PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Niku Taku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phalco Puinch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Phalco Puinch will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Taku
vs
Puinch

183 cm
22
179 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Niku Taku!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Phalco Puinch!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, David Schapiro and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puinch connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Taku slips a jab and a cross from Puinch.
Puinch falls off balance throwing a combination
and Taku counters with a left to the body.
Puinch looks to land a combination but Taku avoids it well.
Puinch keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Puinch tries to bum rush Taku with a series of wild strikes but Taku uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Taku misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Taku tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Puinch swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Niku Taku. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Puinch lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Taku circles away quickly and effectively.
Taku fails to land the takedown.
Taku dives in and grabs Puinch's left leg, looking for a takedown. Puinch pushes down on Taku's head and hops out.

Taku closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Puinch's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puinch looking to hit a scissor sweep but Taku is one step ahead there.
Taku content to stall in guard here.

Taku gets to his feet - Puinch follows without any prompting.
Puinch moves into range and connects with a jab.
Taku throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

It looks like Phalco Puinch has been cut.
Taku misses with a takedown attempt - Puinch sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puinch fails to land with a series of punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Taku is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Puinch pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Puinch can't break the clinch.

Taku pulls guard.
Taku is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Puinch is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Taku seems to be working for a kimura but Puinch defends the submission attempt.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puinch wants to get back to his feet.
Taku winds up and cracks Puinch with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Taku lands with a punch from half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Puinch can do anything to dispel that myth.
Taku content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Taku lands with a punch from half guard.
Still in half guard, Taku seems content to control.
Taku frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Puinch really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Taku. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Taku controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Taku scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Puinch?
Taku 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.
Taku controlling the pace for now.
Taku takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Taku is persistently looking for the submission but Puinch is defending it well.

Taku is working for the choke. I would put my money on him to finish from this position. He's rolled onto his back and has dragged Puinch with him. Puinch is trying to defend but Taku has an arm under the chin now! Puinch grimaces and is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Niku Taku!