PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Terry Torres (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Punka Tuka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Torres comes into the arena with Heisenberg blaring out of the sound system. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Torres
vs
Tuka

172 cm
26
145 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

194 cm
26
145 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Terry Torres!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Punka Tuka!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, David Schapiro and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tuka checks a leg kick nicely.
Tuka wants to counter with a clinch but Torres pushes him away.
Torres fails to land the takedown.
Tuka wants to counter with a clinch but Torres pushes him away.
Torres throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tuka shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Torres counters with a right hand to the body.

Tuka moves into the clinch.
Torres is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Tuka gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Torres.
Tuka taking a breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tuka stalling the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Torres wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Torres prevents the takedown attempt.

Torres manages to pull guard.
Torres keeping moving, preventing Tuka from controlling successfully.
Tuka preventing the sweep.
Torres throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Torres has his foot on Tuka's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tuka works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Torres has control of Tuka's left arm, preventing Tuka from doing any damage.
Tuka trying to control but Torres is working from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Torres might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Torres controlling Tuka's posture.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Torres stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Torres wants it to stay on the feet.
Terry Torres has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Punka Tuka.

Tuka drives through and clinches with Torres against the cage.
Torres wants to break the clinch but can't.
I was talking to Torres's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Torres wants to take the fight to the mat but Tuka manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Tuka wants a takedown but no success here.
Tuka prevents a body shot from Torres.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for Torres to work.
Torres using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tuka has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Torres successfully pulls guard.
Torres is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tuka looking to pass the guard.
Tuka stopping the sweep attempt from Torres.
Torres trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Torres looking for a guillotine here but Tuka defends easily.
Tuka wants to control from the top but Torres keeps moving.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tuka tries to stand but Torres is controlling from the bottom.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Tuka looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tuka controlling from the top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Torres tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tuka swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Torres will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tuka is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Tuka shoots in looking for a takedown. Torres tries to sprawl out of it but Tuka keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Torres manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Torres defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Tuka.
Torres looks to land a right hand but Tuka moved out of range.
Torres shoots in and drives through. Tuka sprawls well.
Torres shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Torres displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tuka.
Terry Torres has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Punka Tuka.
Tuka takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Torres throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tuka shoots in for a double leg but Torres sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Torres misses the shot to the body.

Torres closes the distance and clinches.
Torres has Tuka pushed against the cage.
Torres is looking to break free of the clinch but Tuka has double underhooks.
Torres is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tuka can do to turn this around?
Torres stops a takedown attempt from Tuka.

Torres's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Torres misses with a head kick.

Tuka moves into the clinch successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuka drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tuka prevents the takedown attempt.
Tuka is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Torres gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Tuka drops down looking for an ankle pick but Torres pulls his leg out and moves away.

Torres rushes Tuka and presses him up against the cage.

Torres pulls guard.
Torres working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Torres is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Tuka is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Torres tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tuka trying to control the position from guard on top but Torres is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Torres is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Torres had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Tuka defends it easily.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tuka preventing the sweep.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Tuka closes the distance and clinches up with Torres, looking for a takedown. Tuka pushes Torres against the cage but Torres circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Tuka.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Torres's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Terry Torres dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Tuka throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Torres's waist but Torres gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Tuka off to one side.
Torres is looking to clinch.
Terry Torres seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tuka shoots in but no luck this time.

Tuka clinches up against the cage.
Tuka gets underhooks to prevent Torres's takedown attempt.
Torres prevents a takedown attempt there.
Terry Torres has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Punka Tuka.
Torres goes for a takedown attempt but Tuka pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Torres shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tuka defends it nicely.
Tuka is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Torres displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tuka.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Torres gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Tuka on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Tuka wants to take the fight to the mat but Torres manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Torres jumps guard and drags Tuka to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Torres bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tuka's guard.

Torres postures up.

Tuka has his feet on Torres's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Tuka keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Terry Torres is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuka will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Tuka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Horrible takedown attempt by Tuka or perhaps it was just good defense by Torres, which made it look bad.
Torres tries to score a power double leg takedown but Tuka sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Torres somewhat.

Tuka rushes Torres and presses him up against the cage.
Torres is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Tuka gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Torres pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Tuka darts in and clinches Torres up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuka has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Torres after a bit of a struggle.

Torres manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Torres keeping moving, preventing Tuka from controlling successfully.
Torres is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Tuka is controlling him.
Tuka is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Tuka stopping the sweep attempt from Torres.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Torres bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tuka's guard.

Tuka looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Torres drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Tuka manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Torres has Tuka in his guard.

Tuka tries to free his leg and advance position but Torres is retaining full guard.
Punka Tuka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Torres is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Terry Torres.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Torres, 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Terry Torres!
Terry Torres thanked the fans post fight for their support.