PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Karlic Tiberous (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michak Ropuia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ropuia has chosen Here comes the pain - Slayer as his entrance music. Karlic Tiberous has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Tiberous
vs
Ropuia

180 cm
24
150 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

176 cm
24
152 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Karlic Tiberous!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Michak Ropuia!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Ryoma Takatsuka and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tiberous tries to clinch up but Ropuia circles away and keeps his distance.
Ropuia showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tiberous.

Ropuia closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Tiberous is trying to get back to full guard.
Tiberous is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ropuia's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ropuia's back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tiberous is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Ropuia showing good submission defense here.
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!
Ropuia is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Ropuia defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Tiberous's arms.

Tiberous is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Ropuia defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tiberous looking for the choke from the back.

Ropuia is having to fend off submission attempts from Tiberous, who is looking to sink in the choke. Tiberous doesn't have the hooks in though and Ropuia manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
Ropuia stands and throws Tiberous's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Ropuia is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tiberous is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Tiberous tries to improve position but can't.
Tiberous is working hard here to advance position.
Ropuia trying to control the action but Tiberous is working from the bottom.

Ropuia stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ropuia fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Tiberous to the ground. Ropuia is now in Tiberous's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Ropuia is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Tiberous is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Tiberous has escaped and now he's on top!

Ropuia has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Tiberous off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Ropuia stuffs the takedown attempt from Tiberous. Tiberous gets slowly back to his feet.
Ropuia keeps the fight on the outside.
Tiberous misses with a takedown attempt

and Ropuia moves into the clinch.
Tiberous taking a breather.

Ropuia breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ropuia moves into range and clinches up with Tiberous.

Ropuia jumps guard and drags Tiberous to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Tiberous trying to control but Ropuia is working from the bottom.
Tiberous throwing strikes from guard but Ropuia blocks nicely.

Tiberous drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Tiberous jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ropuia keeping full guard, as Tiberous tries to pass.
Tiberous prevents Ropuia from getting back to his feet.
Ropuia trying to keep a closed guard but Tiberous is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ropuia wants to stand and escape but Tiberous is having none of it.
Ropuia keeping moving, preventing Tiberous from controlling successfully.
Ropuia avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Ropuia is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tiberous defends well.
Ropuia wants to stand and escape but Tiberous is having none of it.
Ropuia looks gassed!
Tiberous trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tiberous passes into half guard.
Ropuia gets back to full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ropuia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Karlic Tiberous will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tiberous wants to clinch.
Tiberous tries for a takedown but Ropuia sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Tiberous gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ropuia to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Ropuia won't allow Tiberous to sweep him here.
Ropuia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tiberous swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Tiberous holds on and takes a little breather.
Ropuia would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Michak Ropuia has got the better of the ground game so far.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tiberous is on top in guard.
Tiberous trying to control but Ropuia is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tiberous stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ropuia swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Ropuia is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tiberous is aware though and is defending well.

Ropuia looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Tiberous wants to pass the guard but Ropuia is keeping the position.
Tiberous passes Ropuia's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Tiberous is trying to control. Ropuia wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tiberous is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Tiberous is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Ropuia to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Ropuia shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tiberous looking to finish with strikes here!

Tiberous looking to secure an arm triangle but Ropuia defends it well.
Tiberous trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ropuia is in all sorts of trouble here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ropuia is breathing heavily.
Tiberous controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ropuia keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Tiberous looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Tiberous can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ropuia is looking to escape.
Ropuia is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Tiberous has hold of Ropuia's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Ropuia manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Poor strikes thrown by Tiberous there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tiberous wants to control the pace but Ropuia is squirming around nicely.
Tiberous thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Tiberous throwing strikes here but Ropuia is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Ropuia can't escape the position.
Tiberous can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ropuia is looking to escape.
Tiberous sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tiberous thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karlic Tiberous dominated that second round.
That's time! Tiberous's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Tiberous avoids the head kick by Ropuia.
Tiberous misses with a series of wild punches.

Ropuia shoots in and bounces Tiberous off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Tiberous has his foot on Ropuia's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ropuia works his way back into a safe position though.
Tiberous wants to hit a switch here but Ropuia passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Tiberous there!
Tiberous working to try and regain half guard.
Ropuia manages to capitalize on a mistake by Tiberous to take his back!
Tiberous tries to break free.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ropuia patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Ropuia is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Tiberous is defending well though. Ropuia let's go of the attempt for now.

Ropuia is persistently looking for the submission but Tiberous is defending it well.
Tiberous manages to reverse the position and now he's in Ropuia's guard. Nice work there by Tiberous.
Tiberous pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ropuia is keeping the position for now.

Ropuia has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Tiberous can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Ropuia is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tiberous defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tiberous passes into half guard.

Tiberous seems to be working for a kimura but Ropuia defends the submission attempt.
Tiberous wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ropuia keeps working.

Ropuia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Tiberous missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tiberous is trying to work for a kimura but Ropuia is defending well.
Tiberous takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Tiberous is working for a submission of some sort.
Tiberous tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ropuia knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ropuia wants to get back to his feet.

Ropuia looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Tiberous tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ropuia knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ropuia is trying to stand.
Ropuia keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Tiberous looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Tiberous throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ropuia actively working from the bottom here.
Ropuia avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Tiberous.
Tiberous is pressing down on Ropuia's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ropuia is holding on for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Michak Ropuia.
I think Tiberous has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight for Karlic Tiberous!
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight for Karlic Tiberous!
Judge Josh West scores the fight for Karlic Tiberous!

Karlic Tiberous wins by unanimous decision!