PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tanishk Soni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Dunham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Soni
vs
Dunham

200 cm
23
200 lbs
7 - 7 - 1

190 cm
22
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 1, fighting out of London, Tanishk Soni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Steve Dunham!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Andrew Berry and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soni takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Soni moves into the clinch.

Soni breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dunham throws a right and a left that both miss.
Soni tries to land a front kick but Dunham steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Soni fails with a takedown attempt.

Soni looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Dunham!
Dunham is trying to escape the mount.
Dunham is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Dunham tries to hold on but Soni postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dunham working to try and regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dunham tries to control the position but Soni now has his back.
Soni keeps control of the position as Dunham tries to break free.
Dunham looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

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.
Dunham manages to reverse the position and now he's in Soni's guard. Nice work there by Dunham.
Soni wants to sweep here but Dunham controlling him for the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Soni drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Dunham can't keep his opponent in guard - Soni advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Soni is breathing heavily.
Dunham is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dunham wants to improve his position but Soni is controlling well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Dunham throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Dunham flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Soni blocks the strikes from Dunham.
Dunham is looking to improve his position.
Dunham moves into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Dunham manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Dunham pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dunham landing strikes, looking to finish!
Dunham punishing his opponent with strikes.
Dunham wants to control the pace but Soni is squirming around nicely.
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 Tanishk Soni will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Soni dodges the punch combination from Dunham.

Soni shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Soni knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Dunham on the ground.
Dunham is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Soni's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Soni's back!
Dunham struggling to land strikes to the head as Soni covers up.

Soni defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Dunham's arms.
Dunham is trying to control but Soni is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Dunham has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dunham lands a big elbow.
Dunham working Soni over with strikes here.
Soni is in all sorts of trouble here.
Dunham working the ground and pound effectively.
Dunham has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Soni's face.

Dunham is going olschool here, as he tries to force Soni to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Soni shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dunham is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Soni can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Dunham lands a big shot there that rocks Soni but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Soni avoids a series of strikes thrown by Dunham.
Dunham connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Dunham looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Dunham misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dunham controlling from the full mount.

Dunham goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Soni is on top in guard.
Dunham trying to keep a closed guard but Soni is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dunham throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Dunham bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Soni's guard.
Dunham wants to control from the top but Soni keeps moving.
Dunham scoring with punches to the head and body.
Soni utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dunham wants to control from the top but Soni keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Dunham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Dunham swinging wilding here.
Dunham leaves Soni with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Dunham will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Soni has a takedown stuffed.
Dunham throws a lazy right hand but Soni sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Soni takes a swing at Dunham's ribcage but misses.
Dunham misses with a body punch

and Soni counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Soni.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dunham trying to stall but Soni improves his position.
Soni tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Dunham just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tanishk Soni. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Dunham pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dunham throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Soni.
Soni takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Dunham misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dunham throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Soni.
Dunham is looking to score with low kicks.
Decent striking displayed by Soni there.
Soni avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dunham tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Soni was well out of range. Poor timing from Dunham.
Dunham checks the leg kick.
Dunham cracks Soni with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Soni motions for Dunham to come forward. Soni throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Dunham swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Dunham stuffs the takedown.
Dunham leaves Soni with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Dunham connects with a solid leg kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Dunham checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Soni blocks a head kick by Dunham.
Soni tries to close the distance and clinch but Dunham swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Soni swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Dunham misses with a two punch combination.
Soni tries to close the distance and clinch but Dunham swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dunham checks the leg kick nicely there.
Dunham fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Soni on the side of the head.
Soni closes the distance and clinches up with Dunham, looking for a takedown. Soni pushes Dunham against the cage but Dunham circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Dunham swings for the body but Soni moves out of range.
Dunham is looking to clinch but Soni is avoiding it.

Soni forces Dunham back against the cage and clinches.
Soni has had enough of the clinch but Dunham keeps him there for the moment.
Dunham lands a hook to the side of the head.
Dunham just leaning against Soni, taking a breather.
Dunham has Soni pressed against the cage, preventing Soni from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Dunham escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Soni tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Soni stuffs the takedown.

Soni has closed the distance and engaged Dunham in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dunham has Soni pressed against the cage, preventing Soni from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Dunham breaks from the clinch.

Soni rushes Dunham and presses him up against the cage.
Soni prevents Dunham from breaking the clinch.
Soni goes for a takedown in the clinch but Dunham prevents it.
Soni lands a hook to the side of the head.
Dunham has Soni pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Soni manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Dunham manages to break the clinch.

Soni closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Dunham trying to control here.
Soni trying to mount his opponent but Dunham defends it.
Dunham punching from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dunham flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Dunham is trying to stand up here but Soni is controlling him well.
Dunham tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Dunham is trying to maintain the position but Soni is very close to passing his half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Dunham throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tanishk Soni.
I think Soni has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tanishk Soni!