PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Haru Tanaka (ranked 2284 p4p, 5295 weight class) and Cristiano Messi (ranked 201 p4p, 381 weight class). Cristiano Messi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Tanaka
vs
Messi

169 cm
26
153
5 - 3 - 0

187 cm
25
148
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Haru Tanaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cristiano Messi!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Steve Smith and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tanaka drives through and clinches with Messi against the cage.
Tanaka unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Tanaka unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Messi looks winded!
Tanaka crunches a lovely knee into Messi's ribcage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Tanaka.
Messi takes a knee right on the jaw!
Tanaka lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Tanaka landing knees to the body.
Tanaka lands a knee to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Tanaka obliges.
Tanaka lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Tanaka with a knee to the head.

Messi is rocked!

It looks like Cristiano Messi has been cut.
Tanaka has Messi pressed up against the cage in a tight Thai clinch. Messi is arching his back, trying to avoid the knees but a big one sneaks through from Tanaka - that's hurt Messi badly! Oh, another knee lands and Messi is covering up! The referee steps in to save him - possibly a bit early but Messi doesn't seem to be complaining.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:37 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knees). Haru Tanaka!