PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tommy Tapout (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Torello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tapout comes to the cage accompanied by Runaway. Tommy Tapout could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to James Torello's chin.

Tapout
vs
Torello

173 cm
31
142 lbs
18 - 11 - 0

168 cm
25
138 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great low kicks
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Merciless Gladiators

Conquer
Sex Panther! (160q recovery $149)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tommy Tapout!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Torello!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Torello swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tapout looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tapout wants to clinch.
Torello scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Tapout moves into the clinch.
Torello doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tapout is struggling to control the position.
Torello scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Tapout is trying to push Torello away but Torello has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A shot in the inside from Torello.
Torello has Tapout pressed against the cage.
Torello misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tapout is stalling here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Torello.
A hook to the body from Torello.

Tapout jumps guard.
Torello seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Torello must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Torello wants to control from the top but Tapout keeps moving.
Torello controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Tapout has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

The ref stands the fighters back up. James Torello was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Tapout uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Torello.
Tommy Tapout seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Torello throws a hook to the side of Tapout's head but Tapout sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Torello has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.

Torello gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Tapout won't allow Torello to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Torello controls Tapout momentarily but Tapout frees himself.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Torello trying to control the position here.
Tapout trying to control the position from guard on top but Torello is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tapout in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Torello has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

The ref stands the fighters back up. James Torello was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Torello connects with an inside leg kick.
Torello is looking to land body kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tapout doesn't manage to clinch there - Torello circles away.
Torello keeps the fight on the outside.
Torello misses with a double jab.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tapout.
Tapout tries to clinch but Torello is having none of it.
Torello tries a head kick but it misses.
Tapout closes this distance looking for a takedown but Torello circles away.
Tapout tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Torello counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tapout thumps Torello with a low kick.
Tapout takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Torello is looking to slow Tapout down with leg kicks.
Torello connects with a leg kick. Tapout looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Tapout checks the leg kick.
Torello swings for the body but Tapout moves out of range.

Tapout darts in and clinches Torello up against the cage.
Torello doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Torello lands a body punch in the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Torello looking to stall.
Torello misses with a short punch on the inside.
Tapout tries to pull guard but Torello holds him up against the cage and eventually Tapout drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy Tapout. That's going to take a lot out of him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Torello is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Tapout tries to pull guard but Torello holds him up against the cage and eventually Tapout drops back down to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Torello dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Torello misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tapout.
Torello cracks Tapout with a right hand to the side of the head.
Torello throws a quick inside leg kick.
Torello connects with a right hand. Tapout shakes it off.
Torello walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Tapout checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Torello connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Torello misses with a body shot.
Tapout wants to clinch
and Torello counters with a slapping leg kick.
Tapout is looking to clinch.
Torello throws a nice outside leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tapout looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice straight punches there by Torello. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Torello.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Torello chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Tapout tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Torello counters with a nice uppercut.

Tapout clinches with his opponent.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tapout prevents a body shot from Torello.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Torello.
A bit of stalling here from Tapout.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Torello effectively controlling the action here.
Torello fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tapout swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tapout has a couple of punches blocked by Torello.
Torello misses with a punch to the body.
Tapout fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tapout content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Tapout has a couple of punches blocked by Torello.
Tapout is trying to maintain a safe position but Torello gets an underhook and turns Tapout into the cage.

Tapout jumps guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tapout wants to sweep but no luck.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Torello not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Torello trying to control the position from guard on top but Tapout is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Tapout has his foot on Torello's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Torello works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Torello trying to control but Tapout is working from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Tapout throws his legs up looking for a submission but Torello uses it to pass to side control.

Torello decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Torello swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tapout darts in and clinches Torello up against the cage.
Torello tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tapout's elbow.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Torello goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tapout putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Torello in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Torello fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A short left from Torello.
Tapout just leaning against Torello, taking a breather.
Torello lands a shot to the body.
Tapout fails to pull guard.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Torello.
Tapout fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy Tapout. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tapout misses with a hook to the ribs.
A short uppercut from Tapout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Torello throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Tapouts head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A right hand to the body from Torello.
Torello scores with a shot to the side of Tapout's head.
A short right from Torello on the inside.
Torello lands a hook that snaps the head of Tapout backwards.
Torello lands with a right to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Tapout fails to land.
Torello tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tapout content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Tapout tries to pull guard but Torello won't allow it.
Tapout jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Torello walks away with a smile on his face. Tapout gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Torello misses the shot to the body.
Torello tests Tapout's chin there with a solid looking shot.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tapout is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tapout darts in trying to clinch
and Torello counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Torello showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Tapout's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Tapout stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Torello.
Torello punishes Tapout's body with a nice straight punch.
A jab lands there for Torello.
Tapout blocks a head kick by Torello.
Tapout moves in looking to clinch but Torello pushes him off.
Tapout is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tapout wants to clinch
and Torello counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Tapout is looking to clinch.
Tapout shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tapout on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Tapout wants to clinch up but Torello keeps it at a distance.
Tapout has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Torello finds it's way round the side to connect with Tapout's head.

Tapout is rocked!
Today's fight clock is brought to you by... OOOH that's a huge shot by Torello! Tapout is in big trouble here - the ref steps in to save him and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). James Torello!
Our winner, James Torello, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.