PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brandon Higgins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Truman Tiger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandon Higgins has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Higgins
vs
Tiger

184 cm
28
185 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

177 cm
25
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Brandon Higgins !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Truman Tiger!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shigeki Sano and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Higgins moves forwards but Tiger connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Tiger lands a jab to the head.
Higgins has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Tiger finds it's way round the side to connect with Higgins 's head.
Higgins on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Higgins walks into a jab.
Tiger scores with a decent looking hook.
Tiger with a hook.
Tiger lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Tiger connects with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tiger lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Higgins circles away quickly and effectively.
Higgins throws a hook but Tiger blocks it.
Higgins takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Tiger fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Tiger fails to land with a series of punches.
Tiger looks to land a combination but Higgins avoids it well.
Tiger throws a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tiger scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Tiger scores with a sloppy right hand. Higgins should have avoided that one.
A slow jab from Higgins misses its intended target.
Tiger works the jab nicely.
Tiger throws out a powerful jab.
Tiger dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Truman Tiger seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tiger lands the left hand.
Truman Tiger is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheers as Tiger lands an impressive looking overhand right. Higgins doesn't seem phased though.
Tiger lands a head shot.
Tiger goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Tiger misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Higgins .
Tiger ducks under a wild hook from Higgins .
Tiger throws a hook to the side of Higgins 's head but Higgins sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Higgins throws a right hand that misses
and Higgins takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tiger lands with an uppercut that bounces Higgins off the cage and back into range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Higgins takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Tiger moves into range and connects with a jab.
Higgins keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The fighters circling - Tiger throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Higgins throws a sloppy body shot
and Tiger makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tiger throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Higgins sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Nice defenses there by Tiger.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Truman Tiger 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.

Tiger uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Higgins has time to react.

Higgins drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Tiger defending against the ground and pound.
Tiger avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Higgins .
Tiger defending against the ground and pound.
Tiger takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tiger managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Higgins .
Higgins cracks Tiger with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Higgins in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Higgins scores with punches from side control.
Tiger on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
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!
Higgins lands some shots froms side control.
Higgins postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Tiger dodges the ground and pound from Higgins .
Higgins working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Brandon Higgins overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Higgins works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Tiger on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Tiger is working to avoid the ground and pound but Higgins connects with a decent elbow.
Tiger managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Higgins .
Higgins throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Tiger works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Higgins throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Higgins trying to pass the guard but Tiger defending well.
Higgins throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Tiger to regain full guard.
Tiger keeping moving, preventing Higgins from controlling successfully.
Tiger has momentary wrist control but Higgins slips an elbow through the middle.
Higgins has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Higgins throws a big right hand that misses.
Higgins passes Tiger's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tiger avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Higgins .
Higgins is thwarting Tiger's attempts to control the position.
Higgins thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Tiger's head.
Tiger really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Higgins . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Higgins trying to mount his opponent but Tiger defends it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Higgins uses his free foot to push down on Tiger's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Tiger.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Higgins dominated that second round.
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!

Tiger swings for the body but Higgins moves out of range.
Tiger misses with a looping left.
Nice defenses there by Higgins .
Higgins takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tiger lands a nice shot to the body.
Tiger changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Tiger scores with a punch to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tiger lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Higgins at a distance.
A jab lands there for Tiger.
Higgins throws a jab but it's blocked by Tiger.
Tiger punishes Higgins 's body with a nice straight punch.
Tiger comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Higgins on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Tiger lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tiger scores with a crisp jab that stopped Higgins in his tracks.
Tiger lands a jab to the head.
A combination from Tiger does no damage.
Higgins takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Tiger misses with a body shot.
Tiger swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Higgins throws a poor cross that misses
and Tiger counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Tiger scores with the left hand. Higgins knows he should have avoided that one.
Higgins throws a big shot that misses.
Tiger waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Higgins .
Tiger ducks under a wild hook from Higgins .
Tiger comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Tiger lands an overhand right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Higgins throws an overhand right that lands on Tiger's shoulder, as Tiger tries to avoid the shot.
Tiger lands with a hook. Higgins tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Tiger misses with a straight left.
A combination from Tiger does no damage.
Higgins misses with a hook.
Truman Tiger seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tiger staying out of range there.
Tiger throws a series of strikes that have Higgins backpedaling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Truman Tiger comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!