PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Water Tankerly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neal Bridges (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tankerly
vs
Bridges

193 cm
25
193 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

200 cm
25
189 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Water Tankerly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Neal Bridges!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bridges gets caught flat footed, as Tankerly shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Tankerly working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Bridges's head.
Bridges is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tankerly wants to stand but Bridges is controlling his posture from full guard.
Tankerly is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Bridges wants to control but Tankerly passes easily into half guard.
Bridges has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tankerly is working away from the top position though.

Tankerly is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Bridges is just riding it out for now. Tankerly eventually gives up the hold.
Bridges tries to roll over but Tankerly keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tankerly is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Tankerly is looking to take a break and control but Bridges is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Tankerly in particular looking to stall.

Water Tankerly has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Bridges will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tankerly tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bridges swivels and escapes.

Bridges gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Tankerly to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Tankerly tries to free his leg and advance position but Bridges is retaining full guard.
Tankerly throws a big right hand that misses.
Tankerly is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Bridges trying to keep a closed guard but Tankerly is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tankerly wants to stand and escape but instead Bridges has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bridges throws a big elbow that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tankerly seems keen to control Bridges's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bridges wanted to stand there but Tankerly had control of the position.
Bridges trying to control but Tankerly is working from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bridges shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tankerly defends it nicely.
Tankerly fails with the takedown.

Tankerly tries to sprawl but Bridges drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Tankerly is trying to stand up here but Bridges is controlling him well.
Tankerly is breathing heavily.
Bridges wants to take a breather but Tankerly is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bridges not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tankerly regains full guard. Nicely done.
Bridges trying to control the position from guard on top but Tankerly is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tankerly keeping full guard, as Bridges tries to pass.
Tankerly not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bridges pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tankerly is keeping the position for now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bridges postures up in Tankerly's guard and throws a big left but Tankerly blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Water Tankerly dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Tankerly scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tankerly displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bridges.
Tankerly throws a jab but it's blocked by Bridges.
Tankerly tries to score with a low kick but Bridges moves his leg out of the way.
Horrible takedown by Tankerly or perhaps it was just good defense by Bridges which made him look bad.
Bridges tries to close the distance and clinch but Tankerly swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tankerly displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bridges.
Tankerly looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Tankerly is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Tankerly bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Tankerly scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Bridges to see if he's OK.

Tankerly tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tankerly wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Bridges, who protects the arm well.
Water Tankerly overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bridges tries to buck Tankerly off but Tankerly is having none of it.

Tankerly is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bridges is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Bridges is trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Bridges's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Tankerly knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bridges on the ground.
Tankerly throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
You can see the frustration on Bridges's face as Tankerly controls the position.
Tankerly working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Bridges is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Tankerly landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Bridges seems a little lost for a moment, as Tankerly dominates the positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bridges avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Tankerly.
Bridges is looking to regain half guard here but Tankerly keeps moving and retains side control.
Bridges is working to avoid the ground and pound but Tankerly connects with a decent elbow.
Bridges trying to remain calm as Tankerly controls from the top position.
Tankerly wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bridges keeps working.
The referee asks Tankerly politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Tankerly prefers to stall for the moment though.
Tankerly throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Tankerly wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Bridges, who protects the arm well.
Bridges misses with a strike from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tankerly blocks the strikes from Bridges.

Tankerly tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Tankerly working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Tankerly working the body and head with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Water Tankerly dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Tankerly gets tackled into the cage by Bridges. Bridges maintains the clinch.
Tankerly looking for a takedown.
Bridges is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Tankerly pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bridges is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Bridges gets underhooks to prevent Tankerly's takedown attempt.
Tankerly is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Water Tankerly. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tankerly tries a body shot but Bridges blocks it.
Bridges is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Tankerly is defending well.
Tankerly looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Tankerly tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bridges avoids it.

Bridges is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Tankerly can't fight it off and eventually Bridges manages to take the fight to the floor. Tankerly looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bridges preventing the sweep.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Bridges got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tankerly has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bridges has managed to get both his arms back between Tankerly's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bridges stops Tankerly from standing up.
Tankerly looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Bridges stands up from guard. Let's bang!
That kick from Bridges tenderised Tankerly's leg. Tankerly is trying to keep his angry face on.
Bridges throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Water Tankerly has been cut.

Tankerly shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Bridges manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bridges trying to keep a closed guard but Tankerly is proving a slippery customer.
Bridges seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Tankerly drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Bridges dives on top into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bridges stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Bridges closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bridges lands in his opponent's guard.
Tankerly is looking to stand back up but Bridges counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Tankerly.
Bridges trying to mount his opponent but Tankerly defends it.
Tankerly on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Tankerly tries to get out of the position.
Tankerly is staying active underneath Bridges, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bridges is thwarting Tankerly's attempts to control the position.
Tankerly controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Tankerly tries to get to full guard but Bridges has control of the leg.
Bridges is taking a breather. Tankerly says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Neal Bridges.
Tankerly changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bridges tries to avoid it but Tankerly manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bridges to the ground. Bridges escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Tankerly fails with a takedown attempt.
Bridges looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tankerly is fending him off so far but Bridges persists. Nope, Tankerly circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bridges rushes Tankerly and presses him up against the cage.
Water Tankerly is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Bridges ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Bridges no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Bridges controls Tankerly momentarily but Tankerly frees himself.
Tankerly controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bridges controls Tankerly momentarily but Tankerly frees himself.

Bridges has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Tankerly off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bridges swats away the attempt to clinch by Tankerly.
Neal Bridges has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tankerly wants to clinch up but Bridges keeps it at a distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Neal Bridges comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tankerly 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Water Tankerly!