PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kyle Van Hook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lee Tassen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Hook comes to the cage accompanied by The Cure's Close To Me. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Van Hook
vs
Tassen

170 cm
25
154 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

175 cm
27
150 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Elite Supplement Supplier
Elite Supplement Supplier

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kyle Van Hook!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lee Tassen!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Alan Glass and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tassen throws a nice looking combination but Van Hook bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tassen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tassen throws a series of punches but Van Hook avoids them all with ease.
Lee Tassen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Van Hook scores with a head kick.
Van Hook takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Tassen throws a hook to the side of Van Hook's head but Van Hook sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Tassen!
Tassen misses with a series of wild punches.
Van Hook misses with a kick to the body.

Van Hook moves into range and clinches up with Tassen.

Tassen manages to break the clinch.
Van Hook avoids the body shot from Tassen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tassen misses with a body shot.
Van Hook pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Van Hook tries to clinch but Tassen moves out of range.
Tassen takes one on the button.

Van Hook gets a takedown into half guard.
Van Hook with the ground and pound but Tassen uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Van Hook stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tassen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tassen 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Hook sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Van Hook trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Tassen has his feet on Van Hook's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
No joy there for Van Hook, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Van Hook misses with a head kick.
Tassen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Van Hook moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tassen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Tassen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Van Hook sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Tassen gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Van Hook finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Tassen misses with a jab to the body
and Van Hook counters with a solid body kick.
Van Hook misses with a hook to the body
and Tassen counters with a three punch combo that has Van Hook backing up. Van Hook nods at Tassen to acknowledge the strikes.
Van Hook lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Tassen misses with a wild body shot.
Van Hook keeps Tassen at a distance using the push kick.
Van Hook explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Tassen looks gassed!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tassen comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Tassen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jab by Van Hook.
Tassen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Van Hook.
Van Hook looks for a takedown but Tassen sprawls well.
Tassen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tassen moves out of range as Van Hook throws a body kick.
Van Hook throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Van Hook misses with a series of wild punches.
Tassen thows a body shot but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Van Hook gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Tassen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Van Hook is fending him off so far but Tassen persists. Nope, Van Hook circles away and we're back to standing.

Van Hook drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Van Hook in side control, throwing shots but Tassen defends.
Van Hook throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Van Hook has knee on belly momentarily but Tassen bucks him off and regains half guard.
Van Hook looks to land a strike but Tassen avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tassen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Van Hook trying to control but Tassen is working from the bottom.
Van Hook prevents Tassen from getting back to his feet.
Van Hook loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Van Hook trying to move into half guard but instead Tassen has managed to sweep!

Van Hook throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Van Hook preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Tassen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Van Hook has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tassen has managed to get both his arms back between Van Hook's legs - danger averted.
Tassen trying to control but Van Hook is working from the bottom.
Van Hook is trying to keep Tassen in close.

Van Hook is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Tassen postures up in Van Hook's guard and throws a big left but Van Hook blocks it.

Tassen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tassen with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tassen won't allow Van Hook to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tassen trying to control the position from guard on top but Van Hook is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tassen sitting in guard here, content to control.
Tassen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Van Hook pulls Tassen in close to prevent any damage.
Van Hook utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Van Hook is looking for a triangle but Tassen pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Tassen pushes down on Van Hook's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Van Hook looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Tassen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Van Hook is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Tassen scores with a couple of nice shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tassen drops an elbow to the side of Van Hook's head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nice strikes from Tassen there.
Tassen trying to mount his opponent but Van Hook defends it.
Tassen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lee Tassen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Tassen cracks Van Hook with a right hand to the side of the head.
Tassen misses the shot to the body.
Tassen misses with a low kick as Van Hook jumps back.
Van Hook slips under a jab from Tassen.
Tassen lands a jab to Van Hook's midsection.
Van Hook ducks under a wild hook from Tassen.
Van Hook shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Tassen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Van Hook counters with a head kick. That will keep Tassen thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Van Hook blocks a jab.
Both fighters circling a little - Van Hook finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Tassen misses with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tassen looks to score with a jab to the body but Van Hook is just out of range.
Tassen tries to bum rush Van Hook with a series of wild strikes but Van Hook uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tassen. Van Hook does a little dance to reset his feet.
Van Hook is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tassen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Tassen misses with a straight right.
Tassen digs a good hook to Van Hook's body.
Kyle Van Hook is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Van Hook throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Van Hook throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tassen misses with a hook to the body
and Van Hook counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Tassen lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Van Hook at a distance.
Van Hook has a takedown stuffed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tassen takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Tassen lands a body shot.
Tassen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Van Hook throws a head kick but Tassen moves out of range.
Van Hook tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tassen swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kyle Van Hook. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A left and a right from Tassen both land. Nice combination.
Van Hook moves out of range of the strikes.
Van Hook showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tassen.
Tassen is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Van Hook rather than just go for the knockout.
Tassen throws a looping overhand right but Van Hook ducks down to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tassen slaps away a takedown attempt from Van Hook, before circling back to the center of the mat.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Van Hook enables Tassen to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Van Hook manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Van Hook looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Tassen passes into side control.
Tassen scoring with punches and elbows.

Tassen wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Van Hook, who protects the arm well.
Van Hook taking punishment in the form of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Hook tries to improve position but can't.
Van Hook is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
A control attempt from Van Hook but he's now mounted!
Van Hook keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Tassen lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Van Hook can't escape the position.
Van Hook tries to hold on but Tassen postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lee Tassen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tassen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lee Tassen!