PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nacho Bel Grande (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rikki Tavarius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tavarius is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Judas Priest - You've Got Another Thing Coming. Nacho Bel Grande has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bel Grande
vs
Tavarius

185 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

186 cm
24
205 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nacho Bel Grande!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rikki Tavarius!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Sano and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tavarius tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bel Grande swivels and escapes.
Bel Grande feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Tavariuss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Bel Grande looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Tavarius misses with a body punch
and Bel Grande counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Tavarius thinking.
Tavarius with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Nice body punch from Bel Grande.

Tavarius shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Tavarius trying to control the position from guard on top but Bel Grande is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bel Grande wants to get back to his feet but Tavarius passes into half guard.
Tavarius throwing shots but Bel Grande is blocking nicely.
Tavarius is keen to just control but Bel Grande is a slippery customer.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bel Grande is trying to stand up here but Tavarius is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavarius controlling the pace.
Tavarius is trying to control. Bel Grande wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tavarius has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Bel Grande's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Tavarius controlling from the full mount.
Bel Grande is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bel Grande is bucking up trying to escape but Tavarius cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tavarius lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Bel Grande is trying to stand.
The referee warns Bel Grande that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Tavarius throwing strikes here but Bel Grande is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Tavarius trying to control but Bel Grande is having none of it.
Tavarius has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bel Grande is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Bel Grande on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bel Grande tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius punching from mount but Bel Grande doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Bel Grande is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Bel Grande's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Bel Grande holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Tavarius tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Tavarius tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Tavarius trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Tavarius is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Tavarius lands a big shot there that rocks Bel Grande but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bel Grande really wants to buck Tavarius off and get back to his feet.

Bel Grande somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Tavarius throws a head kick that misses.
Tavarius swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bel Grande. Tavarius does a little dance to reset his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bel Grande fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Tavarius looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Bel Grande misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Some wild striking there from Bel Grande.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rikki Tavarius dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bel Grande will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Bel Grande keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Bel Grande swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nacho Bel Grande is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bel Grande throws a right hand that Tavarius ducks under and follows up with a left that Tavarius also avoids with ease.
Tavarius lands an overhand right.
Bel Grande ducks under a wild hook from Tavarius.
Tavarius feints and then cracks Bel Grande's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Bel Grande down.
Tavarius lands with a thumping leg kick.
Bel Grande takes a swing at Tavarius's ribcage but misses.
Tavarius shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bel Grande pinned against the cage. Bel Grande gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bel Grande avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Bel Grande tries to keep at a distance but Tavarius has taken the fight into the clinch.
Bel Grande looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bel Grande tries to break free but Tavarius pushes him back against the cage.
Tavarius lands with a right to the head.
Still in the clinch, Tavarius scores with a nice short uppercut.
Bel Grande is trying to force a seperation but Tavarius has the dominant position.
Tavarius tries a body shot but Bel Grande blocks it.
Tavarius lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Bel Grande or not.
Tavarius is working Bel Grande over against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Tavarius.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Tavarius pushes Bel Grande back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Bel Grande wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bel Grande misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tavarius lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tavarius can't find room to land a body shot as Bel Grande controls the action.
Bel Grande wants to break the clinch but can't.
Good body shot from Tavarius.
Tavarius misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bel Grande has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The referee is keeping an eye on Tavarius - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Tavarius digs a right hand underneath Bel Grande's ribcage. Bel Grande let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A short body shot lands from Tavarius as the two fighters clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bel Grande is trying to force a seperation but Tavarius has the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius scores with a shot to the side of Bel Grande's head.
Bel Grande working hard to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Bel Grande's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bel Grande lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Tavarius backwards.
Bel Grande takes a shot to the head.
Bel Grande blocks a body shot from Tavarius.
Tavarius blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Tavarius lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Tavarius lands a hook that snaps the head of Bel Grande backwards.
Bel Grande can't break the clinch.

Bel Grande manages to break the clinch.
Tavarius misses with a hook.
Tavarius turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
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!
Bel Grande walks straight into a right hand from Tavarius - that's dropped him! Tavarius jumps into mount and starts pounding away - can he finish?! More strikes go undefended and the referee has to dive in to save Bel Grande from any more punishment! Bel Grande complains about the stoppage but falls over as he tries to stand back up, so it was clearly a good stoppage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Rikki Tavarius!