PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bobby Tate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grant Norris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Norris has chosen The Night by Kromestatik as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Tate
vs
Norris

189 cm
34
215 lbs
13 - 14 - 1

195 cm
35
220 lbs
20 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Bobby Tate!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Grant Norris!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Alan Glass and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tate closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Tate wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Norris, who protects the arm well.
Norris struggling a bit here.
Norris really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tate. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Tate tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Tate tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tate is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Norris is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tate tries to score with some ground and pound. Norris controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Tate throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Tate fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Tate taking a break here but Norris is having none of it and regains half guard.
Tate missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Tate is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Norris defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Tate wants to work for an arm triangle but Norris is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Norris is looking for a sweep. Tate is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tate takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Norris avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Tate.

Tate is trying to work for a kimura but Norris is defending well.

Tate is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Norris has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tate is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tate controlling his opponent.
Norris sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Tate wants to free his trapped foot but Norris is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tate thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Tate is just content to waste time from the top position. Norris takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Norris working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tate.
Tate landing some decent shots from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Norris working a defensive guard here.

Tate thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tate wants to pass the guard but Norris is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Tate dominated that 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.

Norris swinging wildly here.
Tate wants to clinch but Norris slips to the side
and Norris counters with a three punch combo that has Tate backing up. Tate nods at Norris to acknowledge the strikes.
Bobby Tate is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tate with a lazy takedown attempt
and Norris counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A punch combination from Norris misses.
Tate shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Norris sprawls well. Norris wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tate gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tate tries to close the distance and clinch but Norris swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tate misses with a takedown attempt - Norris sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bobby Tate. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norris stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Norris wants it to stay on the feet.
Grant Norris is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tate takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Tate dives in and scores a takedown into Norris's guard.
Tate preventing the sweep.
Norris is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tate is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Norris can do to turn this around?
Tate trying to control the position from guard on top but Norris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tate has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Tate is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Norris is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Norris has escaped and now he's on top!

Norris passes Tate's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tate has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Norris is working away from the top position though.
Norris is just content to waste time from the top position. Tate takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Tate not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tate looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Norris's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tate working for a triangle but Norris defends it easily.
Tate looking for a sweep. Not yet Tate, not yet.

Norris gets to his feet. Tate looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Tate misses with a takedown
and Norris counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tate doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Norris connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tate decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Norris regains full guard. Nicely done.
Norris keeping moving, preventing Tate from controlling successfully.
Norris lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Tate working for a triangle but Norris defends it easily.

Tate throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grant Norris showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Norris connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Norris jabs Tate right on the nose. Tate blinks but takes it well.
Tate tries to clinch but Norris moves away
and Norris counters with a straight right hand.
Tate fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Norris avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tate shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Norris but Norris pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Norris lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Tate fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norris throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Tate stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Norris throws a good cross that connects.

It looks like Bobby Tate has been cut.
Tate shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Norris sprawls well. Norris wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tate gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bobby Tate. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tate shoots in and drives through. Norris sprawls well.
Norris scores with a shot to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Norris lands a big head kick that sends Tate to the canvas! Norris follows up with strikes from the mount that forces the ref to step in and stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Grant Norris!
In his post fight interview, Grant Norris gave a big smile as he said 'Every win, I get closer to achieving my goal...being recognized as what I am. What am I? I'm the Best in the World. '.