PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lyoto Tachia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lawrence Soliman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Soliman has chosen detox as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tachia
vs
Soliman

186 cm
24
217 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

197 cm
25
224 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Shango Designs
Knock Out Artistry

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 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lyoto Tachia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lawrence Soliman!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Skip Squint and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tachia throws a body kick that misses.
Tachia misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tachia looks to land a right hand but Soliman moved out of range.
Soliman slips a straight right by Tachia.
Soliman swinging wilding here.
Tachia stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Soliman.
Tachia looks for a takedown but Soliman sprawls well.
Tachia drops his hands momentarily and Soliman takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Soliman on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Soliman throws a combination that misses
and Tachia counters with a low kick, right behind Soliman 's knee.
Tachia tries to close the distance and clinch but Soliman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tachia throws a sloppy head kick and Soliman moves out of range easily.
Tachia swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
enabling Soliman to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tachia throws a head kick that misses
and Soliman counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Tachia loads up on a big right hand but Soliman slips the punch.
Tachia throws a leg kick but Soliman sees it coming and moves out of range.
A shot to the body from Tachia misses
and Soliman counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Tachia fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Soliman manages to avoid it.
Tachia looks to land a left hand but Soliman moved out of range nicely.
Soliman avoids the head kick by Tachia.
Tachia takes a swing at Soliman's ribcage but misses.
Soliman ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tachia moves away.

Tachia shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Tachia showed some decent athleticism there.
Soliman is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tachia perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Tachia not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tachia wants to pass the guard but Soliman is defending well.
Soliman is looking for a sweep. Tachia is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Soliman keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Soliman tries to roll over but Tachia keeps him under control.
Tachia lands strikes from half guard.
Soliman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Tachia is looking to advance position but Soliman won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Soliman missing with a left hand there. Tachia was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tachia looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Soliman looks to land a right hand but Tachia moved out of range.
Tachia throws an overhand right that lands on Soliman's shoulder, as Soliman tries to avoid the shot.
Tachia on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Tachia misses with a looping right.
Tachia is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Soliman's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Tachia throws a half hearted mid kick.
A punch combination from Tachia misses.
Soliman misses with a looping left.
Tachia takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Tachia misses with a straight left.
Tachia looks to land a left hand but Soliman moved out of range nicely.
A head kick misses from Tachia.
Soliman lands with a shot to the body.
Tachia takes one to the chin there.
Tachia looks for a takedown but Soliman sprawls well.
Soliman misses with a looping left.
Tachia closes the distance looking to clinch
and Soliman counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Tachia thinking.
Soliman thows a body shot but no joy.
Soliman lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
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 Lyoto Tachia will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Soliman throws a lazy head kick

and Tachia counters with a takedown into side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Tachia.
Soliman is trying to control Tachia's posture but Tachia avoids it.
Soliman tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tachia wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Tachia stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Tachia misses with a jab to the body
letting Soliman counter with a right hand.
Tachia feints and then cracks Soliman's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Soliman down.
Tachia swings for the body but Soliman moves out of range.
Tachia looks to land a combination but Soliman avoids it well.
Tachia misses with a takedown
and Soliman connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Tachia bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tachia throws a leg kick but Soliman checks it.
Soliman throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Soliman ducks under a wild hook from Tachia.
Soliman has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Tachia will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Soliman thuds his right hand into Tachia's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Tachia throws a nice inside leg kick.
Tachia lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Tachia throws a head kick but Soliman moves out of range.
Tachia keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tachia fails in his attempt to clinch.
A jab from Soliman misses.
Soliman turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tachia fails with the takedown
and Soliman counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lyoto Tachia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tachia tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Tachia throws a body punch but Soliman moves out of range.
Tachia connects with a nice looking jab.
Tachia throws a hook but Soliman avoids it easily.
Soliman is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Tachia thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tachia misses with a looping right.
Tachia is looking to slow Soliman down with leg kicks.
Lyoto Tachia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tachia scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Soliman doesn't seem bothered though.
Lyoto Tachia is winning the standup battle so far.
A nice leg kick lands there from Tachia.
Lyoto Tachia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tachia connects with a solid leg kick.
Soliman is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tachia lets loose with a powerful body kick. Soliman will feel that in the morning.
Soliman blocks a head kick by Tachia.
A low kick from Tachia misses
and Soliman connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Soliman blocks a head kick by Tachia.
Tachia swinging wilding here.
Soliman misses with a low kick.
Tachia throws a head kick that misses.
A cross from Soliman lands.
Tachia fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tachia fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tachia ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Soliman moves out of range of the strikes.
Soliman misses with a kick to the body
and Tachia counters with a nice leg kick.
Tachia gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Soliman counters with a nice uppercut.
Tachia pivots, looking for a leg kick but Soliman is out of range and Tachia settles back down.
Tachia misses with a few strikes there.
Soliman moves out of range as Tachia strikes.
Tachia throws a sloppy head kick
and Soliman connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Soliman takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Soliman darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Tachia throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Tachia tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Tachia dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A big left from Tachia misses.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Soliman in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Tachia misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Soliman.
Soliman scores with a crisp jab that stopped Tachia in his tracks.
Tachia throws a lazy body kick
and Soliman makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Tachia misses with a leg kick
and Soliman counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Soliman darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Tachia misses the target.
Soliman tests Tachia's chin there with a solid looking shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soliman misses with a low kick.
Tachia throws a hook but Soliman blocks it.
Soliman works Tachia's body with a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tachia shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Soliman counters with a series of strikes. Tachia will be more careful next time no doubt.
Lawrence Soliman is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tachia throws a big shot that misses.
Soliman scores with a nice head shot.
Tachia tries a head kick but it misses.
Jab by Tachia.
Tachia looks to score with a jab to the body but Soliman is just out of range.
Tachia connects with the punch.
Tachia throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Soliman.
Soliman walks forward, straight into a front kick from Tachia.
Tachia moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Soliman avoids the head kick by Tachia.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tachia misses the shot to the body.
Tachia tries to land a front kick but Soliman steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Soliman lands a lovely overhand right.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Tachia.
Soliman stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Tachia.
Soliman takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tachia pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Soliman is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Tachia.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Good work by Tachia as he checks the leg kick.
Soliman blocks a low kick nicely.
Tachia misses with a straight right.
Tachia getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Soliman lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tachia circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tachia pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tachia swings away with a body shot that misses
and Soliman counters with a straight right hand.
Tachia with a lazy takedown attempt
and Soliman counters with a nice uppercut.
Soliman blocks a jab.
Soliman digs a good body shot into Tachia's ribs.
Lawrence Soliman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lyoto Tachia is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tachia misses with a double jab
and Soliman counters with a nice low kick that buckles Tachia's knee momentarily.
Tachia jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Soliman's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Soliman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tachia uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Soliman.
Soliman swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tachia throws a lazy head kick
letting Soliman counter with a right hand.
Tachia throws a sloppy body shot
and Soliman counters with a straight right hand.
Tachia misses with a head kick.
Tachia looks to throw the jab but Soliman is out of range.
Tachia digs a good hook to Soliman's body.
Soliman takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Soliman avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Soliman misses with the body kick
and Tachia counters with a nice body shot.
Soliman bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Tachia's head backwards.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tachia looks to land a combination but Soliman avoids it well.
Tachia scoring well with a low kick there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lyoto Tachia showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tachia has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lyoto Tachia!