribcage but misses.
A little jabbing left from Tanahashi on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
A head kick misses from Laranja.
Tanahashi throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Laranja to counter with a crisp jab.
Laranja comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Tanahashi lands a head kick. Laranja smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Tanahashi slips under a jab.
Tanahashi scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Laranja swings away with a body shot that misses
and Tanahashi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Renato Laranja has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Laranja throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tomohiro Tanahashi.
Well Tanahashi 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tomohiro Tanahashi!
Our winner, Tomohiro Tanahashi, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.