PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chan Tapanakara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dwayne Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Chan Tapanakara has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Tapanakara
vs
Johnson

180 cm
25
223 lbs
6 - 4 - 1

195 cm
24
205 lbs
5 - 21 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Great low kicks
Very quick

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

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 6 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chan Tapanakara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dwayne Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Emerson Jorge and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Tapanakara shows good takedown defense.
Johnson on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Tapanakara shows good takedown defense.
Chan Tapanakara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dwayne Johnson.
Tapanakara defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johnson.

Johnson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Tapanakara is trying to defend but Johnson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Tapanakara is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tapanakara wants to improve his position but Johnson is controlling well.
Johnson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tapanakara. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Tapanakara is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Tapanakara looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Tapanakara has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Johnson is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Tapanakara is breathing heavily.
Johnson trying to control from half guard but Tapanakara is working away.
Johnson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Tapanakara looking for submissions off his back.
Johnson is trying to control the action in half guard but Tapanakara is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Dwayne Johnson.

Tapanakara gets caught flat footed, as Johnson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control but Tapanakara is working from the bottom.

Tapanakara looking for a guillotine here but Johnson defends easily.

Tapanakara is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Tapanakara is retaining full guard.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Tapanakara keeps moving.
Johnson scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Tapanakara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Dwayne Johnson.
Johnson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Tapanakara circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Tapanakara is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tapanakara regains half guard there - taking advantage of Johnson's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Johnson is trying to control the action in half guard but Tapanakara is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Tapanakara actively working from the bottom here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Johnson shoots in and drives through. Tapanakara sprawls well.

Johnson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Tapanakara's guard.
Tapanakara keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dwayne Johnson dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Johnson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Tapanakara is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Tapanakara swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Johnson tries to control but Tapanakara wriggling away.
Johnson lands a big shot there that rocks Tapanakara but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Johnson wants to control the pace but Tapanakara is squirming around nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A nice elbow there by Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tapanakara is looking to escape.
Tapanakara taking shots to the head.
Johnson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Tapanakara is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Tapanakara wants to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Tapanakara is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Johnson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Johnson trying to control but he's not successful this time.

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.
BOOM! Johnson connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Johnson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Johnson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tapanakara is looking to escape.

Despite being in the dominant position, Dwayne Johnson just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tapanakara defends it nicely.
Tapanakara displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Johnson.
Dwayne Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson shoots for a takedown but Tapanakara saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Chan Tapanakara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dwayne Johnson.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Tapanakara, right into the meat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Johnson has a takedown stuffed.
Johnson shoots in for a double leg but Tapanakara sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Horrible takedown by Johnson or perhaps it was just good defense by Tapanakara which made him look bad.
Dwayne Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A head kick misses from Tapanakara.
Johnson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tapanakara swivels and escapes.
Tapanakara throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Johnson's head.

Tapanakara is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Johnson's half guard.
Johnson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Tapanakara.
Johnson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tapanakara.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tapanakara is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Johnson doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Tapanakara.
Tapanakara not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Tapanakara is trying to work for a kimura but Johnson is defending well.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chan Tapanakara dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Johnson changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Tapanakara looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Tapanakara is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tapanakara struggling a bit here.
Johnson trying to control the position but Tapanakara is working away.
Tapanakara might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Tapanakara stops Johnson from passing to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tapanakara keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Johnson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Tapanakara!
Johnson is trying to control here but Tapanakara has managed to regain half guard.
Johnson is keen to just control but Tapanakara is a slippery customer.

Tapanakara looking for submissions off his back.
Johnson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to take a breather but Tapanakara is having none of it.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Dwayne Johnson.
Johnson fails with the takedown
and Tapanakara counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Johnson 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.
Johnson trying to control but Tapanakara is working from the bottom.
Johnson postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tapanakara is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Tapanakara keeps moving.

Tapanakara throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tapanakara keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.
Tapanakara keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.

Tapanakara is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Tapanakara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Tapanakara is retaining full guard.
Dwayne Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tapanakara trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Tapanakara keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Tapanakara wants to stand up but Johnson is controlling him.
Johnson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Tapanakara working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Johnson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Johnson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Tapanakara keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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 Chan Tapanakara.
I think Tapanakara 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Dwayne Johnson!