PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Amri Mbeki (ranked 2167 p4p, 669 weight class) and Chris Tamburello (ranked 229 p4p, 75 weight class). Mbeki comes to the cage accompanied by Intro. Tamburello has chosen Going Out of Style - Dropkick Murphys as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mbeki
vs
Tamburello

195 cm
29
267
12 - 12 - 0

192 cm
29
255
12 - 13 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

Groove Gear
Conviction

Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

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 12 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Amri Mbeki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Chris Tamburello!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Shimada and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tamburello connects with a body shot that sends Mbeki's belly button to the back.
Mbeki shoots in looking for a takedown but Tamburello manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Mbeki's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mbeki throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tamburello's waist but Tamburello gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mbeki off to one side.
Tamburello throws out a counter right but Mbeki avoids it with no problem.
Mbeki fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Amri Mbeki. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tamburello rushes Mbeki and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mbeki has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tamburello is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Tamburello stalling.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Mbeki.
Mbeki prevents a body shot from Tamburello.
Tamburello goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tamburello tries to throw a body punch but Mbeki avoids it by throwing Tamburello back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tamburello lands a right hand.
Mbeki prevents a body shot from Tamburello.
Tamburello tries a body shot but Mbeki blocks it.

Mbeki breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mbeki has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Gold Samurai's Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Nice body punch from Tamburello.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mbeki tries to clinch up.
Mbeki ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Tamburello lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Mbeki at a distance.
Mbeki walks into a stiff left hand from Tamburello.
Tamburello just misses with a punch to the body.
Tamburello walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Tamburello throws a shot from downtown. Mbeki moves away and avoids it.
Mbeki dives in for a single leg takedown but Tamburello sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Tamburello lands a body shot.
Tamburello tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tamburello goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Mbeki drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Tamburello gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Tamburello gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Mbeki.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mbeki is trying to break the clinch but Tamburello is controlling him.
Mbeki goes for a takedown attempt but Tamburello pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Mbeki drives through with a takedown into guard.

Tamburello has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Mbeki is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mbeki has had enough of the clinch but Tamburello keeps him there for the moment.
Mbeki's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Tamburello tries to work over Mbeki's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tamburello misses with a body punch.
Good body shot from Tamburello.
A right hook to the body lands for Tamburello.
Tamburello works on Mbeki's body with a couple of short punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tamburello swings wildly with an uppercut but Mbeki uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tamburello lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Mbeki is breathing heavily.
Tamburello misses with a body punch.
Mbeki wants a takedown but no success here.
Mbeki drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Tamburello gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Tamburello lands a nice uppercut.

Mbeki gets control of Tamburello's arms and successfully pulls guard. Mbeki will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Tamburello working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Tamburello postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Tamburello keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Mbeki's head.
Tamburello distracts Mbeki with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Tamburello's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Tamburello makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mbeki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Tamburello defends it easily.
Tamburello content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Tamburello working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mbeki's head.
Tamburello trying to control but Mbeki is working from the bottom.

Mbeki looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Tamburello scoring with punches to the head and body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tamburello wants to control from the top but Mbeki keeps moving.
Tamburello chips away with some ground and pound.
Tamburello is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Tamburello chips away with some ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Tamburello dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Tamburello defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mbeki.
Tamburello connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Mbeki momentarily.
Mbeki doesn't manage to clinch there - Tamburello circles away.
Tamburello has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mbeki throws a hook to the side of Tamburello's head but Tamburello sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Tamburello appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Tamburello. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Nice shot lands for Mbeki.

Mbeki clinches up against the cage.
Tamburello tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tamburello misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Mbeki looking for a takedown.
Tamburello can't find room to land a body shot as Mbeki controls the action.
The referee calls for Tamburello to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mbeki prevents a body shot from Tamburello.

Mbeki ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Mbeki no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Tamburello is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tamburello distracts Mbeki with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tamburello working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Tamburello postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Tamburello working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mbeki's head.
Tamburello pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mbeki is keeping the position for now.
Tamburello is working Mbeki over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Tamburello cracks Mbeki with a solid left hand.
Tamburello with a nice head shot there.
Chris Tamburello has got the better of the ground game so far.

Tamburello got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mbeki has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tamburello has managed to get both his arms back between Mbeki's legs - danger averted.
Tamburello passes Mbeki's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Mbeki has hold of Tamburello's hands but Tamburello slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Tamburello winds up and cracks Mbeki with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Tamburello is nestled in close to Mbeki, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tamburello looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ground and pound from Tamburello.
Tamburello working the head and body with strikes.
Tamburello working the head and body with strikes.
Mbeki controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Tamburello lands strikes from half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tamburello slips a nice elbow through Mbeki's hands, connecting with Mbeki's forehead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mbeki is looking to control Tamburello's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mbeki avoid being mounted?
Tamburello working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Tamburello scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Mbeki is rocked!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Tamburello connects with a nice short shot to Mbeki's temple.
Oh Mbeki is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Tamburello blocks the strikes from Mbeki.
Mbeki seems to have got his legs back now.
Tamburello is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Mbeki!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tamburello scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Mbeki?
Tamburello loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Mbeki scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Tamburello land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Tamburello stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:24 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Chris Tamburello!