PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chandler Tyson (ranked 1268 p4p, 1301 weight class) and Xi Li (ranked 180 p4p, 184 weight class). Li has chosen HYFR by Drake featuring Lil Wayne as his entrance music. Chandler Tyson had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Tyson
vs
Li

175 cm
33
272
14 - 11 - 0

197 cm
34
213
19 - 10 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Chandler Tyson !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xi Li!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Josh West and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tyson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Li moves into the clinch.
Li is trying to maintain a safe position but Tyson gets an underhook and turns Li into the cage.
Tyson jumps guard but Li stands there with Tyson around his waist. Tyson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Li lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Chandler Tyson has been cut.

Tyson manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Tyson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Tyson is striking off his back. Li thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Li winds up and cracks Tyson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Li not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tyson 's coaches at Advanced Fitness Inc. have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Li perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The fighters are battling for position here. Tyson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Tyson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Li got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tyson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Li has managed to get both his arms back between Tyson 's legs - danger averted.
Li looking to pass the guard.

Tyson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Li stays in close to Tyson 's body and controls the position.

Tyson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Tyson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Li controlling from the top position.

Tyson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tyson pulls Li in close to his closed guard and prevents Li from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tyson looking for a guillotine here but Li defends easily.

Tyson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Li passes Tyson 's left leg - he's now in half guard.

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.
Tyson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Li missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Li prevents Tyson from improving his position.

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

Li gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Li misses with a short punch on the inside.
Tyson jumps guard but Li stands there with Tyson around his waist. Tyson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chandler Tyson . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tyson fails to pull guard.
Li throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Li lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tyson tries to pull guard but Li won't allow it.
Tyson is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Li is defending well.
Tyson is breathing heavily.
Li stalling the fight.
Tyson jumps guard but Li stands there with Tyson around his waist. Tyson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Tyson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Xi Li dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Chandler Tyson 's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tyson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Li smiles and moves away.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Li. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

Li moves into the clinch successfully.
Li tries a body shot but Tyson blocks it.
Li stalling the fight.
Tyson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Li with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Li has a couple of punches blocked by Tyson .

Tyson decides to pull guard.
Li wants to control from the top but Tyson keeps moving.
Li looking to sit in guard and control but Tyson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tyson has gone for a leg lock! Li slips out almost immediately though and dives into Tyson 's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tyson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Tyson looking for a sweep. Not yet Tyson , not yet.

Tyson is looking for a triangle here but Li uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Tyson is looking to reverse the position.
Li postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Li wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Tyson , who protects the arm well.
Tyson tries to buck Li off but Li is having none of it.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Tyson is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Li is one step ahead and moves to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tyson working to try and regain half guard.
Tyson regains half guard.
Tyson wants to get back to full guard but Li has passed into side control.
Li content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
You can see the frustration on Tyson 's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
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.
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.
Tyson is trying to get back to half guard.
Tyson is not content to let Li control the position.
Tyson sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tyson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Li is working away from the top position though.
Tyson wants to get back to full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Xi Li showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Chandler Tyson 's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Li moves into the clinch successfully.
Tyson 's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Tyson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Li creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Li lands a knee to the head.
Tyson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Li smiles and moves away.
Li cracks Tyson with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Li closes the distance and clinches.
Tyson wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chandler Tyson . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Li throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tyson blocks it with crossed arms.
Li lands a hook to the side of the head.
A right hand to the body from Li.
Knees in the clinch landing for Li.
Li unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Xi Li seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li lands a right hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Li lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Tyson backwards.
Tyson letting Li take a breather here.
Tyson is working for takedown but Li is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li lands an uppercut.
Nice elbow from Li.
Li landing knees to the head.
Li lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Tyson backwards.
Li works on Tyson 's body with a couple of short punches.
Li throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Tyson s head.
Li lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Li cracks Tyson with a nice body shot.
Li throws a knee to the head but misses.
A short uppercut from Li.
Li tries to work over Tyson 's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Li lands a nice knee to the body.
Li lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Li has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Li digs a right hand into Tyson 's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Tyson 's gas tank.
A short right from Li.
Li lands a right hand that snaps the head of Tyson backwards.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Li.
Li working Tyson over with knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Li obliges.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Chandler Tyson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Li is struggling to control the position.
Li lands with a light punch inside.
Li lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Li lands a left hand that snaps the head of Tyson backwards.
Li lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Li.
A shot in the inside from Li.
Li is struggling to control the position.
Li working Tyson over with knees to the body.
Li working Tyson over with knees to the body.
Li slowing the pace effectively.
Li works on Tyson 's body with a couple of short punches.
Li landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Li lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Li lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A short right from Li on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li stops a takedown attempt from Tyson .
Li landing knees to the body.
Li tries to work over Tyson 's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Li has Tyson pressed against the cage.
Li lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Li lands a hook to the side of the head.
Li with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Chandler Tyson 's cut is getting worse.
Good body shot from Li.
Li with a knee to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Li.
Li manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Tyson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Li prevents it.
Li crunches a lovely knee into Tyson 's ribcage.
A right handed body shot lands from Li.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li pushes Tyson back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Li using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Li doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Li scores with a hook to the body.
Li softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Li lands a shoulder strike.
Knees in the clinch landing for Li.
Nice elbow from Li.
Li lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Li throws a knee to the head but misses.
Tyson is trying to drag Li to the mat but Li just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Li unloads a knee to the mid-section.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Li lands with a light punch inside.
Tyson takes a shot to the head.
Tyson tries to pull guard but Li forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Li scores with a nice hook to the head.
Li lands with a right to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Xi Li comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Li 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 26:30
Judge Josh West scores the fight 26:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Xi Li!
Xi Li gave a mention to The Thrift Shop - Cheap Clothes and Laundry in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).