PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mervin Tanner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alecs Mallari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Tanner
vs
Mallari

160 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

160 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mervin Tanner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Alecs Mallari!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Taro Takaoka and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mallari looks to clinch
letting Tanner counter with a right hand.
Mallari moves to clinch but Tanner breaks away
and Tanner counters with a big head kick but Mallari shrugs it off.
Mallari wants to clinch
and Tanner counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Mallari is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Tanner shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Tanner is looking for a kimura but Mallari is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Tanner to get the leverage.

Tanner is working for a kimura but Mallari is defending it quite comfortably.
Mallari is looking to get back to is feet but Tanner passes into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tanner looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Tanner is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Mallari's shoulder. That is not cool.
Tanner lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Tanner stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Mallari closes the distance but Tanner moves to the side
and Tanner counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Mallari wants to clinch up but Tanner keeps it at a distance.
Alecs Mallari seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Tanner moves into the clinch successfully.
Tanner blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mallari fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tanner blocks an uppercut.
Mallari lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Tanner is trying to break free.
Mallari misses with the head strike.
Mallari misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tanner.

Tanner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mallari moves to clinch but Tanner breaks away
and Tanner counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Mallari closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mallari misses with the head strike.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mallari swings wildly with an uppercut but Tanner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mallari throws a head punch that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mallari pushes Tanner back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mallari throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tanner.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mallari.
Mallari throws a head punch that misses.

Tanner successfully pulls guard.
Mallari has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Tanner is proving hard to escape from.
Tanner seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Mallari wants to stand but Tanner is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mallari avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mallari would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tanner has control of Mallari's left arm, preventing Mallari from doing any damage.

Tanner has his feet on Mallari's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Mallari moves to clinch but Tanner breaks away
and Tanner counters with an inside leg kick.
Mallari tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tanner counters with a nice low kick that buckles Mallari's knee momentarily.
Mallari moves to clinch but Tanner breaks away
and Tanner counters with a nice leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mervin Tanner dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Mallari moves to clinch but Tanner breaks away
and Tanner counters with a head kick. That will keep Mallari thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Mallari tries to clinch up
and Tanner counters with a big head kick but Mallari shrugs it off.
Mallari tries to clinch
and Tanner counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Mervin Tanner is winning the standup battle so far.
Mallari wants to clinch up but Tanner keeps it at a distance.
Mallari tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tanner counters with a slapping leg kick.

Tanner shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Mallari is trying to defend but Tanner finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Tanner decides to stand and escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mallari tries to clinch up
and Tanner counters with a nice uppercut.
Mallari tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tanner counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Mallari closes the distance but Tanner moves to the side
and Tanner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Mallari tries to clinch
and Tanner counters with a series of strikes. Mallari will be more careful next time no doubt.
Mallari wants to clinch but Tanner slips to the side
and Tanner counters with a one-two to the body.
Mallari wants to clinch
and Tanner counters with a big head kick but Mallari shrugs it off.
Mallari tries to clinch
and Tanner counters with a slapping leg kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mallari moves to clinch but Tanner breaks away
and Tanner counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mallari tries to clinch there but Tanner circles away.
Alecs Mallari is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mallari closes the distance looking to clinch
and Tanner counters with a low kick, right behind Mallari 's knee.

Tanner closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Tanner is trying to work for a kimura but Mallari is defending well.
Tanner with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Mallari wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanner perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Tanner seems to be looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tanner is nestled in close to Mallari, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tanner winds up and cracks Mallari with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Mallari blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tanner.
Tanner sitting and controlling from the half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Tanner prevents Mallari from standing back up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mervin Tanner dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mallari fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mallari tries to clinch
and Tanner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Mallari tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Mallari takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mallari wants to clinch.
Mallari tries to clinch but Tanner moves away
enabling Tanner to counter with a crisp jab.
Tanner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mallari tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tanner counters with a left and a right that stings Mallari.
Mallari tries to clinch up
and Tanner counters with a head kick. That will keep Mallari thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Mallari looks to clinch
and Tanner counters with an inside leg kick.
Mallari looks to clinch
and Tanner counters with a big head kick but Mallari shrugs it off.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mallari tries to clinch up
and Tanner counters with a low kick, right behind Mallari 's knee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mallari moves to clinch but Tanner breaks away
and Tanner counters with a low kick, right behind Mallari 's knee.
Mallari tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tanner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mallari closes the distance but Tanner moves to the side
and Tanner counters with an outside leg kick.
Mallari wants to clinch
and Tanner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mallari wants to clinch but Tanner slips to the side
and Tanner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Mallari's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Mallari closes the distance but Tanner moves to the side
and Mallari takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mervin Tanner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tanner circles away from the clinch attempt
and Tanner counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mallari tries to clinch up.
Mallari wants to clinch but Tanner slips to the side
and Tanner counters with a left to the body.
Mallari closes the distance looking to clinch
and Tanner counters with a head kick. That will keep Mallari thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tanner swats away the attempt to clinch by Mallari.
Mallari wants to clinch
and Tanner counters with a head kick. That will keep Mallari thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Mallari tries to close the distance and clinch but Tanner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mallari wants to clinch
and Mallari takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mallari wants to clinch but Tanner slips to the side
and Tanner counters with a big head kick but Mallari shrugs it off.
Mallari looks to clinch
and Mallari takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mallari closes the distance but Tanner moves to the side
and Mallari takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mallari tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tanner counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Mallari tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tanner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mallari tries to clinch there but Tanner circles away.
Mallari tries to clinch but Tanner moves away
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Mallari tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Tanner counters with a stiff right hand.
Mallari tries to clinch up
and Tanner counters with a two punch combo.
Mallari tries to clinch
and Tanner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanner circles away from the clinch attempt
and Tanner counters with a head kick. That will keep Mallari thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Mallari is looking to clinch but Tanner is avoiding it.
Mallari wants to clinch but Tanner slips to the side
and Tanner counters with a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mallari tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Tanner counters with a three punch combo that has Mallari backing up. Mallari nods at Tanner to acknowledge the strikes.
Mallari is looking to clinch but Tanner is avoiding it.
Mallari tries to clinch but Tanner moves away
and Tanner counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mallari closes the distance looking to clinch
and Tanner makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Mallari tries to clinch there but Tanner circles away.
Mallari wants to clinch
and Tanner makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Mallari really felt that one!
Alecs Mallari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mervin Tanner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mallari tries to clinch up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mervin Tanner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tanner, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:25
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:25
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mervin Tanner!