PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Stephan Walter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niku Taku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Walter
vs
Taku

173 cm
36
185 lbs
16 - 14 - 0

183 cm
26
179 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Merciless Gladiators

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry

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 16 - 14 - 0, fighting out of London, Stephan Walter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Niku Taku!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, James Ackerman and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walter tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Taku swivels and escapes.

Taku rushes Walter and presses him up against the cage.

Taku breaks from the clinch.
A clash of legs there as Walter blocks the low kick.

Taku gets a clinch.

Taku has hold of one of Walter's legs. Walter is fighting the takedown attempt but Taku gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Taku trying to control the position from guard on top but Walter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Taku tries to stand but Walter is controlling from the bottom.
Taku showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Taku trying to control the position from guard on top but Walter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Niku Taku wasn't active enough on the ground.
Taku takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taku tries to close the distance and clinch up but Walter swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Walter circles away from the clinch attempt.
Walter looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Taku gets a clinch.

Walter gets control of Taku's arms and successfully pulls guard. Walter will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Walter utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Walter keeping full guard, as Taku tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taku 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.
Taku wants to control from the top but Walter keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Niku Taku was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Walter shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Taku counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Walter!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Walter prevents Taku from moving into mount.
Taku working away.
Walter parries the strikes from Taku easily there. Taku is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Walter to escape.
Walter is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Taku tries to advance to mount but Walter denies him.

Taku tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Taku has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Taku trying to control the position but Walter is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taku thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Walter wants to control but Taku postures up.
Taku tries to advance to mount but Walter denies him.
Taku remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Taku tries to move to mount but Walter blocks the move with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taku working away.

Taku decides to stand up, so the ref orders Walter to his feet.
Taku wants to slow Walter down by chopping away at his legs.
Taku dives in for a single leg takedown but Walter sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Taku manages to break the clinch.
Walter closes the distance and clinches up with Taku, looking for a takedown. Walter pushes Taku against the cage but Taku circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stephan Walter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taku goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Walter moves into the clinch successfully.
Walter misses with a body punch.
Walter missing with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niku Taku dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Walter shoots in for a takedown but Taku shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Taku misses with a low kick as Walter jumps back.
Taku throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Taku tries to close the distance and clinch up but Walter swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Taku tried to score with a low kick but Walter checks it.
Taku slaps away a takedown attempt from Walter, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Walter darts in looking for a takedown but Taku gets double underhooks and turns Walter into the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stephan Walter. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Taku pulls guard effortlessly.
Taku keeping moving, preventing Walter from controlling successfully.
Walter working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Taku not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Taku preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taku looking to hit a scissor sweep but Walter is one step ahead there.
Taku controls Walter momentarily but Walter frees himself.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Walter throwing strikes from guard but Taku blocks nicely.
Taku trying to control the position here.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Niku Taku.
Walter closes this distance looking for a takedown but Taku circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Taku as Walter shoots in.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walter tries to clinch up but Taku circles away and keeps his distance.
Taku misses with a body kick.
No joy there for Taku, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Taku avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Taku. Those never looked like landing.
Taku lands a body shot.
Stephan Walter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Walter enables Taku to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Walter manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Taku missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Taku advances position into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Taku looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Walter tries to bench press Taku off him but Taku keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taku scores with a couple of short elbows.
Walter is letting Taku control him for a moment.
Taku tries to advance to mount but Walter denies him.
Walter is looking for a sweep.
Walter is not content to let Taku control the position.
You can see the frustration on Walter's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taku trying to control the position but Walter is working away.
Taku advances nicely into full mount.
Walter wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Taku trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Taku working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
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.
Taku can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Walter is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Taku is looking to clinch but Walter is avoiding it.

Walter closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Taku did well to prevent Walter getting side control.

Walter is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Taku trying to hold on to Walter's head to control him but Walter postures up.

Walter is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Taku wants to improve his position but Walter is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Walter wants to work for an arm triangle but Taku is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Taku is looking to control Walter's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Taku avoid being mounted?
Walter tries to pass to full mount but Taku defends it.
Taku tries to get to full guard but Walter has control of the leg.
Taku is trying to maintain the position but Walter is very close to passing his half guard.
Taku is trying to stand back up but Walter is controlling him

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walter not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Taku is holding on to half guard well.

Walter is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Taku doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Walter.
Taku wants to improve his position but Walter is controlling well.
Taku trying to control here.
Walter thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taku is trying to stand back up but Walter is controlling him
Taku keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Taku is looking for a sweep. Walter is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Walter passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Taku!
Walter scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Niku Taku has got the better of the ground game so far.
Taku tries to hold on but Walter postures up.
Taku is in all sorts of trouble here.
Taku is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walter thowing shots but they're missing.
Taku taking shots to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taku sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Taku wants to get back to his feet.
Walter working the head and body with strikes.
Walter with the ground and pound but Taku uses the opportunity to regain guard.

Walter is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Walter throws a big right hand that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephan Walter showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Taku 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Niku Taku!