PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mieszko Szczygiel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hickson Tiger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Szczygiel
vs
Tiger

175 cm
25
185 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

183 cm
26
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mieszko Szczygiel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hickson Tiger!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tiger misses with a low kick.

Szczygiel clinches up with Tiger and pushes him back against the cage.
Tiger is stalling here.
Tiger receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Tiger unloads a knee to the mid-section. Szczygiel lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Tiger tries a knee to the head but Szczygiel blocks it.

Tiger's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Szczygiel looks for a takedown but Tiger sprawls well.
Tiger scores with a head kick.
Tiger scores with a leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Szczygiel misses with a body kick.
Szczygiel takes one to the chin there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tiger throws a head kick but Szczygiel moves out of range.
Szczygiel dives in and grabs Tiger's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tiger pushes down on Szczygiel's head and hops out.
A big left from Tiger misses.

Szczygiel gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Tiger connects with a knee to the head.
Tiger taking a breather.
Szczygiel stalling in the clinch but Tiger improves position.
Tiger working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Tiger trying to land knees to the body.
Szczygiel managing to block the knees to the body from Tiger.
Tiger lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Tiger landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tiger landing some nice looking knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Tiger fails to land.
Tiger with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Tiger putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Szczygiel in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Tiger missing with knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tiger leaning his opponent against the cage.
Szczygiel blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Szczygiel is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Tiger using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Szczygiel has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szczygiel has had enough of the clinch but Tiger keeps him there for the moment.
Tiger has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Tiger tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Szczygiel breaks the clinch.

Szczygiel moves into the clinch.
Szczygiel takes a shot to the head.

Szczygiel pulls guard successfully.
Tiger wants to control from the top but Szczygiel keeps moving.
Szczygiel manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Tiger stops Szczygiel from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szczygiel putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Szczygiel controlling the pace for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Szczygiel has closed the distance and engaged Tiger in a clinch.
Szczygiel is trying to break the clinch but Tiger is controlling him.

Szczygiel breaks the clinch.
Hickson Tiger seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Szczygiel shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tiger defends it nicely.
A nice inside leg kick there by Tiger. That's going to slow Szczygiel down.
Tiger throws a leg kick but Szczygiel sees it coming and moves out of range.
Tiger defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Szczygiel.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tiger looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Tiger swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tiger slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Tiger tries to keep at a distance but Szczygiel has taken the fight into the clinch.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Tiger is stalling here.

Szczygiel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Szczygiel instigates a clinch.
Tiger with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Szczygiel breaks from the clinch.
Tiger is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szczygiel walks forward, straight into a front kick from Tiger.
Szczygiel fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Tiger avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mieszko Szczygiel. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tiger throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Szczygiel moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Szczygiel pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Tiger instigates a clinch.
Tiger throws a knee to the head but misses.

Tiger pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szczygiel fails to land the takedown.
Tiger misses with a low kick.

Szczygiel gets a clinch.
Tiger looking to throw knees to the head but Szczygiel is blocking nicely.
Szczygiel prevents Tiger from breaking the clinch.

Tiger pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tiger goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Szczygiel pushes Tiger up against the cage in a clinch.

Szczygiel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tiger closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Szczygiel instigates a clinch.
Tiger tries to land knees in the clinch but Szczygiel avoids the damage to the body.

Szczygiel has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Tiger uses from the top position.
Tiger tries to stand but Szczygiel is controlling from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Szczygiel working a defensive guard here.
Szczygiel wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Tiger is now in half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Szczygiel looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hickson Tiger will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Szczygiel breaks from the clinch.
Szczygiel shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tiger pinned against the cage. Tiger gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Tiger misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
That kick from Szczygiel tenderised Tiger's leg. Tiger is trying to keep his angry face on.
Tiger lands with an overhand left.
Szczygiel shoots for a double leg takedown but Tiger sprawls well. He's pushed Szczygiel's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szczygiel takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Good leg kick by Tiger there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Tiger, right into the meat.
Tiger moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Szczygiel has managed to clinch.
Szczygiel crunches a lovely knee into Tiger's ribcage.
Tiger will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Szczygiel up against the cage.
Szczygiel holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Tiger throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Szczygiel blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tiger tries to land a knee to the head but Szczygiel blocks with his arms.
Tiger tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Szczygiel blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Tiger goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tiger wants to break free but Szczygiel has control.
Tiger letting Szczygiel take a breather here.

Szczygiel breaks the clinch.
Tiger throws a nice inside leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tiger moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Szczygiel avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tiger throws a series of punches but Szczygiel avoids them all with ease.

Szczygiel clinches up with Tiger and pushes him back against the cage.
Tiger struggles to land a body shot inside as Szczygiel controls his hands.
Stalling in the clinch from Tiger.
A knee to the head by Tiger.
Tiger throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Szczygiel blocks it with crossed arms.
Tiger tries to land a knee to the head but Szczygiel blocks with his arms.
Szczygiel landing knees to the body.
Szczygiel wants to break free but Tiger has control.

Szczygiel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Szczygiel is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Tiger lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Hickson Tiger seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Szczygiel closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Szczygiel lands in his opponent's guard.
Hickson Tiger is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szczygiel missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Szczygiel passes Tiger's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Mieszko Szczygiel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Szczygiel slows the pace down in half guard.
Szczygiel trying to control from Tiger's half guard. Tiger has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Szczygiel thows a big elbow that misses.

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 Mieszko Szczygiel.
I think Tiger 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hickson Tiger!