PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marc Tong Panong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenji Tamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Tong Panong might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Tetris Song (remix). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Tong Panong
vs
Tamura

190 cm
23
190 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

185 cm
22
194 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

MADE IN GERMANY

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 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marc Tong Panong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenji Tamura!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Hirohito Nitta and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tamura stuffs the takedown.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Tong Panong.
Tamura fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tamura misses with a two punch combination.
Kenji Tamura seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Tong Panong closes the distance and clinches.
A short right from Tong Panong.
Tong Panong lands with a right to the head.
A frustrated look appears on Tamura's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Tong Panong tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Tamura smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marc Tong Panong. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tong Panong looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Tamura!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tong Panong looking to control but Tamura is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tamura can do anything to dispel that myth.

Tong Panong looking for a guillotine from mount but Tamura is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tamura avoids a series of strikes thrown by Tong Panong.
Tong Panong throws some wild stikes that Tamura manages to avoid easily.
Tamura is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Tong Panong throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Tong Panong there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

Tong Panong jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Tamura is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Tamura and Tong Panong has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Tong Panong throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's two 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.

Tong Panong working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Tong Panong is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tamura knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Tong Panong throws an elbow but Tamura slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tamura parries the strikes from Tong Panong easily there. Tong Panong is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Tamura to escape.

Tong Panong is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tamura knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Tong Panong thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Tong Panong looking to control but instead Tamura has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

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.

Tong Panong is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Tong Panong is trying to control. Tamura wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tong Panong thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tamura blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tong Panong.
Tong Panong drops an elbow to the side of Tamura's head.
Tong Panong throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marc Tong Panong dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Tamura lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tong Panong circles away quickly and effectively.
Tamura leaves Tong Panong with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A combination from Tamura does no damage.
Tong Panong looks to land a combination but Tamura avoids it well.
Tamura lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

It looks like Marc Tong Panong has been cut.
Tong Panong avoids the head kick by Tamura.
Tamura connects with a crisp jab.
Tong Panong fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Tamura throws a series of punches but Tong Panong moves out of range.
Tamura throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Tamura fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Tong Panong is out of range.
Tong Panong stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Tamura.
Tamura throws a right hand that Tong Panong ducks under and follows up with a left that Tong Panong also avoids with ease.
Tamura misses with a combination

and Tong Panong counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Tamura!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tong Panong is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Tamura is surviving well by controlling Tong Panong's body position as best he can.
Tamura is breathing heavily.

Tong Panong is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Tamura is surviving well by controlling Tong Panong's body position as best he can.
Tamura really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tong Panong. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Tamura wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Tong Panong.
Tong Panong with a couple of short strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tong Panong can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tamura is looking to escape.

Tong Panong goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Tamura is on top in guard.
Tong Panong controls Tamura momentarily but Tamura frees himself.

Tong Panong working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tamura doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tamura manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tong Panong working a defensive guard here.
Tong Panong wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tong Panong has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Tong Panong looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Tamura puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Tong Panong is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Marc Tong Panong will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Marc Tong Panong's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Tamura throws a series of punches but Tong Panong avoids them all with ease.
Tong Panong shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Tamura as he jumps to the side.
Tamura misses with a body shot.
Tong Panong has a takedown stuffed.
Tong Panong takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Tong Panong shoots in looking for a takedown. Tamura tries to sprawl out of it but Tong Panong keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tamura manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marc Tong Panong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tong Panong avoids a kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tamura fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tong Panong avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Tamura throws a leg kick that is checked

and Tong Panong counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Tamura is staying active underneath Tong Panong, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tong Panong is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Tong Panong sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tamura defending well though.
Tong Panong is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Tamura reverses the position - he's now on top in Tong Panong's guard.
Marc Tong Panong overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Tamura is posturing up here but Tong Panong has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Tamura tries to roll out but it's too tight and Tamura has to tap! Slick submission there by Tong Panong!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Marc Tong Panong!