PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vinicius Tonioli (ranked 3506 p4p, 3959 weight class) and Akira Tatsumoto (ranked 454 p4p, 502 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tonioli
vs
Tatsumoto

185 cm
26
200
3 - 4 - 0

186 cm
27
192
3 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Highland Clothing

Highland Clothing
Kore Fight Nutrition

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vinicius Tonioli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Akira Tatsumoto!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Paul Tew and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tatsumoto listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Tatsumoto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Tatsumoto has managed to clinch.
Tatsumoto working Tonioli over with knees to the body.
Tonioli is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Tonioli pushes Tatsumoto back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Tonioli.
Tonioli working aggressively here.
Tonioli blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Tatsumoto blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Tonioli stalls.
Tonioli blocks an elbow strike.
Tonioli slows down the pace here.
Tatsumoto lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Tonioli gets through Tatsumoto's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tatsumoto goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonioli can't find room to land a body shot as Tatsumoto controls the action.
Tatsumoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Tonioli avoids it.
Tonioli dodges an elbow strike from Tatsumoto.
Tonioli misses with a body punch.
Tatsumoto prevents a body shot from Tonioli.
Tonioli definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Tatsumoto misses with a body punch.
Tonioli makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Tonioli tries to throw a body punch but Tatsumoto avoids it by throwing Tonioli back against the cage.
Tatsumoto working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Tonioli works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Tatsumoto misses with a punch to the body.
Tatsumoto lands an elbow inside that Tonioli shrugs off.

It looks like Vinicius Tonioli has been cut.
Tonioli has Tatsumoto pushed against the cage.
Tatsumoto throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Tonioli goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tonioli is leaning against Tatsumoto and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Tonioli tries to throw a body punch but Tatsumoto avoids it by throwing Tonioli back against the cage.
Tonioli misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tatsumoto pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonioli misses with a punch on the inside.
Tonioli doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tatsumoto throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Tatsumoto tries to work over Tonioli's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tonioli misses with a body punch.
Tatsumoto lands with a short punch from the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tatsumoto misses with the head strike.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Tonioli.
Tonioli lands a body punch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Tatsumoto.
Tatsumoto landing knees to the head.
Tonioli tries to throw a body punch but Tatsumoto avoids it by throwing Tonioli back against the cage.
Tatsumoto trying to land knees to the body.
Tatsumoto throws an elbow but it's blocked.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Tonioli lands with a short shot to the head.
Tonioli misses with the head strike.
Tonioli blocks an elbow strike from Tatsumoto.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonioli makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Tatsumoto looking to throw knees to the head but Tonioli is blocking nicely.
Tatsumoto throws an elbow but it misses.
Tatsumoto misses with a short punch on the inside.
Tonioli cracks Tatsumoto with a nice body shot.
Tatsumoto prevents a body shot from Tonioli.
Tatsumoto scores a nice knee to the body.
Tonioli blocks the elbow strike.
Tatsumoto with an attempt at a knee that misses.
We've been informed that Tatsumoto has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Tonioli scores with a hook to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tatsumoto.
Tonioli lands with a left to the head.
Tatsumoto makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Tonioli lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Tatsumoto backwards.
A short right from Tonioli on the inside.
Tonioli lands a shoulder strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tatsumoto pushes off an throws an elbow but Tonioli leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Tonioli struggles to land a body shot inside as Tatsumoto controls his hands.
Tonioli lands a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tatsumoto tries to land a knee to the head but Tonioli blocks with his arms.
Tonioli wants to stall.
Tonioli throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Tatsumoto lands an elbow just above Tonioli 's eye.
Tonioli makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Tonioli tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tonioli avoids a wild elbow strike from Tatsumoto.
Tonioli tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tatsumoto lands a knee to the head.
Tonioli dodges an elbow strike from Tatsumoto.
Tonioli lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Tonioli on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Tonioli lands a shoulder strike.
Tonioli avoids the elbow strike from Tatsumoto, against the cage.
Tonioli throws a head punch that misses.
Tonioli slows down the pace here.
Tonioli scores with a shot to the side of Tatsumoto's head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Vinicius Tonioli will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vinicius Tonioli's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Tatsumoto scores with a nice strike.
Tatsumoto dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Tonioli on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Tonioli throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Tatsumoto counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Tonioli tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tatsumoto was well out of range. Poor timing from Tonioli.
Tatsumoto looks to land a combination but Tonioli avoids it well.
Tatsumoto throws a sloppy head kick and Tonioli moves out of range easily.

Tatsumoto clinches with his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tatsumoto is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Tonioli is defending well for now.
Tonioli lands a body shot.
A nice right hand lands inside from Tonioli.
Tonioli misses with a body punch.
Tonioli tries a body shot but Tatsumoto blocks it.
Tonioli misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatsumoto misses with an elbow over the top.
Tatsumoto blocks a body shot from Tonioli.
Tatsumoto misses with an elbow over the top.
Tatsumoto misses with an elbow over the top.
Tatsumoto misses with a knee to the head.
Tonioli digs a right hand underneath Tatsumoto's ribcage. Tatsumoto let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Tatsumoto is breathing heavily.
Tonioli tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tatsumoto's elbow.
Tonioli lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Tonioli working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Tatsumoto's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Tonioli dodges an elbow strike from Tatsumoto.
Tatsumoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Tonioli avoids it.
Tonioli scores with a nice hook to the head.
Tatsumoto creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Tonioli's defenses.
Still in the clinch, Tonioli scores with a nice short uppercut.
Tonioli lands a nice shot to the body.
Tatsumoto pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tatsumoto tries to land knees in the clinch but Tonioli avoids the damage to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonioli scores with a shoulder strike.
Tonioli blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Tonioli tries to work over Tatsumoto's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tonioli lands with a right to the head.
Tonioli is working Tatsumoto over against the cage.
Tonioli avoids the elbow strike from Tatsumoto, against the cage.
Tatsumoto scores a nice knee to the body.
Tonioli scores with a shoulder strike.

Tatsumoto is rocked!
Still in the clinch, Tonioli scores with a nice short uppercut.
Tatsumoto is still on wobbly legs! Can Tonioli finish him?
Tatsumoto misses with an elbow strike.
Tatsumoto tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tatsumoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Tonioli avoids it.
Tonioli stalls.
Tonioli lands a right hand.
A bit of stalling here from Tonioli.
Tonioli presses Tatsumoto against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Tonioli throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Vinicius Tonioli has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Tonioli lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Tatsumoto is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Tonioli is defending well for now.
A nice right hand lands inside from Tonioli.
Tonioli slowing the pace effectively.
Tonioli 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.
Tonioli pushes Tatsumoto back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Tatsumoto looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonioli pushes Tatsumoto back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Tonioli has Tatsumoto pushed against the cage.
Tatsumoto with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tonioli content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Tonioli's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Nice elbow from Tatsumoto.

Vinicius Tonioli's cut is getting worse.
Tonioli lands a body punch.
Tatsumoto seems to have recovered his senses.
A short body shot lands from Tonioli as the two fighters clinch.
Tonioli is working Tatsumoto over against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Tonioli - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Tatsumoto pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A short uppercut from Tonioli.
Tatsumoto pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Good body shot from Tonioli.
Tonioli is working Tatsumoto over against the cage.
Tonioli digs a right hand into Tatsumoto's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Tatsumoto's gas tank.
Tonioli lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Tatsumoto.
Tonioli pushes Tatsumoto back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonioli lands a body shot in the clinch.
Tonioli lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tonioli is working Tatsumoto over against the cage.
A short left from Tonioli.
Tonioli digs a right hand into Tatsumoto's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Tatsumoto's gas tank.
A nice right hand lands inside from Tonioli.
A nice left hand lands by Tonioli.
Tonioli lands a body punch in the clinch.
Tonioli lands with a right to the head.
Tonioli manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Tonioli cracks Tatsumoto with a nice body shot.
Tonioli pushes Tatsumoto against the cage. Tonioli is working some dirty boxing. Tonioli pushes off with a quick right hook! Tatsumoto goes down! Tatsumoto tries to stand but stumbles back to his kness! Tonioli moves in to finish and the ref steps in to prevent any more damage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vinicius Tonioli!