PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Peppin Larter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Konstantin Tszyu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Larter comes to the cage accompanied by Analiese. Tszyu has chosen System of a Down - Toxicity as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Larter
vs
Tszyu

177 cm
26
168 lbs
11 - 7 - 1

175 cm
28
168 lbs
15 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Peppin Larter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Konstantin Tszyu!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Skip Squint and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tszyu tries to clinch but Larter moves out of range.
Tszyu wants to clinch
and Larter counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Tszyu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Larter counter with a right hand.
Larter tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tszyu was well out of range. Poor timing from Larter.
A punch lands to the side of Larter 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Tszyu tries to clinch up but Larter circles away and keeps his distance.
Larter just misses with a punch to the body.
Tszyu tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Larter makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Tszyu rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Larter moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tszyu ducks under a wild hook from Larter.
Larter throws a leg kick but Tszyu sees it coming and moves out of range.
Tszyu tries a head kick but it misses.
Larter tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tszyu was well out of range. Poor timing from Larter.
Tszyu shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Larter defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larter throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tszyu throws a right and a left that Larter avoids nicely.
Larter fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tszyu manages to avoid it.
Tszyu lands a glancing blow to the side of Larter's head.
Tszyu throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tszyu is looking to clinch but Larter is avoiding it.
Tszyu with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Larter to score with a decent uppercut.
Larter lands a nice shot to the body.
Larter pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Larter keeps the fight on the outside.
Larter avoids the head kick by Tszyu.
Tszyu walks into a stiff left hand from Larter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tszyu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Larter moves into the clinch successfully.
Larter misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Larter misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Larter prevents a body shot from Tszyu.
Tszyu has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Larter after a bit of a struggle.
Larter lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Tszyu scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Larter stops a takedown attempt from Tszyu.
Peppin Larter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Konstantin Tszyu.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Larter tries to work over Tszyu's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tszyu has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Larter avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Tszyu scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Larter is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Larter lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Larter turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Larter misses with the ground and pound.
Larter sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Tszyu is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larter working the ground and pound from side control.
Larter landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Tszyu takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Larter working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Larter scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Tszyu to see if he's OK.
Larter lands a few punches from side control.
Larter prevents Tszyu from escaping the position.
Larter is trying to ground and pound but Tszyu uses the momentary lack of control by Larter to regain half guard.
Larter thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larter looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Larter connects with a nice short shot to Tszyu's temple.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Tszyu looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ground and pound from Larter.
Larter moves nicely into side control.
Tszyu is pushing Larter's head away, looking to escape. Larter manages to hold on to the position though.
Tszyu looks gassed!
Tszyu takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Larter landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Peppin Larter dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Tszyu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Tszyu. Those never looked like landing.
Larter throws a front kick aimed at Tszyu's knee but Tszyu avoids it well.
Tszyu looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
No joy there for Tszyu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Tszyu takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Tszyu misses with a jab, cross combination.
Konstantin Tszyu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tszyu slips under a jab from Larter.
Tszyu scores with a head kick.
Larter steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Tszyu. That one must have hurt.
Larter misses with a hook. Tszyu ducked under it nicely.
Nice sprawl there from Larter as Tszyu shoots in.
Tszyu takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Tszyu slips under a jab from Larter.
Tszyu throws a left and a right that both miss
and Larter counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Larter. Tszyu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tszyu is breathing heavily.
Tszyu tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Larter counters with a leg kick.
Tszyu rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Larter moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Larter misses with a looping right.
Tszyu looks to land a combination but Larter avoids it well.
Tszyu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Larter paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tszyu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Larter.
Peppin Larter is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tszyu throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tszyu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tszyu takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Tszyu lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Larter throws a shot to the body.
Tszyu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Tszyu, right into the meat.
Tszyu tries to clinch but Larter moves out of range.
Tszyu checks a leg kick.
Larter misses with a double jab.
Tszyu staying out of range there.
Larter steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Tszyu. That one must have hurt.
Larter has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Larter fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tszyu manages to avoid it.
Tszyu closes the distance looking to clinch
and Larter connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Larter blocks a head kick by Tszyu.
Konstantin Tszyu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
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!
Larter scores with a jab to the jaw.
Tszyu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larter slaps away a takedown attempt from Tszyu, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Tszyu throws a series of punches but Larter avoids them all with ease.
Tszyu misses with a combination
and Larter counters with a left to the body.
Larter throws a lazy right hand but Tszyu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Larter swats away the attempt to clinch by Tszyu.
Tszyu throws a head kick but Larter moves out of range.
Tszyu tries to bum rush Larter with a series of wild strikes but Larter uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Larter fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Tszyu has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Tszyu throws a push kick but Larter slaps the foot to one side.
Larter stuns Tszyu with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Larter is looking to wear down Tszyu with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Tszyu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Larter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tszyu tries to clinch up.
Tszyu slips under a jab from Larter.
A big left from Larter misses.
Tszyu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tszyu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Larter.
Tszyu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tszyu moves out of range of the body kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tszyu.
Peppin Larter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Konstantin Tszyu.
Tszyu throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Larter throws the left hand but Tszyu avoids the punch easily.
Larter showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tszyu.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Peppin Larter will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Larter lands a right hook to the body.
Tszyu throws the kick towards the body but Larter avoids it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tszyu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Larter throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Larter moves out of range as Tszyu strikes.

Tszyu clinches with his opponent.
Tszyu keeps control of Larter as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Larter is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Tszyu pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Larter softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Larter makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Tszyu changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Larter fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Tszyu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tszyu tries to clinch but Larter moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larter avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tszyu wants to clinch but Larter slips to the side
enabling Larter to counter with a crisp jab.
Peppin Larter is winning the standup battle so far.
Tszyu misses with a combination
and Larter counters with a straight right hand.
Good work by Tszyu as he checks the leg kick.
Larter circles away from the clinch attempt.
Larter connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Tszyu's hands.
Larter throws a jab but it's blocked by Tszyu.
Tszyu tries to clinch there but Larter circles away.
Larter circles away from the clinch attempt.
Larter pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tszyu goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Larter throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larter is looking to slow Tszyu down with leg kicks.

Tszyu closes the distance and clinches.
Larter lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Tszyu tries to circle away but Larter has him pinned against the cage.

Larter has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Tszyu is trying to keep an underhook but Larter manages to get the takedown into half guard.
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!
Larter scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Larter missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Larter looks to land a strike but Tszyu avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Larter cracks Tszyu with a solid left hand.
Larter working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Larter throws a strike but Tszyu rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Larter is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Tszyu is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tszyu stands and throws Larter's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Tszyu wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Larter, who protects the arm well.
Larter is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Tszyu has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The strikes coming from Tszyu are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Larter is trying to get back to his feet.
Peppin Larter overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tszyu working the head and body with strikes.
Check out the look on Tszyu's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Tszyu working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Larter is trying to buck Tszyu off.
Konstantin Tszyu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tszyu is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Larter is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Larter bucks up and tries to throw Tszyu off but instead Tszyu has got his back!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Tszyu is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Larter trying to get back to his feet but Tszyu is in full control for now.

Larter showing good submission defense here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Larter is trying to get back to his feet but Tszyu has full control of the position and if anything, Larter has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Tszyu looking for the choke from the back.

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 Peppin Larter.
Well Larter has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 John Mangel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Peppin Larter!