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. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Candy
vs
Tatum

178 cm
25
195 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

190 cm
25
190 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

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 12 - 6 - 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 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Drederick Tatum!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Alexandre Firmino and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Candy slips a jab and a cross from Tatum.
Tatum throws out a loose jab but Candy uses good head movement to avoid it.
Candy tries to score with a low kick but Tatum moves his leg out of the way.
Candy tries a head kick but it misses.
Candy throws a head kick that misses.
Tatum misses with a few strikes there.
Tatum takes a kick to the side of the head.

Candy looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Tatum!
Tatum tries to lock up and control but Candy gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Tatum is in a horrible position here. Candy smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Candy breaks from Tatum's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Candy looking to control but Tatum is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Candy looking to finish with strikes here!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Candy goes for an armbar but Tatum turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Tatum.

Candy escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Tatum gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Candy is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Tatum must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Candy seems keen to control Tatum's posture.
Tatum working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Tatum is looking to stand up but Candy won't let him.

Candy is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tatum defends well.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatum trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Candy working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tatum.
Tatum preventing the sweep.
Tatum throws a strike but Candy rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Candy trying to control but Tatum is working from the bottom.
Tatum keeping full guard, as Candy tries to pass.
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 hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tatum wants to get back to his feet but Candy is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Tatum working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Candy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Candy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tatum swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Candy thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Candy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tatum swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Candy throws and elbow that misses. Tatum uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Candy's guard. Nice move by Tatum!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Candy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Candy has Tatum pulled in close to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Candy is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
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.
Tatum throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Candy works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Candy lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Tatum!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tatum can do anything to dispel that myth.
Tatum is trying to escape the mount.
Tatum is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Candy jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Tatum is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Tatum and Candy has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Candy is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tatum is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
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 scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Drederick Tatum seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Candy lands a leg kick that knocks Tatum off balance momentarily.
Drederick Tatum is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tatum lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Candy circles away quickly and effectively.
Candy circles away from the clinch attempt.
Good work by Tatum as he checks the leg kick.
Candy looks to land a left hand but Tatum moved out of range nicely.
Candy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A good leg kick by Candy.
Tatum bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Candy's head.
Tatum lands a jab to the head.
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!
Tatum checks a low kick from Candy.
Candy throws a head kick that misses.
Tatum tries to clinch but Candy is having none of it.
Tatum throws a series of punches but Candy moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatum misses with a two punch combination.
Candy misses with an attempted mid kick.
Candy throws a body kick that misses.
Tatum tries to close the distance and clinch but Candy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tatum doesn't manage to clinch there - Candy circles away.
Candy throws the kick towards the body but Tatum avoids it.
Tatum swings for the body but Candy moves out of range.
Tatum tries to clinch but Candy moves out of range.

Candy closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Candy lands in his opponent's guard.
Candy wants to pass the guard but Tatum is keeping the position.
Candy loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Candy postures up in Tatum's guard and throws a big left but Tatum blocks it.

Candy drops back, looking for a kneebar! Tatum looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Tatum looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Tatum!
Tatum fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Tatum working away.
Candy is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Tatum throwing shots but Candy is blocking nicely.
Tatum not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Candy moves into full guard.
Candy manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tatum manages to get himself to full guard.
Van Candy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Candy drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Candy jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Candy stops Tatum from standing up.
Candy wants to pass the guard but Tatum is keeping the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Candy accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Candy lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Candy tries to free his leg and advance position but Tatum is retaining full guard.
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.
Tatum working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Candy.
Tatum keeping full guard, as Candy tries to pass.
Candy slips nicely into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Candy drops an elbow to the side of Tatum's head.
Tatum tries to get to full guard but Candy has control of the leg.
Candy not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Tatum blocking the ground and pound attempt from Candy.
Tatum is refusing to be controlled, as Candy sits in half guard.
Candy thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Tatum's head.
Candy throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Candy throws a strike but Tatum avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Drederick Tatum will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Nice body kick from Candy.
Candy tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Tatum is able to avoid easily.
Candy throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Tatum fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tatum moves in looking to clinch but Candy pushes him off.
Candy pushes Tatum away with a front kick.
Tatum tries to bum rush Candy with a series of wild strikes but Candy uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tatum blocks a head kick by Candy.
Tatum looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Tatum gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Tatum blocks the elbow strike.

Candy has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Tatum is trying to keep an underhook but Candy manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Candy is thwarting Tatum's attempts to control the position.
Tatum is staying active underneath Candy, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatum wants to get back to his feet.
Candy trying to control from half guard but Tatum is working away.
Tatum wants to get back to his feet.
Tatum takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Candy lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Candy throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ground and pound from Candy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Candy is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Tatum is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Van Candy!