PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Lucas Buck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Tucker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Buck
vs
Tucker

177 cm
21
155 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

175 cm
19
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Improved boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

FIGHT19: FIGHTWEAR

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lucas Buck!
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, Nick Tucker!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Reed Andrews and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Buck moves into range and throws a big uppercut. OH! Tucker goes down! Can Buck finish him!?

Tucker is rocked!

It looks like Nick Tucker has been cut.
Buck missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tucker is still in real trouble! Can Buck finish him?
Buck is fighting to break Tucker's control of his arms but Tucker is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Tucker looking for a sweep. Not yet Tucker, not yet.
Tucker seems to have recovered his senses.
Tucker pulls Buck in to control the position.
Tucker manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Buck keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Buck tries to hold on but Tucker pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tucker sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Buck is desperately trying to improve his position but Tucker has a good base and remains in mount.
Tucker controlling the pace for now.

Despite being in the dominant position, Nick Tucker just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tucker shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Buck but Buck pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Buck keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Tucker shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Tucker was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Tucker looks gassed!
Buck is looking to improve his position but Tucker isn't that keen on the idea.
Tucker takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Buck tries to lock up and control but Tucker gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Tucker controlling the position easily from mount.
I looks like Tucker might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Tucker looking to control but Buck is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buck sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Buck tries to get to full guard but Tucker has control of the leg.
Tucker wants to pass the guard but Buck is defending well.
Tucker prevents Buck from improving his position.
Tucker thows a huge punch but Buck dodges it nicely.
Tucker not doing much here.
Tucker trying to control from half guard but Buck is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Buck regains full guard. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Buck is pulling down on Tucker's head to control his posture.
Buck being controlled here, momentarily.
Tucker stops Buck from standing up.
Tucker wants to control from the top but Buck keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nick Tucker will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nick Tucker's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Buck tries for a takedown but Tucker circles away easily

and Tucker counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Buck!
Tucker takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Despite being in the dominant position, Nick Tucker just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Buck tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tucker paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Buck closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Tucker sneaks back into half guard.
Tucker wants to control but Buck is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Buck not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tucker is pressing down on Buck's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Tucker lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Buck!

Tucker working for a guillotine from mount but Buck is in no mood to give up.
Tucker content just to control the position here.
Tucker pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Tucker takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Tucker is landing with some decent strikes but Buck is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tucker stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Tucker keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Tucker decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Tucker takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Buck moves into full guard.

Buck looking for a guillotine here but Tucker defends easily.
Tucker trying to control the position from guard on top but Buck is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tucker stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Buck swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Buck trying to keep a closed guard but Tucker is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tucker looking to pass the guard.
Tucker stops Buck from standing up.
Tucker stopping the sweep attempt from Buck.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Tucker fails with the takedown.
Buck doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Tucker decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Buck's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lucas Buck. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Buck not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tucker content to stall in guard here.
Buck is looking to stand up but Tucker isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buck is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Buck looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tucker controls from within his opponent's guard.
Tucker trying to stand up but can't free himself from Buck's guard.
Tucker looking to sit in guard and control but Buck gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Tucker manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Tucker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Nick Tucker's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Tucker fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Buck sprawls well initially but Tucker persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Tucker passes the guard and advances to mount!
Tucker looking to control and managing it successfully.
Let's hope that Tucker has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buck tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Buck is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Tucker get's back to his feet.

Tucker shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Tucker showed some decent athleticism there.
Buck won't allow Tucker to pass to mount.
Tucker content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tucker's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Despite being in the dominant position, Nick Tucker just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tucker misses with a takedown attempt

and Buck counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Tucker trying to control here.
Tucker taking some punishment here, with Buck in his half guard.
Tucker regains full guard. Nicely done.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Tucker looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tucker trying to control the position.
Tucker is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buck trying to control the position from guard on top but Tucker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tucker controls Buck momentarily but Buck frees himself.
Tucker pulls Buck in to control the position.
Buck thows a big elbow that misses.
Buck has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Buck with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Buck trying to control but Tucker is working from the bottom.
Buck is really struggling to control Tucker but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Buck has his takedown stuffed

and Tucker counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Buck wants to control but Tucker is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tucker perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Buck is looking to improve his position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Tucker in particular looking to stall.
Lucas Buck has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tucker is trying to control the action in half guard but Buck is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tucker is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Buck!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tucker avoids the attempt from Buck to control.
Tucker controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nick Tucker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tucker 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Tucker!