PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Patrick Marciano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rigan Tavares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marciano's entrance music is Succesful. A fine choice. Rigan Tavares has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Marciano
vs
Tavares

188 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
221 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Patrick Marciano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rigan Tavares!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Columbo Gatti and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tavares shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tavares wants to take a breather but Marciano is having none of it.
Marciano desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Tavares wants to pass the guard but Marciano is defending well.

Marciano pushes Tavares off and gets back to his feet.
Marciano with a lazy takedown attempt

and Tavares holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Tavares creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Tavares prevents the takedown attempt.
A right handed body shot lands from Tavares.
Tavares lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Marciano or not.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marciano is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Patrick Marciano. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marciano is breathing heavily.
Tavares putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Marciano in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Tavares lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Tavares lands a body punch in the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Tavares.
Tavares lands a body punch in the clinch.
Tavares lands a left hand that snaps the head of Marciano backwards.
Tavares goes for a takedown attempt but Marciano pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Tavares getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tavares looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tavares lands with a nice combination. Marciano backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Patrick Marciano has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tavares works over Marciano's head and body with a nice combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marciano avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Marciano tries for a takedown but Tavares circles away easily
and Marciano takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tavares moves in looking to clinch but Marciano pushes him off.

Tavares has Marciano up against the cage in a clinch.
Tavares lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Marciano is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Tavares gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Tavares lands a shot to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Tavares creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Tavares lands a hook that snaps the head of Marciano backwards.
Tavares scores a nice knee to the body.
Tavares digs a right hand into Marciano's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Marciano's gas tank.

Tavares tightens his grip and picks Marciano up, before dumping him to the ground. Marciano manages to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares trying to control but Marciano is working from the bottom.
Tavares content to stall in guard here.
Tavares trying to control the position from guard on top but Marciano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marciano striking off his back but it's not causing Tavares any problems.
Marciano not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Tavares engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rigan Tavares was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Tavares tries to clinch there but Marciano circles away.
Tavares scores with a jab to the jaw.
Tavares tries to clinch up

and Marciano counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Marciano wants to stand but Tavares has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Marciano is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rigan Tavares dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Patrick Marciano's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tavares pushes Marciano up against the cage in a clinch.
Marciano tries for a takedown. No joy.
Tavares tries to score a body lock takedown but Marciano shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Tavares lands a body shot in the clinch.
Tavares tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Marciano avoids it.
A hook to the body from Tavares.
Tavares softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Tavares prevents the takedown attempt.
Nice body punch from Tavares - that landed with a thud.
Tavares lands a damaging elbow.

Tavares turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Tavares really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Marciano. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Tavares trying to control the action but Marciano is working from the bottom.
A lull in the action here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marciano is not content to let Tavares control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rigan Tavares was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Tavares tries to clinch up.
Tavares misses with a takedown attempt

and Marciano counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Marciano.
Tavares keeping moving, preventing Marciano from controlling successfully.
Tavares wants to sweep here but Marciano controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marciano trying to control the position from guard on top but Tavares is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marciano throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Marciano forces his way into half guard.
Marciano is looking to take a break and control but Tavares is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Marciano is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Patrick Marciano overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Marciano missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rigan Tavares showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Patrick Marciano's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Tavares swinging wildly here.
Tavares throws a one two combo.

Tavares instigates a clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Marciano as Tavares tries to tie him up.
Tavares lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Marciano or not.
Tavares tries to stall but Marciano uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Tavares is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Marciano gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Marciano is trying to trip Tavares. He has hold of a leg but Tavares is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Marciano persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Tavares keeping moving, preventing Marciano from controlling successfully.
Marciano throwing strikes but missing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavares utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Marciano seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Tavares has Marciano pulled in close to control his posture.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Tavares keeping full guard, as Marciano tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Marciano postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Marciano is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Tavares lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Marciano circles away quickly and effectively.

Marciano shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Marciano showed some decent athleticism there.
Tavares is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavares is not content to let Marciano control the position.
Marciano takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Tavares keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Patrick Marciano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Patrick Marciano has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Marciano fails with the takedown
and Tavares counters with a nice body shot.

Tavares darts in and clinches Marciano up against the cage.
Tavares lands a body punch in the clinch.
Tavares landing knees to the head.
Tavares crunches a lovely knee into Marciano's ribcage.
Tavares pushes Marciano back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Tavares wants a takedown but no success here.
Tavares lands a nice elbow.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Tavares creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Marciano looking for a takedown.
Tavares lands with a short shot to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rigan Tavares comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tavares winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rigan Tavares!