PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between James Young (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kostya Tszyu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Young comes to the cage accompanied by Dont Sweat The Technique. Tszyu comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Badstreet Atlanta Ga kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Young
vs
Tszyu

188 cm
22
164 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

178 cm
25
163 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Young!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kostya Tszyu!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Gregory Folan and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tszyu throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Young sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Young throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tszyu.
Young really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Tszyu circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tszyu misses with a hook. Young ducked under it nicely.
Young misses with a takedown attempt - Tszyu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Young throws a nice looking combination but Tszyu bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tszyu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
James Young seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tszyu scores with the left hand. Young knows he should have avoided that one.
A combination from Young does no damage.
Tszyu misses with a few strikes there.
Young swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tszyu missing with a left hand there. Young was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tszyu misses with a looping left.
Young ducks under a wild hook from Tszyu.

Young shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Young was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Tszyu is in all sorts of trouble here.
Young trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Young sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young with good strikes from the mount here!
Young trying to control but Tszyu is having none of it.
Tszyu is working to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Young scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Tszyu?

Young has control of Tszyu's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Tszyu regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Young scoring with strikes but Tszyu is staying in there.
Tszyu really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Young trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Tszyu can't escape the position.

Tszyu defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Young.

Young wants to finish this one by submission but Tszyu is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Young.
Tszyu throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Young prevents Tszyu from getting the reversal.
Tszyu throwing hammer fists to the chest of Young. What's that going to do exactly?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Tszyu sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Tszyu is looking for a sweep. Young is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tszyu regains full guard. Nicely done.
Tszyu is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Young thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Young is breathing heavily.
Young preventing the sweep.
Tszyu striking off his back but it's not causing Young any problems.
Young stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tszyu swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Young stops Tszyu from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Tszyu blocks a head kick by Young.
Tszyu takes a swing at Young's ribcage but misses.
Tszyu swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Young throws and low kick but Tszyu moves out of range easily.
Young wants to slow Tszyu down by chopping away at his legs.
Tszyu falls off balance throwing a combination
and Young counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Tszyu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tszyu fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
A slow jab from Tszyu misses its intended target.
Young fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Young fails in his attempt to clinch.
Young shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Young. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Young showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tszyu.
Tszyu thows a left - swing and a miss!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that James Young will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Young lands a right hook to the body.
Young swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Tszyu counters with a series of strikes. Young will be more careful next time no doubt.
Tszyu with a jab.
Young tries to close the distance and clinch but Tszyu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Young scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Young moves out of range as Tszyu strikes.
A head kick misses from Young.
Young throws a chopping leg kick but Tszyu manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Young throws a leg kick that misses.
A decent looking cross lands there for Tszyu.
Tszyu missing with a left hand there. Young was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tszyu misses the jab.
Tszyu thows a left - swing and a miss!
Young tries to clinch there but Tszyu circles away.
A big right from Tszyu misses.
Tszyu swinging wilding here.
Young throws a head kick but Tszyu moves out of range.
James Young is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tszyu misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tszyu throws a jab but it's blocked by Young.

Young has Tszyu up against the cage in a clinch.

Tszyu manages to break the clinch.
Young closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Kostya Tszyu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tszyu throws a left and a right that both miss
and Young counters with a nice uppercut.
Young looks to land a combination but Tszyu avoids it well.
Young throws a sloppy head kick and Tszyu moves out of range easily.
Tszyu might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Young tries to clinch but Tszyu moves out of range.
Tszyu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Young ducks under a wild hook from Tszyu.
Some wild striking there from Young.
Young ducks under a wild hook from Tszyu.
Young scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Young scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Tszyu swinging wilding here.
Tszyu dodges the punch combination from Young.
Tszyu lands a nice shot that snaps Young's head back.
Young looks for a takedown but Tszyu sprawls well.
Young misses with a low kick as Tszyu jumps back.
Tszyu cracks Young with an open hand slap.
Young throws a hook but Tszyu avoids it easily.
Young is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tszyu throws a shot from downtown. Young moves away and avoids it.
Tszyu throws an overhand right that lands on Young's shoulder, as Young tries to avoid the shot.
Young tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tszyu throws the left hand but Young avoids the punch easily.
Tszyu throws a looping overhand right but Young ducks down to avoid it.
Tszyu throws a series of punches but Young moves out of range.
Tszyu misses with a hook. Young ducked under it nicely.
Young falls off balance throwing a combination
and Tszyu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Young uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tszyu.
Young tries to clinch up but Tszyu circles away and keeps his distance.
Young misses with a double jab.
Young looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Young misses with a takedown attempt
and Tszyu counters with a nice body shot.
Good standup being displayed there by Tszyu as he connects with a hook.
Young throws a front kick aimed at Tszyu's knee but Tszyu avoids it well.
Tszyu looks to land a left hand but Young moved out of range nicely.
A big right from Tszyu misses.
Kostya Tszyu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Young tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tszyu swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Young.
Tszyu misses with a looping left.
Tszyu throws a one two combo.
Young goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Tszyu throws a right and a left that Young avoids nicely.
Tszyu jabs Young right on the nose. Young blinks but takes it well.

Young is rocked!
Tszyu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Oh Young is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Young moves away from the strike by Tszyu.
Young has his takedown stuffed
and Tszyu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Young. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Young fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tszyu looks to land a left hand but Young moved out of range nicely.
Tszyu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Young seems to have got his legs back now.
Young dodges the punch combination from Tszyu.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kostya Tszyu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Young drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Tszyu is trying to buck Young off.
Young avoids the strikes from the bottom by Tszyu.
Tszyu regains half guard.
Young seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tszyu does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Young is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Tszyu!
Tszyu is desperately trying to improve his position but Young has a good base and remains in mount.
Tszyu sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Tszyu is trying to stand back up but Young is controlling him
Young is thwarting Tszyu's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tszyu is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Young's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Young's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young is trying to stand back up.

Tszyu looking to break Young's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Young remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Tszyu will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Tszyu thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

Young defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Young rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Young slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Young avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Tszyu looking to pass the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tszyu accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Young throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Young wants to sweep but no luck.
Tszyu tries to free his leg and advance position but Young is retaining full guard.
Young looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tszyu postures up and lands a big shot to Young's brow.
Young looking for a sweep. Not yet Young, not yet.

Tszyu postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Young is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Tszyu, into his guard.
Tszyu is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young regains full guard. Nicely done.
Young looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tszyu is one step ahead there.
Tszyu wants to pass the guard but Young is keeping the position.
Young throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Young keeping moving, preventing Tszyu from controlling successfully.
Tszyu postures up and lands a big shot to Young's brow.

Young has his foot on Tszyu's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tszyu works his way back into a safe position though.
Tszyu tries to free his leg and advance position but Young is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tszyu displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
The fighters circling - Tszyu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Young misses with the combination.
Tszyu misses with a hook.
Young displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Tszyu throws out the jab.
Young needs to keep his hands up - Tszyu had a free shot at his head there.
Young closes the distance but Tszyu moves to the side
and Tszyu counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kostya Tszyu.
I think Tszyu has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kostya Tszyu!