PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Van Candy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Drederick Tatum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Candy comes to the cage accompanied by To Catch a Predator. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Candy
vs
Tatum

178 cm
23
195 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

190 cm
23
190 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid Muay Thai
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Van Candy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Drederick Tatum!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Thiago Cunha and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Candy motions for Tatum to come forward. Candy throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Tatum throws a lazy right hand but Candy sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A good leg kick by Candy.
Van Candy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tatum fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Candy avoids a punch combination nicely.
Tatum tries to clinch there but Candy circles away.
A head kick misses from Candy.
Candy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Candy throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Tatum takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Tatum looks to score with a jab to the body but Candy is just out of range.
Tatum throws out a powerful jab.
Good leg kick by Candy there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Candy fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tatum, pushing him back against the cage.
Candy dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Candy pulls guard.
Tatum thows a big elbow that misses.
Candy working a defensive guard here.
Tatum postures up in Candy's guard and throws a big left but Candy blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Candy pulls Tatum in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatum wants to pass the guard but Candy is keeping the position.
Candy might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Candy is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Candy tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tatum throwing strikes from guard but Candy blocks nicely.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Candy throws a leg kick that misses.
Drederick Tatum is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tatum scores with a hook to the body. Candy takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Tatum tries to clinch but Candy moves out of range.
Tatum misses with a two punch combination.
Tatum misses the shot to the body.
Both fighters circling a little - Candy finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Candy lands a high kick!
Tatum throws a right and a left that both miss.

Candy fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Tatum sprawls well initially but Candy persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Candy not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatum blocking the ground and pound attempt from Candy.
Tatum avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Candy.

Candy is looking for a kimura here.
Candy throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tatum wants to get back to his feet.
Tatum keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Candy lands a nice leg kick that just misses Tatum's sensitive parts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Candy closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Tatum can't do much from the bottom here.
Candy working the ground and pound.

Candy is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Tatum has escaped the position, nice work there.
Tatum can't do much from the bottom here.
Candy in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Tatum dodges the ground and pound from Candy.
Tatum is trying to buck Candy off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Candy wants to control but Tatum is keeping him busy.
Candy working the head and body with strikes.
Candy trying to control the action but Tatum is working from the bottom.

Candy tries for a kimura but Tatum is defending well.
Candy working the head with strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Candy in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Van Candy dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Candy avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tatum doesn't manage to clinch there - Candy circles away.
Tatum throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Candy misses with a head kick.
Candy looks for a takedown but Tatum sprawls well.

Candy clinches up against the cage.
Candy fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Tatum breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tatum stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Candy.
Tatum tries to bum rush Candy with a series of wild strikes but Candy uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tatum keeps the fight on the outside.
Candy avoids the body shot from Tatum.
Candy thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Tatum if he has to take too many more of those.
Tatum throws a series of punches but Candy avoids them all with ease.
Tatum misses with a body shot.
Candy tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tatum swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Van Candy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tatum throws a lazy right hand but Candy sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Candy has closed the distance and engaged Tatum in a clinch.
Tatum is trying to break free.
Tatum stops a takedown attempt from Candy.
Candy tries to pull guard but Tatum won't allow it.

Tatum breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Candy looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Tatum misses with a double jab.
Tatum checks a low kick from Candy.
Tatum connects with a jab.
Tatum lands a head shot.
A nice leg kick lands there from Candy.
Tatum tries to clinch there but Candy circles away.
Candy connects with a solid leg kick.
Candy tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Candy takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Tatum chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Candy can pounce on him.
Candy shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tatum defends it nicely.
Candy misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tatum checks the leg kick nicely there.
Candy swats away the attempt to clinch by Tatum.
Tatum throws a right and a left that Candy avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatum tries to bum rush Candy with a series of wild strikes but Candy uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tatum misses with a few strikes there.
Candy thows a body shot but no joy.
A solid leg kick lands there for Candy.
Candy with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Tatum throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Tatum moves into range and clinches up with Candy.
Tatum wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Tatum tries to circle away but Candy has him pinned against the cage.
Tatum looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Tatum prevents a takedown attempt there.
Tatum has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A frustrated look appears on Tatum's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Candy manages to pull guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tatum stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Candy swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tatum throws a strike but Candy rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Candy with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Candy works over Tatum with some ground and pound from guard.
Candy throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tatum works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Tatum wants to stand up but Candy is controlling him.
Candy thows a big elbow that misses.
Tatum wants to stand and escape but Candy is having none of it.
Tatum has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Candy has passed into side control.
Candy throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Candy lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Tatum down.
Tatum really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Candy. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Candy prevents Tatum from escaping the position.
Candy lands a decent elbow from side control.
Candy lands a few punches from side control.

Candy looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Candy working the head with strikes.
Candy scoring with punches from side control.
Candy works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Candy working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Candy sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Tatum is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Van Candy 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Tatum is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Candy uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tatum.
Tatum blocks the body kick.
Tatum throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A chopping leg kick lands by Candy.
Candy throws a head kick but Tatum moves out of range.
Tatum's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Candy is looking to land body kicks.
Candy moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Candy misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Candy throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Candy scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Candy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tatum keeps working.
Tatum tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Candy wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Candy working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
An elbow from Candy crashes against the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Candy throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Candy misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Tatum sneaks back into half guard.
Tatum wants to control but Candy is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Candy is trying to control. Tatum wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Candy uses his free foot to push down on Tatum's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Tatum.
Candy misses with a head shot.

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.

Candy working for a submission but Tatum is keeping him at bay.
Candy lands a big shot there that rocks Tatum but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Candy is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Tatum has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Tatum!
Tatum wants to stand but Candy is controlling his posture from full guard.
Tatum landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Candy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Candy preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tatum throwing strikes but missing.
Tatum in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tatum lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Candy has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Candy had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Tatum defends it easily.
Candy manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
A nice elbow there by Candy.
Drederick Tatum has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Candy postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Tatum looks a forlorn figure.
Candy trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Tatum wants to hold on but Candy pushes him away.
Van Candy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Candy goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Tatum turns into him and now he's in Candy's guard.

Tatum thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Candy looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tatum is one step ahead there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Van Candy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Candy 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Van Candy!