PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sam Hanson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tua Kahua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hanson
vs
Kahua

196 cm
18
270 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

189 cm
22
272 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Very confident

South Side Swagger

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sam Hanson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tua Kahua!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Stewart Dunkirk and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hanson misses with a takedown attempt - Kahua sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kahua looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Kahua swats away the attempt to clinch by Hanson.
Hanson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Kahua changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hanson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Hanson is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Kahua is controlling him well.
Hanson gets back to half guard.
Hanson wants to control but Kahua is keeping busy.
Hanson is trying to stand.
Hanson wants to control but Kahua is keeping busy.
Kahua missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hanson kicks Kahua off and gets back to his feet.
Hanson tries to clinch there but Kahua circles away.
Hanson is looking to clinch but Kahua is avoiding it.
Hanson misses with a double jab.
Hanson fails in his attempt to clinch.

Hanson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Kahua tries to buck Hanson off but Hanson is having none of it.

Hanson decides to stand up, so the ref orders Kahua to his feet.
Hanson tries to close the distance and clinch but Kahua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hanson tries to clinch but Kahua moves out of range.
Hanson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kahua swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sam Hanson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hanson tries to clinch up.

Hanson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Hanson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Hanson controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hanson with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Hanson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kahua is looking to improve his position but Hanson isn't that keen on the idea.
Hanson tries to control but Kahua wriggling away.
Hanson is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Kahua is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Hanson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Hanson.
Kahua is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kahua is squirming around, avoiding Hanson's attempts to control the action.
Kahua wants to control but Hanson is having none of it.
Hanson working the ground and pound effectively.

Kahua is rocked!
Kahua looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Hanson tries to get the hooks in deep but Kahua pushed the leg off.
Kahua can't escape the position.
Can Kahua hold on?! Hanson is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Hanson keeps control of the position as Kahua tries to break free.
Hanson could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hanson is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Hanson struggling to keep hold of the position.
Kahua is trying to stand back up.
Hanson connects with a big shot to the side of Kahua's head.

Kahua defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hanson is working the ground and pound. Can Kahua escape?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Hanson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Kahua avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hanson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Hanson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Hanson trying to stand up but can't free himself from Kahua's guard.

Hanson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Hanson gets a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kahua looking for submissions off his back.

Hanson is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Kahua has managed to free his arm - good work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hanson is thwarting Kahua's attempts to control the position.
Kahua is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanson is looking to take a break and control but Kahua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kahua is trying to get back to full guard.
Sam Hanson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hanson tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Kahua.
Kahua trying to control but Hanson postures up.
Hanson working Kahua over with strikes.

Hanson seems to be looking for submissions.
Hanson wants to take a breather but Kahua is having none of it.
Kahua is trying to control but Hanson manages to pass to mount!

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.
Kahua working to try and regain half guard.

Hanson stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Hanson moves in looking to clinch but Kahua pushes him off.
Kahua keeps the fight on the outside.
Hanson doesn't manage to clinch there - Kahua circles away.
Kahua circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hanson tries to clinch up but Kahua circles away and keeps his distance.
Hanson throws a series of punches but Kahua moves out of range.
Kahua misses with a takedown

and Hanson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kahua won't be happy with that.
Kahua tries to buck Hanson off but Hanson is having none of it.
Hanson trying to control the position but Kahua is working away.
Kahua manages to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kahua moves into full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kahua can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kahua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hanson is one step ahead there.

Hanson stands and steps away. Kahua gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Hanson with a poor takedown

and Kahua counters with a takedown into side control.
Hanson sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Hanson gets full guard.
Hanson throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Hanson had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Kahua is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Hanson Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Kahua's back instead.
I really don't envy Kahua right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hanson is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Kahua is defending well though. Hanson let's go of the attempt for now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Kahua is really stuck here.
Kahua trying to control the hands but Hanson won't let him.
Kahua is keeping busy.
Kahua has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Hanson.
Kahua is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Hanson.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kahua is really stuck here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Hanson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kahua circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kahua counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Kahua wants to control from the top but Hanson keeps moving.
Kahuais looking to pass into half guard but Hanson pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Hanson is in guard.

Hanson decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Kahua, up you get!
Sam Hanson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kahua closes the distance and clinches up with Hanson, looking for a takedown. Kahua pushes Hanson against the cage but Hanson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hanson wants to clinch

and Kahua counters with a takedown into side control.
Kahua controls the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kahua tries to advance to mount but Hanson denies him.
Kahua throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kahua lands a decent elbow from side control.
Kahua is putting a hurting on Hanson here, landing some big shots from side control.

It looks like Sam Hanson has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanson is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Kahua's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Hanson works his way to full guard. Good work.
Hanson wants to stand up but Kahua is controlling him.
Hanson keeping moving, preventing Kahua from controlling successfully.

Hanson is working an open guard so Kahua takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Hanson tries to clinch but Kahua moves out of range.
Hanson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kahua swats away the attempt to clinch by Hanson.
Hanson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Kahua takes the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanson lands a shot to the body.
Kahua wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hanson has him pressed against the cage.
Kahua tries to break the clinch but Hanson is controlling the position.
Hanson unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kahua lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Nice elbow from Hanson.
Kahua wants to break free but Hanson has control.
Hanson lands an elbow just above Kahua 's eye.
Hanson lands a damaging elbow.

Kahua wants the takedown. Hanson is fighting it off but Kahua persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Hanson's guard against the cage.
Kahua throws a big right hand that misses.
Kahua trying to control the position from guard on top but Hanson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kahua really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hanson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kahua tries to stand but Hanson is controlling from the bottom.
Hanson wants to stand up but Kahua is controlling him.
Kahua is working Hanson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hanson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kahua throws a big right hand that misses.
Hanson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hanson tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Hanson stands up out of the half guard.
Hanson doesn't manage to clinch there - Kahua circles away.

Hanson has managed to clinch.
Kahua can't get the takedown.
Hanson lands a nice elbow.
Kahua takes an elbow to the temple.
Kahua dodges an elbow strike from Hanson.
Hanson lands a damaging elbow.
Hanson lands a knee to the body.
Hanson misses with an elbow over the top.
Hanson lands a nice elbow.
Still in the clinch, Hanson scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hanson gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kahua.
Sam Hanson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tua Kahua.

Hanson breaks the clinch.
Hanson tries to close the distance and clinch but Kahua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hanson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kahua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kahua avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hanson fails in his attempt to clinch.

Hanson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hanson showed some decent athleticism there.
Kahua is holding on to half guard well.
Tua Kahua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hanson works his way into full mount!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kahua working to try and regain half guard.

Hanson stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tua Kahua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hanson 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sam Hanson!