PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Charles Cartez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tap Them (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cartez has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Cartez
vs
Them

166 cm
25
135 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

170 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Great elbows
Self confident

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Charles Cartez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tap Them!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Bruno Lombardi and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cartez shoots in and bounces Them off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Them pulls Cartez in close to prevent any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Charles Cartez.

Cartez closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Them to the mat! Them manages to get full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cartez gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Cartez is breathing heavily.
Cartez tries to clinch but Them is having none of it.
Cartez swats away the attempt to clinch by Them.
Them swats away the attempt to clinch by Cartez.

Them takes the fight into the clinch.

Them pulls guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Them is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Them's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Charles Cartez wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Them gets caught napping as Cartez dives in and scores a takedown. Them manages to retain guard.
Them has Cartez pulled in close to control his posture.
Them is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Them seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cartez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Them is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Cartez defends it well.
Them is trying to control the action in half guard but Cartez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Them is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Them is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cartez is just riding it out for now. Them eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Them is working for a submission of some sort.

Them is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cartez doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Them.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Them wants to control but Cartez is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tap Them 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.

Them is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cartez throws a sloppy head kick and Them moves out of range easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Them looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cartez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Them is looking to clinch but Cartez is avoiding it.

Cartez 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.
Them holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Tap Them has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cartez wants to clinch

and Them counters with a takedown into side control.

Them looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Cartez gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Them fails to advance to Cartez's back.
Them is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cartez is squirming around, avoiding Them's attempts to control the action.
Them might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Cartez kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Them wants to take Cartez's back but he can't do it this time.
Them can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cartez is looking to escape.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Them is working for a guillotine from mount but Cartez frees his head quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Them mounts Cartez! Really nice guard pass there!

Them jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Cartez manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Them looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cartez is not content to let Them control the position.
Cartez prevents Them from improving position.
Them wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cartez keeps working.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Them is trying to get an arm triangle but Cartez is defending well.
Them tries to advance to mount but Cartez denies him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Them drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Them is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Cartez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Them is looking to take a break and control but Cartez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Them tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Them advances to mount.
Cartez is trying to escape the mount but Them keeps good control and instead manages to take Cartez's back.
Cartez holding both Them 's hands and preventing any damage.

Them has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Cartez has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Them has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Them is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Cartez has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Cartez defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Them working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Them is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Them is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Tap Them is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Them controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
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 fight!
Tap Them comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Them 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 26:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 26:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tap Them!