PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Taka Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nelson Mandela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mandela comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Free Nelson Mandela kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! This should be fireworks!

Tanaka
vs
Mandela

178 cm
30
156 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

163 cm
28
159 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Brute

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 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Taka Tanaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nelson Mandela!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Robert Douchet and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka takes a jab right on the kisser.
Mandela shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tanaka but Tanaka pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Tanaka fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Tanaka throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tanaka is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mandela sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mandela is looking to slow Tanaka down with leg kicks.
Mandela stuffs the takedown attempt from Tanaka. Tanaka gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taka Tanaka. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Tanaka.

Tanaka closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Mandela quickly recovers to half guard.

Tanaka is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mandela wants to get back to full guard.
Tanaka thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mandela's head.
Tanaka performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Tanaka is trying to control the action in half guard but Mandela is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka works his way into side control.
Mandela tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Tanaka easily slips into full mount!
Tanaka throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Tanaka trying to control but Mandela is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka looking to finish Mandela with some ground and pound. This is bad for Mandela!

It looks like Nelson Mandela has been cut.

Tanaka goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Mandela turns into him and now he's in Tanaka's guard.
Tanaka looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Taka Tanaka has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Mandela shoots in and drives through. Tanaka sprawls well.
Nice sprawl there from Mandela as Tanaka shoots in.
A punch combination from Mandela misses.

Tanaka shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Tanaka was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tanaka wants to control the pace but Mandela is squirming around nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tanaka throwing strikes here but Mandela is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taka Tanaka dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nelson Mandela's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tanaka looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mandela is fending him off so far but Tanaka persists. Nope, Mandela circles away and we're back to standing.
Mandela lands a head kick!

Tanaka scores with a takedown into Mandela's guard.
Tanaka slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Mandela keeping moving, preventing Tanaka from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Tanaka tries for a kimura but Mandela is defending well.
Mandela is trying to improve his position.
You can see the frustration on Mandela's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Mandela struggling a bit here.
Tanaka working the ground and pound from side control.
Mandela prevents Tanaka from improving position.

Tanaka goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Mandela rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Tanaka's guard! Nice work there by Mandela!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka has an active guard here but Mandela has managed to pass into half guard.
Mandela scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka is doing well to control the position and prevent Mandela from advancing to side control.
Tanaka moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Tanaka is trying to control the position but Mandela postures up.
Mandela trying to control the position from guard on top but Tanaka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tanaka pulls Mandela in close to prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taka Tanaka dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Nelson Mandela's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Tanaka or perhaps it was just good defense by Mandela which made him look bad.
A head kick by Mandela misses

and Tanaka counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Tanaka.
Tanaka pushes down on Mandela's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Tanaka throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tanaka is figuring out what he wants to do next.
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. Tanaka connects with a nice short shot to Mandela's temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandela is not content to let Tanaka control the position.
Tanaka tries to pass to full mount but Mandela defends it.

Tanaka is looking for a kimura here.
Mandela manages to get to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mandela working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tanaka.
Tanaka trying to control but Mandela is working from the bottom.
Tanaka will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Mandela is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Tanaka content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mandela keeping moving, preventing Tanaka from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Taka Tanaka.
Mandela throws a low kick but Tanaka moves out of range easily.
Taka Tanaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Tanaka shoots in and gets a takedown into Mandela's guard.
Taka Tanaka is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tanaka tries to free his leg and advance position but Mandela is retaining full guard.
Mandela looking to control.
Mandela looking for a sweep. Not yet Mandela, not yet.
Mandela keeping moving, preventing Tanaka from controlling successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Taka Tanaka wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Mandela gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Tanaka to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Nelson Mandela has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tanaka controls from within his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taka Tanaka showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tanaka, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taka Tanaka!
After winning the bout, Taka Tanaka thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.