PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between John McLachlan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manu Tuilagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McLachlan comes to the cage accompanied by Funeral For a Friend - 'History'. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

McLachlan
vs
Tuilagi

178 cm
24
181 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

174 cm
24
175 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good elbows
Good gas tank

Meet the Future

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 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John McLachlan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Manu Tuilagi!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, David Schapiro and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Tuilagi is defended easily by McLachlan.
Tuilagi lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
John McLachlan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tuilagi is looking to slow McLachlan down with leg kicks.
Tuilagi throws a poor cross that misses

and McLachlan counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Tuilagi's guard now.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Tuilagi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. McLachlan manages to get himself to full guard.
Tuilagi postures up in McLachlan's guard and throws a big left but McLachlan blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tuilagi content to stall in guard here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tuilagi throws a strike but McLachlan rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuilagi is pulling down on McLachlan's head. It's preventing any offense from McLachlan, at least for the moment.
Tuilagi tries to strike from the bottom.
McLachlan trying to control but Tuilagi is working from the bottom.
Tuilagi trying to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McLachlan postures up in Tuilagi's guard and throws a big left but Tuilagi blocks it.

Tuilagi throws his legs up looking for a submission but McLachlan uses it to pass to side control.
McLachlan working away.
McLachlan tries to advance to mount but Tuilagi denies him.
Tuilagi gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
We've been hearing that McLachlan has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Tuilagi is not content to let McLachlan control the position.
Tuilagi is trying to maintain the position but McLachlan is very close to passing his half guard.
Tuilagi is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McLachlan is looking to take a break and control but Tuilagi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
McLachlan is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Tuilagi!
McLachlan can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tuilagi is looking to escape.
McLachlan lands a nice shot to the head.
McLachlan throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Tuilagi tries to hold on but McLachlan postures up.
McLachlan lands a big elbow.
Tuilagi tries to reverse the position but McLachlan maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi wants to try and get back to his feet.
Tuilagi is looking to improve his position but McLachlan isn't that keen on the idea.
Tuilagi keeps trying to improve his position.
Tuilagi throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Tuilagi sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Tuilagi looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Tuilagi trying to control from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tuilagi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
McLachlan trying to move into half guard but instead Tuilagi has managed to sweep!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Manu Tuilagi will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

McLachlan tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tuilagi swivels and escapes.
Tuilagi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? McLachlan is fending him off so far but Tuilagi persists. Nope, McLachlan circles away and we're back to standing.
McLachlan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Tuilagi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Tuilagi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
McLachlan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tuilagi.
Tuilagi controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tuilagi tries to pass to full mount but McLachlan defends it.
Tuilagi passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuilagi fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Tuilagi tries to control but McLachlan wriggling away.
Tuilagi thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
McLachlan tries to hold on but Tuilagi postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi thowing shots but they're missing.
Tuilagi throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
McLachlan is wriggling around trying to escape.
Tuilagi trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Tuilagi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can McLachlan hang on?
Tuilagi looking to finish with strikes here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McLachlan is squirming around, avoiding Tuilagi's attempts to control the action.
McLachlan avoids a series of strikes thrown by Tuilagi.
Tuilagi lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Tuilagi tries to control but McLachlan wriggling away.
Tuilagi looking to ground and pound but McLachlan is blocking nicely.
Tuilagi looking to control but McLachlan is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tuilagi swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and McLachlan is now in Tuilagi's guard. A big mistake from Tuilagi there, giving up the dominant position!
Tuilagi is pulling down on McLachlan's head to control his posture.
Tuilagi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. McLachlan manages to get himself to full guard.
Tuilagi is looking to work some ground and pound but McLachlan has wrist control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tuilagi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tuilagi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

McLachlan misses the shot to the body.

Tuilagi moves into the clinch.
McLachlan looking for a takedown.
Tuilagi effectively controlling the action here.
Tuilagi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and McLachlan avoids it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Tuilagi missing with knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Tuilagi prevents the takedown attempt.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Tuilagi.
Tuilagi has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. McLachlan is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knees to the body from Tuilagi.
Tuilagi comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Tuilagi landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Tuilagi goes for a takedown attempt but McLachlan pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
McLachlan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tuilagi sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Tuilagi moves into the clinch.
McLachlan takes an elbow to the temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi tries to land knees in the clinch but McLachlan avoids the damage to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Tuilagi.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
McLachlan tries for a takedown but Tuilagi manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John McLachlan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tuilagi turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
You can see the frustration on McLachlan's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
McLachlan tries to bench press Tuilagi off him but Tuilagi keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi in side control, throwing shots but McLachlan defends.
McLachlan can't do much from the bottom here.
Tuilagi controlling the position.
Tuilagi tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
John McLachlan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi with the ground and pound but McLachlan regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
McLachlan is refusing to be controlled, as Tuilagi sits in half guard.
Manu Tuilagi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tuilagi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Tuilagi ducks under a wild hook from McLachlan.

And that's the end of the fight!
Manu Tuilagi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tuilagi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manu Tuilagi!
Manu Tuilagi really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Jazzify logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.